Yoga for Healthy Knees

 

Above photo via Liztan on Flickr. Below photo via I_Need_Coffee on Flickr.

Do you have tight knees?

Have you suffered from prior injuries playing sports or running? 


Yoga can help. It's important to remember to go slow and be patient. You must give your body time to heal.


Listen to your body as you enter a posture. If you feel sharp pain, back off. A little discomfort is OK, but you don't want to go past your edge to sharp or excruciating pain.


Ideally, you want to practice at a studio under the guidance of an experienced teacher. If you can't make it to a studio, you can practice at home. All you need is a little floor space, some patience, and permission to give yourself time to slow down and release tension.

Try these poses to start.

Wind removing pose

 Photos via Bikram Yoga Bethesda.

Standing separate leg forward fold

 Photo via B_Keith88 on Flickr.

Triangle 

(remember to engage the quadriceps!)

 Photo via Dietnesstea on Flickr.

 Photo via Yo-Fi on Flickr.

 Photo via B_Keith88 on Flickr.

Cobra

 Photo via Lila_Yoga on Flickr.

Locust

 Photo via OldMoonYoga on Flickr.

Warrior I & II

(be sure the knee is lined up directly over the ankle!)

 Photo via iyogalife.

 Photo via Yoga Dudes on Tumblr.

Be especially careful when doing reclining hero pose, cow face pose, and lotus pose. You may want to skip these for a while, until you gain more flexibility in your knees.

  

 Photos via Yoga One on One PM on Flickr, Yoga by Melissa, and Ulrika Laan.

I also highly recommend epsom salt baths to ease tension. Supplementing for your joints, with vitamin D and maybe even glucosamine, is a great way to improve your bone and joint health from the inside out, too. YogaEarth is another great superfood supplement for overall health. Just mix it with juice or water for on-the-go nutrition.


Namaste.