Isn’t it a common thing to feel a strain on the knees after a long adventurous day? Yes, it is! And it is also that common that almost 19% of the whole world’s population(1) suffers from it making it the second cause of chronic pain that affects more than one- third of the American population alone. Many people resort to complicated methods but don’t consider practicing yoga for knee pain relief.
It might be due to lack of knowledge about its amazing benefits but not anymore as we tell you all that you must know about practicing yoga for relieving the aching knee pain off your body.
You will be shocked to know that yoga can be practiced even after a knee replacement surgery that has also become a significant treatment(2) that people undergo with more than 600,000 knee replacements getting carried out in one single year.
Scroll down and learn about the different poses to practice, mistakes that can aggravate the pain and the postures that people with knee replacement can practice.
Life can be miserable with excruciating knee pain. Knee pain can snatch away your essential happiness, mobility, and comfort. If you are someone suffering from knee pain, then opt for yoga for knee pain. The best thing about yoga is it heals from the core. Unlike other medication and treatment, yoga does not suppress the pain.
[Also Read: Home Remedies to treat Knee Pain]
Now let us talk about ten yoga postures for knee pain:
Reclined Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose is great for hamstring and .
Setu Bandhasana is good for knee pain, hip toning, and knee strengthening
[Read: KT Tape for Knee Pain Relief]
Banana Pose is good for lower back, neck, and knees. Any beginner can practice this yoga exercise to strengthen knee.
Tadasana is an excellent knee strengthening yoga pose for joints and hip.
[Read: Relieve Shoulder Pain with Yoga]
This pose is one of the most practiced yoga poses for knee pain. It strengthens knee join and shin.
Virabhadrasana strengthens your lower back, spine, thighs, and shin altogether. It enhances overall strength and is one of the most effective yoga pose for knee pain.
Ardha Matsyendrasana pose is helpful for knee pain as it opens outer hip or knee abductors and stretches it out.
[Read: Yoga for Vertigo Treatment]
Initially, practicing Virasana can be challenging. But with regular practice, it helps to release the toxins in joints and ease them.
Sukhasana is the most comfortable and relaxing pose. It reduces stress and removes anxiety. It is suitable for curing knee pain.
Lotus pose is one of the most common yoga poses. It is suitable for knees, spine and overall well-being.
[Read: Essential Oils for Knee Pain Relief]
Yoga is a natural way to heal and addresses almost all the ailments. But it is a vigorous practice and needs to be practiced correctly. If someone does or practices, any yoga for knee pain poses in the wrong way, then it can give rise to some other physical issues or problem. An incorrect yoga posture can be a cause of severe damage and injury.
Understanding the nitty-gritty of yoga and all the risks related to practicing yoga is essential to avoid any danger. Let’s talk about general mistakes while doing yoga exercise for knee pain:
Uneasiness: If you are feeling any strain, discomfort, and uneasiness while doing a pose then immediately stop doing that pose.
Incorrect Posture: Doing or holding an incorrect yoga posture can be fatal. Imagine you are doing cobra pose and the posture is wrong. Consequently, leading to tissue tear, muscle cramps, or damage certain nerves and ligaments too.
Other Physical Issues: If you have other physical ailments like asthma, cardiac troubles, old injury, surgeries like knee or hip replacement, then talk to your doctor first before starting yoga for knee pain. A pregnant woman should consult her doctor before doing any yoga, and it is mandatory.
Overdoing: Do not think that doing something more than needed will bring the result faster. Our body has its limitation. If you push yourself to go beyond the limit or force your body to overdo a vigorous exercise like yoga for weak knees, it can cause serious harm.
Impatience: Yoga is not a quick fix. If you think you will repeatedly do the yoga poses mentioned above and get rid of knee pain altogether in one night, then you are wrong. Yoga needs patience, and your body needs to adapt to the new habit. Yoga heals slowly but surely.
[Read: Simple Yoga Poses for Arthritis]
If you think yoga is an off limit after knee replacement surgery, then this part of the article is for you. Knee surgery or any surgery gets along related precautions. We feel unsure and scared before and after operations.
But do not worry, the right kind of yoga after knee surgery is easy and useful, but proper guidance and experienced trainer is needed to avoid any further damage or injury. To do that you must get the medical clearance from your orthopedic surgeon.
Talk to your surgeon about your fear, needed precaution, frequencies of doing yoga, hidden risks and type of surgery you had. Talk with him about the implant if there is any. If you have a prosthetic implant in your knees, then it can be vulnerable when it comes to doing yoga.
Since it strengthens the hip-area and thighs and shin, the upper body chair pose is suitable after knee replacement., But you need to get that go-ahead from your surgeon, before proceeding with any yoga for knee pain.
Knee pain should not be an obstacle. Do not think that you should keep all the enjoyment at bay if you are suffering from knee pain. It is hard to feel motivated to practice yoga for knee pain. But once you get that motivation, do not waste a single day.
Yoga is a boon for everyone. Be patient and make yoga a part of your daily life for a healthy life. The efficacies of yoga are limitless. Yoga can align your body, mind, and soul. So, stop feeling stressed and do yoga.