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The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › The Hot Yoga Poses › Tadasana › Medial knee pain
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I have followed the threads on knee pain, and feel that I have very similar problems as Robert.
I played competitive tennis as a junior(U.18 Canadian Champion) and have been long distancing running and exercising ever since. I still run, but I’ve cut down on marathons, (about 9 years ago after my 4th child) and have loved the way hot yoga allows me to challenge myself but not get injured. I’m 48 and realize that you have to exercise smarter not harder to really get benefits. I then did a personal trainers course in Perth and became a spin instructor as well. I teach spinning 3 times a week and balance it out with yoga 3 times. Anyway so I have had issues with my knees since 2000 when I was running ultramarathons of up to 98km. Cortisone shots, strapping, taking ibuprofen even while running, but fortunately the knees took a beating but physios and doctors said no real permanent damage. That’s a very short story made long, but just wanted to give you background information.
I started feeling pain on the medial side of the knees in tree, toe standing, spine twisting and seated head to knee. I modified the poses the way Robert suggested and left out toe standing completely. The physio did deep tissue massage and needled the adductor, and vastus medius muscles attaching on to the knee. She felt that the problem was with the deep stabilising muscles. It’s been a month now but everytime I attempt tree or try to bend my knee inward for janushirasana it starts to hurt. I actually sit in the old ‘hurdlers position’ for that pose and feel no pain. There is no pain in fixed firm as I go into the full expression and hold for two sets as you suggest, no pain when spinning or even doing squats for the physio.She nearly hit the roof when I went into fixed firm and told me never to do it again. I told her it actually feels restorative, but she wouldn’t listen to me.
I just don’t want to injure my knee further. Is continuing to lockout the knee and holding for 1 minute not detrimental? I don’t mind modifying poses, but I miss the challenge of toe standing. Is the pain a natural part of the journey? I was really trying to sit in lotus but now I can’t even sit crossed legged unless I allow my knees to come way off the ground.
I hope you can help me find my way back to a painfree practice.:)Love and Gratitude
FatimaHi Fatima
Finally! I am here. You have a TON of stuff in that email. Let’s break some of it down and I think I have some questions for you.
Can you tell me which leg is hurting in spine twist? My guess is the bottom leg when it’s bent across the midline. Is that the same issue with Janushirasana when you bend the leg that you’re not orienting your body over? Just seeking clarification.
What does the physio say? Only medial meniscus damage? A tear? Is there any other damage that you can let me know that your medical team indicates?
Regarding locking the knee: That should be helping you stabilise and strengthen so unless it’s feeling dangerous to you I would suggest to keep doing that. I will show you one day (perhaps in Costa Rica – thanks for your scholarship entry on YouTube btw!) a system that I teach for strengthening knees.
Get back to me and we’ll get this ball rolling a bit faster 😉
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hi Gabrielle,
I had major issues with computer,hot mail,internet, and life in general. But I think things are back on track, finally.
Back to the knee problem that seems to have persisted right through the holidays. Not getting any worse, but same intensity of pain in specific postures. Physios don’t detect any tears or major injuries. I was told to never do fixed firm under any circumstances, even though I feel no pain in the full expression of that pose. I started doing it again about 2 weeks ago, because not doing it for 2 months didn’t make any difference. Maybe I should consult an orthopedic, or other sports injury specialists.
In spine twisting,yes it is the bent leg(which I now keep straight) and in Janushirasana it is also the bent leg(which I bend back, like hurdlers stretch). Then of course in tree I now place the sole of my foot on the inside of the supporting leg. I used to go into toe, but don’t even attempt it anymore.
I really want to be able to complete a full practice and always feel disheartened when my knees start hurting. Even when I’m not doing yoga, squatting down,or getting to the floor on my knees or just sitting cross legged is very painful.
Hope I got the ball rolling.Love
FatimaHi Fatima
It seems to be a medial meniscus issue I am not a specialist of course, but it seems that way. Partly because when you’re in fixed firm you don’t feel pain. There’s space created in that area and you are possibly feeling that relief of discomfort there.
I think some work to strengthen the whole knee structure is going to help you here. Let’s Skype and I can explain it to you very quickly.
What you have may not have clinical manifestations as far as your medical practitioners are concerned but obviously there is an issue.
Oh! One more detail (in 2 parts) I want to fill in the puzzle. When you try to do toe stand on the supporting left leg can I confirm that this pose is not possible? But can I also find out what the sensations are in the whole leg when that happens.
(Part 2) And despite the fact that bending the leg across the body is not quite as easy in toe stand on the supporting right leg, can you tell me whether this pose is still a possibility on the second side?
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hi Gabrielle,
This is the first time I’ve posted in the forum, so I’m not sure if I should start a new thread or append, as I am here. I’ve been having similar knee pain as Fatima has described – in my case in my left knee. I’m a fit 54 year old male – have been active my entire life, cycling and running. Never had any issue whatsoever with my left knee (occasional pain in my right over the years). I started yoga (hot) 10 months ago and have been going 4x/wk or more and progressing well (your book has been a huge help!). My knee pain started with toe stand (inner left knee). The left knee would ache sometimes after toe-stand and I would back off for a while thens start back up w/toe stand. I started to have worse pain about 6-8 weeks ago (have not done toe stand on left knee in that timeframe). In this timeframe, I’ve also started to have knee pain during tree (when my foot crosses over my right leg). Same pain with sitting head to knee – if my leg is at 90 degree angle, I cannot lower my left knee to the floor (I’m able to put my right knee on the ground and flex my toes, typically lifting right foot off the ground), without pain. I also have started to feel pain in my left knee during spine twist. Hmmmmm. I’ve backed off all of these during my practice. I’m wondering if you have any suggestions for pose modifications, or perhaps knee strengthening exercises (or both)? Thanks!
Hello
When you say your left knee has been hurting in toe stand, can you confirm whether it hurts on both sides or when your left leg is the supporting leg, or the supported (upper) leg? I think you mean it is when your left leg is doing the supporting and its bearing the weight of the body, but I would rather know for sure.
Also you say there is pain when your foot crosses over your right leg. You have my book and so if you’re following directions there, you would be trying not to get your foot to go past your femur. Yes? I would have more questions with that too but let’s take one step at a time!
In spinal twist…left knee pain both sides? Or when the left leg is bent on the floor or when it is upper leg?
How is your knee now (3 weeks after you initially posted… sowwy)? and what gives it relief? Is it fine when you avoid these three poses? Are there other times in your life where your knee hurts?
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂 -
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