Knee pain can strike anyone at any age. In this case, a person experiences difficulty or pain in moving their knees. Pain can sometimes be felt even while the knees are immobile.
Do you suffer from knee pain? Many people experience persistent knee or joint pain as a result of arthritis, osteoarthritis, or simply regular stress. Yoga practices, fortunately, have been demonstrated to be effective, although newcomers may find them intimidating.
Yoga can help people with knee pain by reducing chronic pain, improving mobility, physical fitness, and overall quality of life.
If you are experiencing the knee pain, avoid doing any strong physical activities because this will just make it worse. Yoga, with its slow and controlled motions, will aid with pain relief. Yoga stretches the knees gently without damaging them, making them healthy and flexible. The muscles that surround the knees are also strengthened by these asanas.
Common causes of knee pain
Surprisingly, the problem isn't usually with the knee. Because it's a joint, the muscles that surround it, such as the quads, hamstrings, and calves, have an impact.
Wrong Posture
Your entire body has an impact on the health of your knees. A knee injury can be caused by any imbalance, such as poor posture or a stiff hip joint, Your weight is distributed down your spine, sacrum, and pelvis, and onto your knees. You can feel it on your knees if you're standing or sitting in an unusual position.
Arthritis
Arthritis is the most common musculoskeletal disorder, affecting the knee and hip the most frequently. Around 20% of individuals in the world suffer from arthritis, which is described as the slow and sometimes progressive degradation of cartilage that covers the bones of a joint.
Injury
Other typical culprits of knee pain include injury to a ligament (like a torn ACL), weak quads or hamstrings, or a chronic condition like tendinitis.
Benefits of yoga for knee pain
Yoga strengthens the muscles that surround a painful joint, stabilising it and lowering discomfort. Strengthening the knee flexors (hamstrings), knee extensors (quadriceps) and hip extensors (glutes) are all important muscle groups for people with hip and knee pain.
Yoga can be especially therapeutic for people with knee pain. Yoga practice on a regular basis can help people with arthritis become more active and improve their quality of life.
Yoga Poses for knee pain relief
Here are best yoga poses that will help you strengthen your knees and relieve knee pain:
1. Chair Pose
The chair pose helps to develop the thigh muscles. Your knees will be supported by strong thigh muscles.
Begin by putting your feet together. Straighten your arms in front of your face. Then slowly sit back and down (as if you're sitting in a chair). As you descend, squeeze your thighs.
Hold this yoga pose for a few moments while breathing deeply and slowly. Then get back on your feet.
Beginner's Tip
Beginners may find more support and stability with their feet hip-width apart.
2. Triangle Pose
2.Triangle Pose
The triangle pose is done by stepping your feet out at a wide stance,with your right foot turned at a 90-degree angle.
Your right knee should be bent in line with your hip and ankle as you straighten your right leg to work your inner quad and thighs, and both feet should be resting.
The right knee must be aligned with the hip and ankle in order to reach the right arm down to the left side of the body in a straight line. Slowly inhale and exhale. Then repeat the procedure.
Contraindications and Cautions
Avoid hyperextending or "locking out" your knee. Allow for a microbend or imagine using your quadriceps (the front of your thighs) to hold the leg straight.
3. Warrior I (Virabhadrasana 1)
Warrior I, when performed with perfect alignment, can help strengthen the various muscles surrounding the knee, improving knee joint stability as well as general balance.
Start from a standing position, stepping back with your left foot, toes pointed slightly out, and your feet hip distance apart. Bend your front knee 90 degrees, and your thigh should be parallel to the floor, with your knee stacked over your ankle.
As you inhale, raise your torso and reach up with the arms, hands shoulder-distance apart and palms facing each other.To come out of the pose, inhale and press through your back heel as you straighten the front leg.
4.Tree Pose (Vrksasana)
Urdhva mukha svanasana, or upward facing dog pose, is often practiced in sequence with adho mukha svanasana, downward facing dog pose. It is is a powerful pose that awakens upper-body strength and offers a wonderful stretch for the chest and abdomen.
Beginner's Tip
5. Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)
Bound Angle Pose calleed Baddha Konasana in Sanskrit, It is a seated position in which the soles of the feet are brought together, and the knees are bent wide.
This position opens the hip flexors, inner thighs, and groyne muscles, all of which affect the knees, in addition to mildly stretching the knees.
To prevent putting too much strain on your knees, begin by holding this pose with your knees very slightly bent. Then, as you get more comfortable, move your feet closer to your groin.
Contraindications and Cautions
If you have a groin or knee ailment, only do this position with a blanket under your outer thighs.
6. Bridge Pose
Setu Bandasana, or bridge position, is a yoga pose that aligns your knees to strengthen your glutes, back, and hamstrings.
Start with Lay down on your back in the centre of the mat, knees bent, legs and feet parallel, hips apart. On an inhale, lift your hips and press the backs of your shoulders and feet against the floor.
Press the inner feet down actively, Tuck the tailbone in and lift the bottom from the ground as high as you can.
Roll your shoulders under your body and interlace your fingers below to expand the chest. Hold for a few breaths in this position. To finish, exhale, lower the lower back and tailbone to the floor. Repeat this move a few times to get optimal results.
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Keep Your Knees Safe During Yoga
If you want to practice yoga but have knee pain, using props to support your body is a wonderful option. Props are useful in yoga since they can be used to alter poses and make them more accessible and comfortable if you have knee discomfort.
Thicker Yoga Mat or cushion: Avoid placing your knee directly on the floor. Use a good quality yoga mat. Thicker yoga mats give more cushion between you and the floor, which is advantageous when your knees are on the ground.
Blankets: Yoga blankets is a great way to add cushion to your practice and make poses more comfortable. For example, in Veerasana (Hero Pose),You can place a blanket underneath you buttock to reduce discomfort at knee
Blankets: Blocks are an excellent addition to any yoga practice because they allow you to experiment with positions without going too far.
Yoga can stretch out the stiff muscles that support and surround the knees. Make sure you're paying attention to your breaths as you complete positions. Staying focused on the workout and avoiding overstretching or overdoing any of the poses can be accomplished by synchronising your breath with your movement.
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