very painful Knee

Hi Jed

Thanks for writing about this very interesting issue. I know of some studios that have actually stopped teaching Toe Stand because of potential issues.

One of the issues (and I am NOT saying this is you) is that students think they ought to be ready for the pose when perhaps they are not. Sometimes they say, I have been coming for x amount of time. This approach works sometimes but it could simply be that you a) don’t know the signs of when to attempt the descent or even b) your teacher may not know either. With the common belief that this yoga heals everything and that it rehabilitated someone with crushed knees, no wonder students are in a hurry to do Toe Stand.

Now for some questions:
>> You say that you hurt your knee ‘after’ doing toe stand. Have you got any awareness of whether it was when your right foot was on the floor or at your left hip?
>> Can you pinpoint a moment where you felt undue pressure or tension in that knee?
>> Would you consider yourself to be flexible?
>> When you lift either of your heels up to your hip, do you have to hold it in place with your hand or can you let go of your heel?
>> If and when you do let go of your heel, where does your foot settle? And please try to describe that in terms of where your lifted heel is in relation to your hip, your femur or the inside or outside of that thigh.

The click is of some concern, so let’s hear your answers first…

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Jed

So thanks for that.

3 more questions:

>> What about in Fixed Firm how does the right knee feel and where are you able to get to in that pose?
>> And can you bend your right knee in so the sole of your foot is on your inner thigh for Floor Head to Knee?
>> When you descend do you keep a straight leg til you get your hands to the ground, or do you bend the standing leg?

For the moment, I would be avoiding Toe Stand. Let’s see if we can work it out

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Bikram has been great for me except for this exact problem. I now skip this pose and my knee problems have disappeared.

Hi Jed

Robert and I were talking about your knee and the issue the other day and both of us wondered if it might be a torn meniscus. Please come back and tell us what the results of your tests are.

And now I realize I answered your last post in my head and not with a keyboard. From what you have said I meant to post about the possibility of a tear.

Robert has a torn meniscus and has to adapt some poses. I think I will invite Robert to join this conversation.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Jed

I hear you! Yes, as requested before, please don’t do Toe Stand. Just do your best at Tree pose. Robert actually has to avoid one side by bringing the sole of his foot to his inner thigh (above the knee is what he can do. If you can’t then you put it below and never at the knee, by the way 😉 ).

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂