Whether you play soccer, surf, like to run, or like to play tennis, chances are you’ve gotten injured along the way.
Yoga can go a long way in keeping your body pain-free and regular sessions will keep you lean, strong and flexible, making injuries less common.
When you hold a pose for more than a minute, you restore and rebuild your body’s connective tissue, making your body less likely to get injured during physical activities.
Here I choose the yoga pose for all athletes, no matter what sport you choose.
Exercise – Running
Injury – runner’s knee
Why – One of the most common causes of knee pain in runners is irritation of the iliotibial band (IT band), a thick band of fascia that extends from the top of the outer hip to just below the outer knee. Stretching alone will not solve this problem because the tape is simply a fibrous sheet; the surrounding muscles are the cause of the problem. When they are weak, the IT band begins to compensate and do its job, which it was not intended to do.
By strengthening your gluteus medius, one of the muscles in your butt, your IT band will not be overworked and therefore irritated and will not cause referred knee pain.
The yoga pose – Tree
How – Stand with your feet straight and hip-width apart. Focus on one spot on the floor or wall in front of you. When you feel balanced, place your left foot on your right thigh. Make sure to keep your hips facing forward and not shift your weight to your right. Breathe. Inhale and raise your arms above your head, placing your hands in prayer pose. Hold for three breaths. Repeat on the other side.
Exercise – cycling
Injury-Piriformis Syndrome
Why – Piriformis syndrome can cause sciatic nerve pain, leg weakness and numbness, as well as lower back pain and a sore, tight buttocks. When you cycle, you use the same muscles over and over and underuse other muscles, causing some of the larger gluteal muscles to become weak or inactive. When the large gluteal muscles are weak, the piriformis muscle compensates. When it becomes overworked, it can become tight and inflamed, causing the pain associated with piriformis syndrome.
The yoga pose – eye of the needle
How – Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Your head should be flat on the floor with your chin tucked toward your chest. If your shoulders or neck are tight, it can be uncomfortable, so support your head with a yoga block or folded blanket. Inhale, exhale, place your right ankle on your left thigh. Pull your left leg towards you and breathe. You will feel a strong stretch in your left leg. Hold for at least three breaths, before exhaling and switching sides.
Exercise – swimming
Injury – inflammation or tear of the rotator cuff (shoulder pain)
Why – The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that stabilize the upper arm bone in the shoulder socket and allow the shoulder to rotate. The tendons of these muscles often become irritated when overused. Typically, the pain is felt above the shoulder, but it can extend almost anywhere around the shoulder joint itself, including the shoulder blade or armpit.
By strengthening and stretching the muscles around the shoulder joint, you restore range of motion to the rotator cuff, making injury less likely.
Yoga pose – shoulder stretch
How – Sit comfortably; extend your left arm straight out to the left, parallel to the floor. Rotate your arm inward; the thumb will first face the floor, then point toward the wall behind you, with the palm facing the ceiling. This movement will slightly roll your left shoulder up and forward and round your upper back. Exhaling completely, reach behind your torso and tuck your forearm into the hollow of your lower back, parallel to your waist, with your left elbow against the left side of your torso. Roll the shoulder back and down; then bring your forearm up your back until it is parallel to your spine. The back of your hand will be between your shoulder blades.
Inhale and stretch your right arm forward, parallel to the floor. Turn your palm up, inhale and extend your arm toward the ceiling, palm facing back. Bend your elbow and reach toward your left hand. If you can, put your hands together. If you can’t reach, start again with a towel or strap in your hand. Hold for a minute, then repeat on the other side.
Exercise – Tennis
The injury: plantar fasciitis
Why – A common injury among anyone who plays sports that involve rapid running and stopping, such as tennis, squash and volleyball, is plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the plantar fascia, a band of tissue that connects the bones from heel to toe and running along. the sole of the foot. Stress from repetitive kicking as well as tension in the Achilles tendon, ankle and calf muscles can create too much tension in the plantar fascia, leading to microtears and inflammation. If left untreated, plantar fasciitis can cause bone spurs in the heel and contribute to knee, hip and back pain.
Yoga pose – heel stretch
How to do it – You need to stretch the tissues in the back of the leg and the sole of the foot to reduce tension in the plantar fascia. Do these poses daily or every other day if you are recovering or on the verge of injury, and once a week or more as a preventative measure.
Exercise – Football
Knee pain
The knee joint is put under a lot of strain when playing competitive games like football. Running – then suddenly stopping, twisting, turning and jerking – and any hits you might take can lead to knee pain, either through injury or overuse. In order to withstand the pressure of the kneecap, the best thing to do is to develop the muscles around the knees, which will protect them and reduce the vulnerability of the knee.
La Pose – bridge
How – Lie on your back with your arms at your sides, palms flat. Bend your knees so that your feet are as close to your butt as possible (if you feel a pull in your knees, move your feet a little further away). Inhale, exhale, lift your butt and hips as high as possible. Once your hips are in position, place your arms under your body and clasp your hands together. Hold and breathe, release as you exhale.
Exercise – Rugby
Injury – broken collarbone
Why – Clavicle fractures are common due to overuse of the body in tackling, catching and throwing the ball. Preventative measures can be taken by improving upper body flexibility, which will give a greater range of motion at the joints. You can improve bone density by doing regular stretching and strengthening exercises, which means your bones are less likely to break.
Yoga Pose – Standing, leaning forward, hands in prayer pose
How to – While standing, extend your right arm out to the side so the hand is parallel to the floor, rotate it toward the ceiling and hold it, then take it behind your back with your palm facing left . Reach your left arm out to the side so the hand is parallel to the floor, rotate it toward the ceiling and hold it, then take it behind your back with your palm facing right. Touch the palms together while making a prayer position with your hands. Inhale and as you exhale, lean forward. If you can’t touch your hands together, cross your arms behind your back instead.