Overcoming Yoga Injuries: Safe Return To Practice
Yoga can lower stress, increase strength, and aid to improve flexibility. Like any other activity, though, improper performance of it could lead to injuries. In this episode Adam talks on yoga injuries and emphasises the need of customising the practice to the body by stressing the sensation in the body and looking for several techniques.
1. Rest and Ice
2. Acupuncture
Another great approach to release scar tissue and increase flexibility is acupuncture. The fine needles activate particular areas of your body to assist in the release of the knots and tension generating pain.
Acupuncturists treat a wide range of health issues using this traditional Eastern Medicine approach as well. They handle problems like hip arthritis, knee injuries, persistent neck and back pain, shoulder aches, menstrual cramps, tension and anxiety.
Because it lowers cortisol levels—which can prevent injury recovery— acupuncture is a great option for yoga injuries. It also helps loosen muscles and joints that your yoga practice could have tightened or swelled. Acupuncture can enable you to return to your regular yoga lessons without running the danger of more damage by helping damaged parts to regain their full range of motion.
3. Massage
Although yoga is sometimes regarded as a "easy" kind of exercise, injuries can still result from it even if one is doing it with best of intentions. Common yoga injuries especially in the neck, shoulders, back, legs, and knees are strain or overstretch of muscles and joints.
Your body will tell you something has to change; pain is a signal for that. Pushing through discomfort could cause long-term ligament, joint, and muscular damage. Massage helps by gently extending and releasing the ligaments, tendons, and restricted muscles as well as by enhancing joint function. All of the several forms of massage— relaxing, deep tissue, sports, and trigger point therapy—can help yoga practitioners with ailments. Hudson Sport & Spine focusses in sports and injury recovery, including massage.
4. Chiropractic Care
Generally speaking, chiropractors treat back discomfort with alternative therapies and hands-on spinal manipulation. They may also provide nutritional and lifestyle counselling as well as rehabilitation activities.
Most yoga-related injuries to the neck, shoulders, elbows, and wrists arise from Downward Dog and other poses that strain those areas. Still, the knee is vulnerable to damage, particularly when it twists—as in pigeon posture or baddha konasana.
Respect your limitations and pay attention to your body; this is very crucial. Should you feel worse either during or following your practice, you should stop until it feels better. Before you resume your usual practice, work with a physical therapist to get advice on which postures and motions are safe for you.
5. Supplements
Although yoga calls for physical strength and flexibility, an ageing, stiff or sedentary body coupled with a demanding practice can be a formula for injury. Yoga most usually damages the shoulders, neck, wrists, and lower back.
For yogis, knee pain can be a challenge particularly if the hips are not flexible enough to support the legs in postures like full Lotus ( Padmasana). Under the knees, a block or rolled-up blanket helps to ease pressure.
In poses like headstand and plough pose, too far back head movements can cause damage the neck. With a healthy neck, one may stretch back roughly 75 degrees, forward 40, and rotate on its axis 50 degrees. Yogis should always follow the instructions for poses and only try them within their range to help avoid neck injury.
