Why Participants Get Hurt Practicing Yoga & Ways to Avoid Injuries

Hi Guys, 👋🏽

As this month brings us International World health day (April 7th), it seemed appropriate to discuss a few reasons why participants get hurt during yoga practice 🧘🏽‍♀️ and how to avoid injuries.

When I discovered the benefits of yoga, I felt as if I could do anything! I practiced often, but every once in a while I would push myself into an injury, or exacerbate old ones. And believe me, I had old injuries. But I couldn't understand why I was injured if yoga was so gentle. 😕 Yoga brings relief from a host of problems, right? I laugh now as I think back to those early years. 😅 What I didn't realize was that I understood and paid more attention to volleyball and Kung fu more than to my body.

Yoga calls for a listening to, feeling, and a comprehension of my breath and body. Yoga calls for my focused attention 😌 to me from the inside out - mind, spirit, breath, body in one accord. 🙏🏽

Injuries can be caused by a variety of things and in a number of ways. In no particular order, here is a short list:

• Not warming up before class

• Unawareness of one's own body

• Pushing beyond one's capabilities too soon and too early

• Ignoring warning signs of pain or injury

• Not listening to, or forgetting instructor's advice

• Infrequent or sporadic practice

• Returning to practice too soon after an injury

So, how can you avoid injury during your practice?

• Step onto your sacred mat with the right mindset, ready for yoga

• Breathe: inhale and exhale deeply end with intention

• Do a gentle warm up when practicing on your own. When in class your instructor should also do a warm up

📝 I often did, and sill do my own warm-

ups before classes - even as an

instructor.

• Be aware of any injuries you already have.

• Only do movements wherein you can avoid exacerbating your injuries

• Accept that every movement will not be for you everyday. Our bodies react differently depending on our mindset and the type of day we have had

• Practice often, whether you do your own yoga practice, or take classes

• Practice with body awareness and intention - listen to your body

• Check in with your doctor 🩺 before practicing yoga, especially if you have certain long-term injuries or conditions

• Incorporate other forms of exercise if possible.

That last piece of advice may sound weird to true yoga aficionados, but the are benefits to other exercises as well when done properly. Be open other mind and body movement formats.

View other sources: Also see 7 Ways to Prevent Yoga Injuries for additional advice about avoiding yoga injuries.