The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › The Hot Yoga Poses › Dandayamana Dhanurasana › more Knee pain
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Hi Gabrielle,
I think I am doing all I can for my particular situation but wanted to run it by you.
Particularly in my right knee I have pain – in Utkatasana 1 – 3 I can only go so far.
It particularly bothers me when going into a squat or up from a squat (if I can
get there at all ). Also, in Supta Vajrasana -and Ustrasana – I feel it. I am on
an anti-inflammatory diet, take supplements, do some massage therapy and
just go to the point where I feel it and don’t push it. All the other poses – I
am not in pain. Saw a chiro in two places – one said the meniscus may be
a problem, the other said that as well and also said the knee goes out. I’ve
just been going for strengthening around it and carrying on. Also, I am in the
middle of nowhere – I do your Masterclass DVD’s at least 3 – 4 times a week but
only have a heater – no where near a hot yoga studio. Also, I’m 58 – arthritis is
probable. Any other suggestions, other than what I am doing???
Thanks, JayneHi Jayne
Thanks for being patient! Can you please tell me where on that knee you are feeling the pain? Inside, outside, left, right, the patella where?
You have posted in Standing Bow so I wondered if you have the issue in this pose too.
I am glad you’re not pushing it and that you’re trying to build strength. I don’t think I know enough yet… Do I take it you are strengthening the knees by creating space by activating the quads? What else are you doing? Anything outside of yoga class?
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hi,
Thanks for reply….I’m sure you are amazingly busy so no worries:))
I’ll try to answer as best I can.
I saw a chiro and he did adjustments telling me that my patella was not going back properly.
Another one also was adjusting my hips as that let to twisting in the knee.
Yet another one (I move around a lot) said he felt the meniscus probably had some damage.The movement squatting to straight hurts – I do think the patella is problematic.
The meniscus seems correct as well – if you were facing me and looking at my right knee
the most pain is upper right of knee cap, though in certain positions I feel twinges on left as
well. My left knee is not as bad at all but I do feel it to a much lesser degree in it as well.
If I am sitting or squatting low and get up – pain – patella moving back and forth- yuck.Hope that helps. I am strengthening quads and hamstrings and doing what I can do.
I do do the yoga minimally 4-5 times a week.Thanks, J
Hi Jayne!
I am one the graduates from Gabrielle’s teacher training. I’m so happy to see that you have been taking action and strengthening around the knee. As Gabrielle mentioned activating your quadriceps during balancing series is essential. This action actually lifts the knee cap into its proper position.
In Utkatasana if you are only going to the point where you can safely come back up without aggravating your knee then you are doing the posture exactly right for your body! It is not important to get way far down, what is important is that you can safely get back up and that the hips never sink lower than the knees. In fact, in part 3 you want to make sure the hips stay slightly higher than the knees the whole time with no bouncing.
For Supta Vajrasana and Ustrasana: Is the discomfort coming from the pressure of your knees against the mat? If that is the case you could try to pad the area with a towel or by folding your mat under your knees to create some extra cushion. I have seen this work with many of my students.
Since this post is under Standing Bow- I did want to mention to be careful that you are not bringing the knees in too close together during your set up. Try to align the knee just under the hip and kick directly back and up avoiding any twisting motion of the knee.
I hope this helps! Keep up the good work and keep us posted 🙂
Best Wishes,
Sara
Sara,
Thanks so much for the reply….I appreciate it:)
AND, thanks for the tip on Standing Bow. I think my knees were
a bit too close together there. In terms of Supta Vajrasana, etc. the
pain in not from pressure on the mat but pulls if I go back far and coming
up….so I go as far as I can without pain. I guess the good news is that
back wise my flexibility has definitely increased and if the knee thing
wasn’t there I’d be able to do the full pose.
I will keep working on the quadriceps and carry on.
Thanks again,
JayneHi Jayne,
I’m curious to know if bringing your knees apart before going back in Supta Vajrasana would help stabilise them on the way down and then you could bring them a little closer if that feels good once down. If you try this you would also want to bring them apart before coming back up.
Since you mention a pulling sensation I’m also wondering if a quadriceps stretch would be helpful in addition to your quad strengthening. Half Saddle is a Yin pose that you may want to try. Yin poses are typically done in a cool room and you can hold them for longer periods of time. It’s similar to Supta Vajrasana however you’ll have one leg outstretched in front and only one leg bent with the heal at your hip. Start this pose seated upright and as you gain flexibility if your knees allow you could start to use your arms & elbows for support as you lower down. One difference between this and Supta Vajrasana is you do not tuck your tailbone under.
Let me know if these help at all.
Namaste,
Sara
Hi,
Definitely, keeping the knees further apart going down helps. I am also going to do
the Half Saddle regularly because stretching my quadriceps is definitely needed.
I practice at home – I live in the middle of nowhere in Montana, no studios around – and
I do not have a “hot” space. I heat the room as best I can and do the poses with the
DVD. I know not ideal but though it has taken a long time, I definitely feel a difference
and my strength and stability is changing.
I really want to thank you for your help – I appreciate it and will put it all to use.
Jayne 🙂 -
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