| Every year, about 11 million Americans complain to | | | | stretching are done after each workout when body |
| doctors about knee pain. Roughly 21 million American | | | | is warm). |
| people have osteoarthritis of the knee (a | | | | Yoga provide effective solution |
| degenerative disease in which the cartilage gradually | | | | Yoga is excellent for increasing strength and flexibility |
| decays and fails to provide the shock absorbing | | | | in knees. More and more doctors are recommending |
| padding that cushions the bones). Orthopedic | | | | yoga to their patients who are rehabilitating after a |
| surgeons performed more than 1.2 million such | | | | ligament injury. |
| surgeries in 1996 alone. | | | | The benefit with yoga is that it helps to strengthen |
| Many older people suffer from this painful arthritic | | | | both the inner and outer quadriceps, which help to |
| condition, however this knee pain is not only | | | | keep the kneecap in alignment. It strengthens the |
| restricted to older people but healthy young people | | | | quadriceps, the hamstrings, the calves and the |
| are also getting effected by it, for example dancers, | | | | ankles- all fairly consistently. Strength in these areas |
| athlete for various reason. | | | | all help to support a weak knee. |
| Reason for knee injuries/ pain | | | | Another benefit that yoga give for the knees is the |
| Lets see what are the reason that people get knee | | | | increase in blood flow and nourishment that it sends |
| pain. Most common risk factor for knee pain are old | | | | to the surrounding joints and ligaments. As with most |
| age, obesity, knee injuries because of hyperextension | | | | poses in yoga, the action of squeezing a body part, |
| , misalignment of knee, inappropriate way of doing | | | | and then releasing it, sends lots of nutrient rich blood |
| exercise, tight muscles or because of combination of | | | | to the area that was affected in the posture. Many |
| above factors etc. | | | | postures do this for the knees in yoga. |
| Hyperextension at the knee joint occur when the | | | | Yoga posture like staff pose(Dandasana),Half |
| joints are overly flexible. In this case legs extend too | | | | downward facing dog pose (Ardha Adho Mukha |
| far and move past the point of being straight. Some | | | | Svanasana),Seat of power pose (Utkatasana Pose), |
| people may be born with this condition however | | | | simple balancing pose, Half frog pose (Ardha |
| most people develop it by habitually locking their | | | | Bhekasana) etc can be very helpful for rejuvenating |
| knee. | | | | knee joints. |
| Knee injuries can also occur because the way we | | | | Practiced with care, yoga posture can contribute to |
| stand and walk. For example when we stand straight | | | | the long-term health of your knees by strengthening |
| we need to be aware that whether our body weight | | | | your quadriceps, opening your stiff hips, and teaching |
| is distributed properly on both feet or not. It is not | | | | your body improved alignment and movement |
| very uncommon to observe that one side of heals of | | | | patterns that transfer into your everyday activities. |
| people shoes is wearing out more than the other side | | | | Note: It is important to practice yoga with caution. |
| creating imbalance at the knee joint. | | | | Initially Some yoga posture for example, padmasana |
| Imbalance at knee joint also occurs because of | | | | and yoga style like Ashtanga yoga mysore can be |
| underdeveloped inner quadriceps and strong outer | | | | avoided. Yoga posture that are done incorrectly can |
| quadriceps. In this case tendency of strong | | | | actually injure the knee. |
| quadriceps is to pull the kneecap towards the outside | | | | Remember most important rule in practicing yoga |
| of legs I.e. result in imbalance. | | | | posture is that any slightest pain is indication from |
| Knee joints in our body can be healthy if the muscles | | | | you body that something is wrong and come out of |
| that support them are healthy I.e. both strong and | | | | it. If starting yoga practice, it is strongly |
| supple. Tight outer hips and hamstrings put undue | | | | recommended that you begin in presence of qualified |
| pressure pressure on knee joints. Athletic activity | | | | yoga teacher and do listen to your doctor advise. |
| cause these muscles to tighten up and along with the | | | | Issued in public interest by Subodh Gupta yoga |
| aging process condition become worse (unless proper | | | | expert based in London. |