Prevent injuries in yoga

Posted On : 25 June 2018.

The traditional understanding of yoga was not just dependent on the physical aspects. There were many other practices to be contemplated: chanting, intellect thinking, self-inquiry, and revealing the overall or the absolute self there now, which has evolved into physical exertion and fitness regime shaping the body and mind. If we split the word asana, "a" is without pain, and "Sana" is to sit, rest, and dwell in that sitting. One needs to be rested without suffering to learn new practices such as understanding cosmology, mathematics, and medicine. Still, reality is always perceived incompletely and will always differ from what it looks or sees. Yoga looks like a sport, physical exercise, a style, a fashion with all these fancy dressings and branding, and its popularity is growing, especially in the Western part of the world, leading one to the black aspects of yoga, which further causes the ignorant one.

In modern times, the understanding of yoga has been altered, which leads to injury because one does not have a more expansive or overall understanding of yoga as life, as a union, as something to come out and join the absolute, which brings us out of injury, not in injury. That leads one to suffer. One falsely perceives it as just a physical exercise routine rather than doing aspects of Asanas or any act that has to go away and merge or dissolve into absolute.

The immense rise in the postural yoga practice has no evidence or very little in the traditional times where now so much importance is given to postural practice, rigorous routine, running from yoga studios to yoga teachers from yoga festivals to several jumping from on to the other school. Still, traditionally, yoga meant sitting and resting without pain to concentrate deeper.

Truth about Yoga Injuries

One is not able to listen to their body. One is seeking yoga not from within but from outside, seeing how the other is doing, not how one is, and being or mimicking the same by looking at the other. That was a wrong glimpse of yoga, and making it into that, I know it, leads one to suffer because of a lack of listening to the self. After intense practice for many years, I realized that I did not realize that by doing too much all these years, I had injured its structure.

Ignorance is the Cause of Injury:

All experience leads us closer to that truth or asana, the truth about the self, about the spirit. Students often study and practice, putting themselves out of their comfort zone. Putting into tapas is all done by having what the self (body and mind)can take.

History in the UN: when the idea of making it global, introducing world yoga at the United Nations, it was the first time that 170 nations came together to support and was implemented as the fastest approval by the United Nations through the efforts of Narendra Modi. People are aware that yoga has been helping humanity to stay at peace in this war-like situation that we have created around us, and that's what makes one believe in yoga because one can see through one's own direct experience.

The rise in popularity alters the truth of yoga, and it's their understanding, and inevitably, some people would start abusing its principles. Now, one who perceives this would understand that yoga is this, would understand it abused way, and when this understanding is implemented, they wreck themselves and destroy their bodies. They are not aware of the body, which leads them to this situation, and later on, they often come to me in my ashram AYM (association of yoga and meditation) to get this effect cured because of the injury. I watched a yogi in India break three ribs while doing a spinal twist and a woman who had a stroke from hyperextending her neck. Black continues to teach a different kind of free-form yoga that doesn't teach traditional poses and emphasizes awareness of your thresholds rather than putting pressure on you to achieve poses.

I have heard a lot from my students who often come here to Rishikesh to do their yoga teacher training. They talk about their injuries, problems, and mental health and want to find a solution to cure the ailment. They often explained how yoga is done in the West: "You can't believe what's going on—teachers jumping on people, pushing and pulling and saying, 'You should be able to do this by now.' It has to do with their egos." There is so much force or pressure on the student to perform the final pose that the surrendering attitude doesn't appear. It develops more egos in there. It creates a stronger impression, which binds the aspirant again into darkness, which changes the view of yoga, which is dangerous in yoga

Training the teachers to prevent injury in AYM School (Rishikesh):

We provide essential props needed for a class and know how to use them while teaching. You should also get a set of blocks, a strap, and a blanket to incorporate while teaching. It's a great mat that works for our style of practice and your body. Start with a series of yoga classes addressing beginners' needs, giving the right tools and techniques to use the tools so one who takes this knowledge further has a sense of body and tools and techniques to use with them to maintain harmony in the well-being. Our school focuses highly on teaching, especially physical practice, so we bring the best teacher to understand the body properly. Knowing the anatomy and physiology helps the aspirants to understand the self better.

Yoga Injuries — including back pains, popped ribs, and strained necks — are not necessarily a rare occurrence, especially among those brand new to yoga that push themselves too hard or too quickly. Yoga poses such as handstands, inversions, and back-bends might qualify yoga as moderate exercise, but these more challenging poses also can be cause for concern if you're not ready for them. Given all of yoga's proven benefits and potential risks, what's a yogi to do? The solution to avoiding yoga injuries seems to be a combination of

• Taking your time to ease into the practice,
• Listening to your body.
• Never pushing yourself past the point of comfort when stretching.
• Mixing yoga with other exercises to strengthen weak areas and reduce compensations
• Wise to find an instructor who is well-qualified.

Ways to Avoid These Injuries

• Gently Stretch Tight Areas (Avoid Temptation To Push Too Hard!)
• Reduce Muscular Compensations Through Regular Strength-Training
• Practice Yoga Cautiously (Especially If You’re A Beginner)
• Consider Sticking To Gentler Styles
• Use Props For Support
• Get Your Doctor’s Advice If You Have Any Injuries

Yoga poses that can cause danger:

Headstand (Sirsasana): Headstands can be risky because they apply lots of strain to the neck, shoulders or hands, plus there’s always the chance of falling and in the process throwing-out the back.

Back-bends (including Up dog, Lotus, Bridge, Wheel, Cobra or Camel): Back-bends involve pushing the chest or hips forward and curving the back and chest so that the head extends backwards

Poses that pull the sciatic nerve (such as sitting on the heels in Vajrasana):

Final Thoughts on Yoga Injuries

• Although yoga does have many advantages, yoga injuries can result when students push themselves too far and too soon. Some of the most common yoga injuries include pulls or strains in the neck, spine, low back or hamstrings.
• To reduce risk for injuries when practicing yoga, start very slowly, use props (a wall, blocks or blankets), visit an experienced teacher, and avoid postures that hurt or are contraindicated for you based on your abilities.
• Yoga postures that can help you stretch and strengthen without hurting yourself can include lunging, squats, seated positions, breathing exercises and gentle bends.