I know it’s an unpopular opinion, but it does make sense: If you have chronic low back, hip or knee pain and you do yoga, you’re doing something wrong.
I’m pretty sure you already know about all of the benefits of yoga, so I won’t go into it. Just know that there are many!
So many, in fact, that if you have any discomfort or pain, no one will believe it’s coming from your yoga regiment.
That’s so unfortunate because if people knew injuries could come from practicing yoga, more injuries could be prevented.
Overuse injuries can occur in yoga due to overstretching, in terms of frequency and duration.
In other words, performing many movements or poses where the knees are coming up towards the chest or the chest comes down to the knees can cause your hip flexors to tighten. If you’re bending backward and arching your back, this is called an anterior pelvic tilt, you’re tightening your hip flexors.
So, whats the problem?
Tight hip flexors can lead to chronic lower back pain. How? Two of your hip flexors: Psoas Major and Iliacus can send referred pain to the lower back and groin area.
Thigh hip flexors can lead to chronic lateral hip pain. How? Another one of your hip flexors: Tensor Fascia Latae can send referred pain down the lateral hip and thigh.
Tight hip flexors can lead to chronic anterior knee pain. How? Your Rectus Femoris muscle (Yup! Another hip flexor) pulls your kneecap or patella upwards, causing it to rub against your femur. Very painful!
So, yes, doing yoga would be doing a good thing. But, just like all other good things, it’s possible to have too much.
If you want to continue doing yoga, just maintain neutral spine. If you want to try something new, entirely, check out our Daily Increments class. It was put together by a physical therapist specializing in orthopedic conditions.
Me. It was created by me, Brandon Lakes.
I practice physical therapy in NYC, and run a YouTube channel called Better With Brando
Check out my video on how one of my clients who did Sun Salutations every morning kept her lower back pain because of it.
When Doing Yoga Goes Wrong
https://youtu.be/emFkGa6xxoU
