How to Use Yoga to Benefit Knees

Each year, numerous middle- aged people undergo surgery to repair damaged, over-worked knees. Our knees, when functioning correctly, allow us to walk, sit, run, stand and bend. If other parts of our body are out of whack, such as our feet or hips, this can cause problems for your knees. Yoga can help us deal with aging knees or knees damaged by athletics by stretching them, as well as strengthening other parts of the body, so that we're operating like a well-oiled machine. Hopefully, by keeping the knees stretched and flexible we can avoid surgery.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Lying on your back, raise your right leg. Hold onto your calves with your hands or use a yoga strap if that makes it easier for you. Pull the leg toward your head. This is a hamstring stretch, and it will help keep your knees in good shape. Repeat the posture on the other side.

2. Execute the Hero pose, which consists of sitting on your calves. You may need to use a prop, such as a towel or some kind of bolster placed under your buttocks or in the crease of each bent knee. Your feet should be behind you and your hands placed on your thighs. If your thighs are extremely tight this may be a difficult posture for you to execute, so proceed with caution. Before doing this posture, consult with your yoga instructor if you have serious knee problems.

3. 
   Cobbler Pose

   Try the half cobbler pose. Sitting, bring your left foot into your crotch area. This provides a good stretch and bend for the knees. Do the cobbler pose on the right leg. If you can, do the full cobbler pose, bringing both feet into the crotch area and placing the bottoms of your feet together. If you can't lay your legs on the floor in the full cobbler position because you don't have that much flexibility, allow your knees to point upward diagonally. You will still get a good leg and knee stretch. If you have a serious knee injury, do not do this pose unless under the guidance of a yoga instructor.

4. Know that doing yoga will gradually return lost flexibility. The yoga postures strengthen muscles and help repair stiff joints. If you have specific knee problems, bring this to the attention of your yoga instructor. Each posture must be approached slowly, carefully and gently.

Tips & Warnings

• The earlier you start doing yoga, the better off you will be. Start paying attention to your knees and their present condition in an effort to ward off future knee problems.
• Always consult with your yoga instructor when attempting new yoga postures.

Resources

• ABC-of-Yoga. com Yoga for Knees
• ABC-of-Yoga.com
• NSHouseofYoga.com

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