What You Need To Know About Joints In Yoga
We have already talked about how to avoid injuries in yoga, today we will touch on a topic of safety. The work of joints, tendons and ligaments in yoga requires deep consideration, here we will touch on general concepts and pay attention to where it is worth to be cautious. First, let's see what the joint is and what role it plays in the body.
The joint is a movable junction of the bones of the skeleton. Joints help to lead such actions in the body as flexion, extension, rotation, withdrawal and reduction.
Thus, the joints help us to move and our task in the practice of yoga is to ensure their safety during movements. Note that the body has different joints and each of them needs its own approach to working with the body.
Structure
Each joint consists of surfaces of bones, an articular capsule and an articular cavity. The principle of operation is constructed in such a way that the bones slide about the cartilaginous tissue and this creates the possibility for movement.
The tendon is the formation of connective tissue, the terminal structure of the striated muscles, by which they attach to the bones. Joints are connected to muscles with the help of tendons, which are stabilizers.
Ligaments are a dense formation of connective tissue that holds together parts of the skeleton or internal organs. Thus, the bones are interconnected.
In order to understand what happens in the joints in the practice of yoga, it is necessary to consider them not as separate elements, but also the parts of the body that are close to it, i.e. Bones, muscles and other joints.
For example, in order to determine the source of discomfort in the knee joint, it is necessary to determine the position of the hip and ankle joint, the location of the bones and the work of the muscles.
Mobility
This factor depends on the function being performed. Most joints have limited mobility, for example, the knee joint performs the function of flexion and extension, but the amplitude of its rotation is very limited.
Shoulders are the most flexible joint and perform more diverse functions. The hip joint is designed to carry the weight of the body, so it is the most powerful and this area is the most difficult to stretch.
It is worth noting that the hypermobility of the joints is a deviation from the norm and also requires special attention in the practice of yoga. Hypermobility in the joint involves excessive elasticity of the tendons and ligaments.
Stretching
How do you understand if you pull a muscle or tendon?
Tendons connect the bones to the muscles, and the ligaments connect the bones to each other. Both these and others do not have the same elasticity as the muscles, because they are called to stabilize the joint and provide a certain action.
If the load exceeds the possible elasticity of the tissue, tearing or stretching occurs. Thus, most of the stretching is obtained only by the muscles, and the auxiliary attachment tissues can only partially stretch. Objectives to stretch ligaments or tendons as such should not be at all.
Be sure to warm up before practicing;
Make sure that the main feeling of stretching is in the abdominal area of the muscle (in the middle), and not closer to the joint;
Take care that your movements are not sharp and staccato, give yourself time to get used to the load;
Do not suffer pain in the joint, gently exit the situation if you feel a sharp, stitching, sharp, burning pain.
Protection of joints
The main defense of joints in practice is:
Stabilization (straightening the legs and pulling the muscles on the knee in the slopes);
Correct distribution of body weight (palms over shoulders in the bar);
Placement of joints on one line with other joints (thigh, knee, ankle, socks in the pose of a warrior);
Use of muscles to distribute the load in postures (pulling the muscles over the knee in the pose of the mountain);
Use of props (a towel under the knee when performing a cat-cow).
Joints are not only physical exercises, but also lifestyle and style of nutrition. To prevent problems and diseases it is important to take into account all the factors that affect our body: if possible, eat well, have a fairly active lifestyle, get rid of excess weight, exercise regularly.
Regular practice is also important in restoring and maintaining the health of joints and tendons. If you once attended the lesson, there will not be a proper effect. Permanent practice will not only strengthen your joints, but will also give you a clearer understanding of how to work with them in postures.
Safety
With the proper construction of the pose, practice should not be harmful. Under the right construction, we mean not only anatomically literate position of the body, correct entry and exit from the posture, but also take into account the features of your body, as well as your condition at the time of posture.
However, there are postures in which there is a risk of damage to the joint, if you do not take into account the above factors. The most common problems in yoga arise in the knees, wrists, neck, waist. Poses, which should pay special attention:
Neck: inverted asanas, Plow posture, Bridge posture;
The knees: the pose of the Lotus, the pose of the Hero, the pose of the Warriors;
Loin: deflections, inclinations;
Wrists: Plank, Chaturanga, all poses with an emphasis on the hands.
As for the tendons, the most susceptible to stretching: Achilles tendon, biceps arm, extensors and flexors of the hand, quadriceps femoris. Usually the trauma is accompanied by a characteristic crackle, pain, immobility of the muscle, swelling. In any case, it is better to avoid injuries than to recover from them. Be careful and not considerate in your practice - listen to your body.
Health and love!
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