Welcome to the guide on various yoga poses that can ease your knee pain. With this article, you will know about all the yoga poses for knee pain relief.
Are you dealing with any discomfort in your knee from any injury or daily strain? Worry not. This article has you covered. So, let’s get started on the journey of bringing comfort to your knees.
1. Understanding Yoga’s Role on Knee Pain
There exist various causes which are the roots of chronic knee pain. Among them, any serious knee injuries, overuse, knee osteoarthritis or any pressure on the muscle are included.
Doing certain yoga poses daily can enhance one’s flexibility. It can also strengthen the muscles as well as help in promoting joint health and proper alignment of shin bones.
2. Poses for Knee Pain
The following are some of the many yoga poses that can help to alleviate your knee pain:
2.1. Easy Pose (Sukhasana)
For this pose, start by first sitting on the floor with your legs crossed. You can place a cushion beneath your knees for some support.
Next, maintain an upright and straight spine and concentrate on your breathing. Remember to breathe gently and do not force yourself too much while doing this pose.
a. Benefits
Sukhasana helps in improving your overall posture. This pose also promotes blood circulation around your knee joint, providing some comfort to your knees.
2.2. Child’s Pose ( Balasana)
This is a restorative yoga pose. First of all, start by kneeling on the floor. You can do it on the mat too. While kneeling, check that your big toes are touching the floor and your knees are spread apart.
When exhaling, lower your torso in between your thighs while extending your arm forward to allow your forehead to rest on the mat or you can also use a prop like a block to rest your head over it while doing this pose.
a. Benefits
Child’s pose is one of the most gentle and effective ways to ease your chronic knee pain and discomfort. The gentle stretch of forward folding motion stretches the hips, thighs and lower back which ultimately reduces the tension on the knees.
2.3. Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)
To start, first of all, stand with your feet wide apart. Make sure that your one foot is facing forward while your other foot is slightly inwardly turned.
As you exhale, reach out your one arm downwards to the forward-facing foot, extending your right arm upwards while creating a straight line.
While doing this pose, please ensure that your front knee is aligned over your ankle and your hips are perfectly stacked vertically. This helps in maintaining proper knee alignment.
Additionally, you can also use any prop under your lower hand for some support.
a. Benefits
The triangle pose gives relief to muscles surrounding the knee joints from any pain. It promotes stability in the knee joints and surrounding muscles of the legs.
The gentle and deeper stretch of the muscles in the legs and hips through this pose helps release tension in the knees.
2.4. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)
Start this pose by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip-width apart. Ensure that while doing this your feet are close to your sitting bones.
When exhaling, press through your feet to lift your hips off the floor, making a bridge-shaped posture.
Also, remember to keep your feet parallel evenly distributing the weight across your feet. This helps in avoiding any excessive pressure on any part of your foot.
You can also clasp your hands under your upper body and roll your shoulders underneath for some support too.
a. Benefits
Bridge pose not only alleviates your knee pain but also improves blood circulation to the knees, reducing any inflammation.
2.5. Chair Pose (Utkatasana)
Start by standing with your feet together and then bend your knees slowly imagining yourself as sitting on a chair.
While doing this pose remember to keep your weight on your heels and also engage your inner thigh muscles in creating a support to the knees.
During this pose, make sure that your knees are pointed in the same direction as your toes. This is done so that your weight from standing leg is distributed evenly across your feet.
a. Benefits
Chair pose encourages proper alignment of the knees over the ankles. Regular practice of this pose promotes lower body strength and enhances balance and proper knee alignment.
2.6. Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)
To begin with, this pose, stand with your toes pointing straight and your feet wide apart. Then turn one foot forward and the other one perpendicular to it.
Next bend the forward-facing knee, ensuring it aligns the front foot, directly over your ankle. This creates stability for the pose.
Remember to maintain a strong and upright torso while extending your arms out to both sides and gazing over your front hand.
Additionally, firmly press through your feet and engage your leg muscles to make a strong base to support your knees.
a. Benefits
Warrior poses encourage stability and soothe knee pain. It enhances lower body strength as well as standing balance.
2.7. Supine Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose (Supta Padangusthasana)
Begin this pose by lying on your back while extending one leg upward toward the ceiling. After this, hold the big toe with your hand. You can also use a strap loop around the foot.
Make sure to keep your other leg extended on the floor or the yoga mat. This engages the thigh muscles in providing stability and supports the runner’s knee too.
While doing the pose, maintain a relaxed and steady breath.
a. Benefits
Supta Padangusthasana stretches hip flexors and reduces muscle tension by easing knee pains.
2.8. Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)
Start this yoga pose by doing a low lunge position. Keep your one leg forward while the other leg should be extended straight back, folding your knee or front leg towards the floor.
Next, try to keep the hips squared and level. This encourages proper alignment, providing your knee with full support and making it comfortable.
Go for any props like blocks or blankets to support your hips during this yoga pose for some support to do.
While doing this pose, please remember to concentrate on your breath allowing your body to relax during the stretch.
a. Benefits
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana helps in knee injuries by increasing hip flexibility to alleviate knee pain. This also reduces hip and inner thigh tension.
2.9. Supported Warrior (Virabhadrasana with a Chair)
To begin, start by standing some distance away from a chair or wall. Then place one foot forward keeping the other foot in back.
Next, bend the front of your right knee a little and rest your hands on the back foot of a chair or a wall for some support.
This pose provides a stable base for tight hips, minimizing any tension on your knees.
Additionally, make sure to keep your front knee aligned over your back knee and ankle. Also, ensure that your hips and knees are level while avoiding excessive knee twisting that could put any type of pressure on your knee joint.
a. Benefits
Regular practice of supported warrior yoga poses can surely enhance lower body strength. It can also improve balance, providing some comfort to upset knees.
2.10. Half Lord of the Fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
To start this pose, first of all, sit on your yoga mat extending your legs. Then bend one knee and cross your foot over your opposite leg. Make sure that you place the crossed leg on the yoga mat or floor.
As you start twisting towards your bent knee, gently press against the outside of the thigh using your opposite arm.
Always remember to keep your spine tall while doing this pose. Also, ensure that your sit bones are on the ground during this yoga pose. This will provide you with stability when you will deepen the twist.
a. Benefits
Half lord of the fish’s pose energizes your internal organs, as well as this pose, plays a big role in promoting healthy digestion. This pose also contributes a lot to relieving pain in your knees.
2.11. Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)
To do this pose, first of all, go to a clear wall space. Get a blanket and fold it. After folding, place the blanket 5-6 inches away from the wall. You can also opt. for a bolster too.
Now, sit on the blanket while keeping your one hip against the wall.
Next, pivot your body gently and lie on your back.
After that, start extending your legs up the wall. While doing this make sure that your heels are rested against the wall and your hips are stabled on the folded blanket or bolster if you have taken.
Remember to adjust your body properly and ensure that your body is in a straight line from your head to your heels.
Then, start relaxing your arms on your sides. Make sure that your palms are facing upward and then close your eyes. Lastly, during this pose breathe deeply and allow your body to relax in this position.
Stay in this way for at least 10-15 minutes. If you are a beginner or a person facing any issues while doing this then you can hold it for 5 minutes also. Remember to focus on your breath while at the same time releasing any stress.
If you wish to come out of this pose, then bend your knees slightly and roll sideways. Rest for a moment then get up by slowly sitting up. Take your time, do not rush.
a. Benefits
Legs up the wall pose improve circulation to relieve knee pain and reduce swelling. Additionally, this pose gently stretches the muscles providing relief.
2.12. Corpse Pose (Savasana)
For this pose, begin by lying on your back in any comfortable space. Then, slowly extend your legs allowing them to rest comfortably on the ground. Make sure that while doing this your legs are rested hip-width apart.
Take a bolster or you can also opt. for any rolled-up blanket and place it under your knees to create a gentle bend. This helps in taking pressure away from your knees.
Next, let your arms rest at your sides with your palms facing upward. Make sure to keep your fingers relaxed too.
Now, close your eyes softly and focus on your breathing. Take slow and deep breaths.
While doing this pose, feel your body from your head to toe. You will feel that each of your body parts is gradually relaxing. Stay in this pose at the very least for 10 minutes. If you are a beginner you can do this pose for 5 minutes only.
a. Benefits
Savasana for knee pain reduces stress which eases the muscle tension around the knees.
2.13. Tree Pose (Vrksasana)
To begin this, stand tall with your feet together. Ensure that your arms are at your sides with palms facing forward.
Also remember to shift your weight onto your left foot, engaging your core for balance.
Now, lift your left foot off the ground and then place the sole against your inner right thigh, with your toes pointed downwards.
Additionally, if your left knee is really sensitive, you can also place your foot on the calf instead to reduce excessive pressure on your already sensitive knees.
After that, gently lower your right foot down and return to the starting position. Next, switch sides and again repeat the same pose in the same manner.
Ensure that your standing knee is a little bent and pointed in the same direction as your toes. This helps to prevent any type of stress on your knee joint.
Next, bring your hands to your chest and press your palms together.
Take slow and deep breaths to remain focused. You should also find a particular point to gaze at, which gradually helps in balancing your body.
Stay in this pose at least for 20-30 seconds on each of your sides.
As time passes, you will gradually get used to it.
a. Benefits
As we know, tree pose generally helps to reduce knee pain. However alleviating knee discomfort helps in providing balance and overall body coordination. It helps in strengthening the leg muscles and provides flexibility to the hips.
3. Tips and Precautions for the Poses
Here are some tips you need to be mindful about:
3.1. Always Listen to Your Body
While doing any pose, if you feel any kind of discomfort or pain, then stop right there immediately. Do not force yourself. Additionally, consult a physical therapist for any further suggestions.
3.2. Props
Always use props such as yoga blocks, blankets, yoga straps, or bolsters for some additional support in achieving proper alignment.
3.3. Modify
If needed then you can modify the pose you want to do according to your level of comfort. Do not put too much pressure on yourself to do the challenging pose as said. Just do it according to your needs.
3.4. Consistent
Always remember consistency is the key. And to get the benefits of the above poses, remember to be consistent. You can always start practising yoga first with shorter durations and can gradually increase it if needed.
Conclusion
Incorporate the above-mentioned yoga poses into your daily routine. As you start doing these, you will gradually feel that your knee is less painful. And remember to start slowly.
Before beginning any new yoga practice, first consult a medical professional or a physical therapist, especially if you are suffering from knee pain. Also, get in contact with a certified yoga teacher or instructor to get help in practising yoga from him/her. Ask help for with a proper daily routine for practising yoga with a certified yoga instructor if needed. With consistent yoga practice, you can achieve your desired result while doing these poses correctly.
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