Most of us have personal experience of how tricky the knee joint can be. Yoga, if we practice mindfully, can be therapeutic for injured or arthritic knees. The key word here is “mindful.”
The knee joint where the femur (thigh bone) and the tibia (shin bone) meet, is cushioned by two pads of cartilage called menisci. Synovial fluid from under the patella lubricates the articular surfaces of the bones. Tiny fluid-filled sacs called bursae act as shock absorbers. Strapping the joint together are two sets of ligaments, the cruciates and the collaterals. The hamstring (flexor) and quadricep (extensor) muscles assist the ligaments in keeping the bones aligned.
Important to alignment and healthy knees is evenly building strong inner and outer quadriceps muscles. Also important to knee health is hip mobility since several muscles crossing the knee joint originate above the hip joint.
So, let’s get back to practicing yoga mindfully. What do we need to think about as we practice? Here are some suggestions:
1. Avoid quick transitions between asanas, especially when recovering from an injury or surgery.
2. Tune into subtle sensations; don’t push when you feel that twinge.
3. Practice good alignment between knees and feet, especially in bent-knee asanas; knee should point to middle toe.
4. Remember Patanjali’s words from the Yoga Sutras: “yoga pose is a steady and comfortable position.”
Knee stress can occur when we rotate the hip internally or externally while the knee is flexed or when we hyperextend the knee. M. Tom Stiles, Director of the Yoga Therapy Center in Boston, suggests corrective joint-freeing exercises for each of these problems, to be practiced daily for three weeks. We practiced these recently in a class dedicated to knee health and we will review them from time to time.
In a later post, I will explore how specific poses can correct misalignment and other problems.
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