Learn to Modify Yoga Poses for Students in Common Injury Recovery - Wrist, Back, and Joint Pain
Learn to Modify Yoga Poses for Students in Common Injury Recovery - Wrist, Back, and Joint Pain
Yoga is for everybody and every body. Variations of poses, sequences, and transitions honor the uniqueness of the human body. These modifications create balance, security, and confidence to explore yoga in a personalized manner. In doing so, yoga is safe, accessible, and healing.
Yoga students must clearly understand beneficial movements and limitations from their health care provider and then pose modifications can be offered accordingly.
The Human Form Changes
Almost every yoga student experiences that feeling of uncertainty and comparison at some point. A dedicated practice can overcome many of these insecurities.
However, new negative emotions arise when our bodies change due to aging, injury, or disease. The once effortless Adho Mukha Vrksasana becomes Uttanasana, or the seemingly familiar Virabhadrasana I becomes Tadasana instead.
As a yoga teacher, it is important to understand that the body changes, and so must the teachings and the poses. It's a natural process to age and encounter disease and injury, and asana can adjust along the way. For this reason, it is highly recommended that yoga teachers take advantage of advanced yoga teacher training courses to better serve their students’ needs.
Advanced YTT for Holistically Addressing Yoga for Joint Pain:
Many of today's yoga classes will offer helpful support for the student with joint pain. Warmed studios, often with humidity, will help a yoga student’s body loosen up and prepare for movement. Dim lighting, soothing music, and gentle scents encourage all students to relax and focus on other parts of themselves aside from any discomfort.
As a yoga teacher, learning how to implement props into your teachings is vital for safe movement for many students with differing joint mobility. Become a master of props with bolsters, blankets, and blocks for supine or prone poses. Learn to implement straps, walls, and chairs to make standing poses accessible, for example.
Consider enrolling in advanced yoga teacher training to learn more about yoga modifications for joint pain.
A Practical Example of Yoga Pose Modifications for Wrist Issues:
Wrist stiffness or soreness after yoga is not uncommon among yogis, especially in poses that ask the wrist to extend while carrying a percentage of body weight.
Without props, suggest students grip with the fingertips. Pair this with shifting weight into the base of each finger instead of the heel of the palm. It might be the case that pointing the fingers in a slightly different direction is also helpful. Forming fists and resting on the metacarpals with the thumb pad on the earth can also provide relief.
A small cloth or towel can be rolled up and placed under the palm's heel to create the same effect. Wedges of many angles are also available. Alternatively, using blocks under the hands transfers some of the body's weight away from the wrists in poses like Adho Mukha Svanāsana. As a bonus of sorts, using blocks under the hands creates more room for other poses like lunges and some twists.
A Practical Example of Yoga Pose Modifications for Back Soreness:
Another source of challenge in the body is back soreness. The back is infinitely more complex than a wrist, and as such, requires a student to be fully aware of limitations and allowances.
Make use of yoga pose modifications that modify the surrounding joints and muscles to prevent strain on the back. For example, the pelvic tilt influences the low back and should be neutral or anterior to avoid excess strain. Similarly, tight psoas or hamstring muscles benefit from bent knees instead of stretching to a limit.
The low core muscles and mūla bandha (the root lock) offer counter support to the lower back. These muscles help stabilize the entire core when properly engaged.
For the upper body, encourage the head, neck, and shoulders to remain comfortable throughout the practice. Offer gentle movement without the goal of moving one's gaze to full expression, especially in twists.
There are endless ways to use yoga props for back problems. When supine, blankets and bolsters support the neck, head, and under the knees. In seated folds, straps extend the arms, and blocks under the hands allow for additional space and safe folds while standing.
Enroll in Advanced Yoga Teacher Training to Learn How to Modify Yoga Poses for Students
Yoga is a beautiful practice for all shapes and experiences, and mindful guidance tailored to the individual will best serve your community.
Continue to research similar topics on our Blog often or subscribe to our Mailing List for similar content. Additionally, consider enrolling in Advanced Yoga Teacher Training.
In fact, if you are looking to improve your yoga teacher training for injured students - we’d love to invite you to check out Prema Yoga Institute for Online Advanced Yoga Teacher Trainings.
Prema Yoga Institute is longer limited to New York City and is now available online with interactive trainings through 2022. PYI is an accredited program based in New York city, teaching students around the globe through online classes. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you advance your yoga practice and teaching!
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