If you have been practicing Yoga for some time, you have likely suffered from a yoga-related injury. Yoga Asanas carries some risks, as with any other physical activity. This is especially true when performed vigorously or needing to be made aware of your body’s limits. These injuries can be minor and heal quickly. They also help you to become more aware of your body. Wounds that are not appropriately healed can become chronic pain areas.
The majority of serious injuries that occur from Yoga are pretty rare. In 2015, a 38-year-old man from Ireland fractured his leg while performing Ashtanga Yoga. Marichyasana B, the man, heard a loud sound as his right leg femur broke 4 inches above his left knee. Although most yogis won’t have to worry about an injury like this, it raises crucial questions about Yoga. What can be gained from practicing a sequence of repetitive poses, such as the primary series in Ashtanga Yoga? What should you do if your body hurts during or after yoga asana?
Repetitive Yoga can stress the body
In my Ashtanga practice, I’ve found that learning a sequence can help me develop a personal at-home practice. This repetition lets you focus more on your breath and posture than anticipating the next step. A set series can lead to repetitive stress injuries. If you repeat an action incorrectly and do not vary it, it can harm your body.
Even experienced yoga practitioners have difficulty recognizing the difference between harmful pain and non-harmful discomfort. How can we follow our advice while keeping ourselves safe and allowing our yoga practice to challenge us?
Yoga poses and practices to ease chronic pain
You should be able to distinguish between pain and discomfort in your body. Pushing discomfort too far may lead to pain. You should stop if you feel uncomfortable. The discomfort should be felt in the belly area of the muscle you are stretching or engaging. Stop and reduce the amount of movement if you feel pain in your joints.
Variate the type of Yoga that you practice. Take a break if you experience chronic pain or an injury. It is a great way to heal injuries. Restorative yoga or yin Yoga can show you how to slow down and increase your awareness of the physical poses.
Always trust your instincts, even if you seek professional advice. If you are experiencing pain, consult a yoga teacher, physical therapist, or doctor. But don’t let their advice replace yours. You are your greatest teacher.
When you practice, focus on the balance between tension and the release of muscles. Some muscles need to work hard to support the stretching of opposing muscles. Asanas should not be all strength and all release. This can prevent pushing in one direction from causing painful injuries.
Learn the foundations of alignment. Anyone who wants to avoid injury and pain in Yoga should understand how to maintain structural stability in the body and how to support rather than harm it. Use blocks to help you achieve good alignment during your practice.
Try these yoga poses for chronic pain relief: Begin with gentle movements like Cat, Cow, and seated bends. Also, try supine turns and gentle twists. Add in Mountain Pose, and slow Sun Salutations. Try restorative postures such as Legs Up the Wall and Supported Children’s Pose.
Try focused relaxation. Focused relaxation techniques such as breath awareness or body scanning can ease chronic pain. Focused relaxation can be enhanced by incorporating Yoga Nidra.
You can manage your pain by using meditation techniques. Try calming or healing techniques like our inner peace meditation and prana-healing meditation for the best results.
Relaxing Pranayamas (yogic breathing techniques), such as Dirga Pranayama or Nadi Sodhana Pranayama, can reduce tension and stress by relaxing the nervous system.
Has Yoga helped you reduce or eliminate chronic back pain? What Yoga poses and practices helped you to reduce or eliminate chronic pain?