Knee Conditions and Yoga

My Yoga Online - Kreg Weiss has posted a new yoga anatomy article: Yoga and Osgood-Schlatter Syndrome, Protecting the Knees During Your Yoga Practice. This yoga article reviews the causes and symptoms of Osgood-Schlatter Syndrome and offers tips on how to approach a yoga practice when one is experiencing this condition.

Osgood-Schlatter syndrome (also known as tibial tuberosity apophysitis) is a knee condition that tends to affect about 13% of teenagers. This condition is prevalent in those who experience rapid growth spurts and typically who participate in high levels of physical activity (note: this condition appears to be more prevalent in boys than girls).

Osgood-Schlatter syndrome is believed to occur as a combination of a combination of a genetic and an overuse condition where the quadriceps tendon fails to develop as quickly as the lengthening bone. This creates a tightening effect of the quadriceps tendon and generates an excessive pulling force on the boney process just below the knee (tibial tuberosity). As a result of this excessive pulling force, the tibial tuberosity can experience inflammation that leads to tenderness or pain. Given that high levels of physical activity can shorten muscles, repetitive force loads like running can increase the risk of developing this syndrome. ...Read More

Why Do Yoga at Home?

My Yoga Online - Practicing Yoga is a highly intimidate activity where one flows through the layers of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual in order to establish connection with the Inner Teacher and the Inner Self. By establishing a yoga practice at home, one can deeply enhance this connection by proceeding in one’s practice with bountiful choices – when and how long to practice; what yoga poses, breath work and style of meditation to perform.

I have discussed with many yoga participants the idea of home practices and a few common responses are: “I would not know what to do or how to put flows together” , “I prefer to be in a yoga studio with other people”, “I can not motivate myself to it at home”.

Practicing Yoga at a studio offers great benefits in that one can establish a foundation of knowledge. You can receive direct guidance and corrections. You can also enjoy a social environment of sharing energy and a common interest.
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All About Downward Facing Dog

If you have ever taken an Ashtanga or vinyasa flow class, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Downward Facing Dog, is no stranger to you. Downward Facing Dog is a fundamental yoga asana, but a surprisingly complex one. As my teacher recently joked, “If I hear one more instructor say the phrase - ‘ Downward Facing Dog is a resting pose’- I’ll shoot them!” Nothing is more daunting to a student on their 5th or 6th or 7th Downward Facing Dog to learn that they are supposed to be resting in this complicated pose. Learning about the anatomy of the pose can help us find a little more ease in the mystery that is Downward Facing Dog.

Click Here to read more from Dr. Robin Armstrong's article about the foundational cues that create a Downward Facing Dog full of integrity and benefits. Feel welcome to also send a message to Dr. Robin Armstrong by submitting your comment below.