Is Your Yoga Practice Really Safe? Maybe Not.
This article originally appeared on Yoganonymous.com.
What do you do when "the most dangerous" yoga poses are the ones that show up in every single class you take?
Details published this article that states these four poses are some of the most dangerous poses for any yogi: shoulder stand, standing forward bend, bound triangle pose, and camel pose.
What makes these poses so dangerous? From not being taught protective techniques, to putting your spine at risk for an injury—each of these poses has their own unique dangers.
The article details that shoulder stand injuries come from a lack of knowledge as to how to practice the pose—people tend to put too much pressure on their neck, and not enough on their upper shoulder area.
Forward bend injuries typically come from forcing yourself to over bend, instead of letting your head, shoulders, arms, and front body hang heavy. Injuries in bound triangle pose, typically come from the same problem—over stretching the muscles, causing pain and tears at later dates.
Injuries from camel pose come from over extending as well. However, injuries related to camel pose are more severe because they more strongly affect your spine, your nerve column, and your disks.
So, do avid yogis have the same risk of getting injured in these poses as newbies? Chances are no. If you’re an avid yogi, you know how to tune into your breath. You know the difference between comfortable stretching and painful stretching, and you know your body’s limits. If your body speaks to you in one pose, saying, “ Hello! This is way to hard for me right now, please be gentle today,” then listen to the signals and back off.
Yoga is a fun way to detoxify your body, gain strength and flexibility, and restore synovial fluids to your joints. It is not, however, a game of boasting or competition. More experienced yogis tend to go to yoga because they have a strong relationship with their practice—and that relationship will determine your likelihood of being injured in these “dangerous,” yet common, poses.
