Yoga for Injury Prevention - Part 1 of 2: Mobility

Intro

If you’re like me, the only yoga you want to do these days is Shavasana (or, corpse pose)—at least, as long as it’s performed under a pile of heaping blankets. And preferably with a steaming mug of hot cocoa waiting within arm’s reach.

But if you’re a little bit more of a go-getter than I am, put down the marshmallows and get ready to learn some ways that yoga can make its way into your winter warm-up. Because what better way is there to flex and flow your way into an injury-proof New Year’s than the age-old practice of yoga?

Yoga Background

If you’re new to yoga, let me break it down just a bit. The word “yoga,” comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Yuj’—meaning, ‘to yoke’ or ‘to unite.’ Yoga was developed as a way of uniting the mind, body, and spirit, as well as uniting individual Self with universal Consciousness. Western practices of yoga focus primarily on asanas, or different physical poses, which provide felt benefits such as increased flexibility and improved digestion. But the asanas are only one component of yoga—a complete practice encompasses seven other elements, such as meditation, breath-work, and self-discipline.

Don’t worry, you don’t need to become a full-fledged yogi to experience the benefits of this practice. Just don’t be surprised if during a pose, you find yourself more attuned to your breath and more grounded within your body—it’s all part of the process. And, in fact, it’s an added bonus to preventing injury. Numerous studies, many within the last 5 years, are already endorsing some type of mindfulness-based practice as a way to prevent injury in all ages and levels of athletes.

So why not kill two birds with one stone (sorry, birds!) Try a combination of both stability- and mobility- focused yoga asanas while giving your body some much-needed TLC, and know you’re on your way to decreasing your risk of injuries in 2024!

Mobility

We will start off by looking at some mobility poses that focus on improving your range of motion, stretching your tissues, and getting your spine moving. Below are three moves to improve the flexibility of your spine, hips and shoulders.

Always listen to your body and modify the poses as needed to prevent injury.

1. Cat/Cow—Marjaryasana-Bitilasanna

Cow Pose

Start in a tabletop position with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips, neck aligned with the rest of your spine

• Inhale, arch your back, and lift your head and tailbone toward the ceiling

  • Pro-tip: If your mid-back is tight, aim to extend more through our mid-back by bringing your chest towards the ground and squeezing your shoulder blades together

Cat Pose

Exhale, round your spine, tuck your chin to your chest and draw your belly-button toward your spine (Cat Pose)

• Alternate flowing between these two poses, synchronizing the movement with the breath

  • Modification: if wrist discomfort is an issue, perform the movement on your forearms. Focus on the spinal and pelvic movement, emphasizing the arching and rounding of your back

2. Downward Facing Dog –Adho Mukha Svanasana

Downward Facing Dog

• Start in a tabletop position

• Lift your hips toward the ceiling, straightening your legs and bringing your heels down toward the mat

• Keep your hands shoulder-width apart, arms straight, and head between your arms, gaze at your belly-button

• Inhale, reaching through the top of your spine and tailbone

• Exhale, pushing through your hands and pressing down through your heels to deepen the stretch

  • Modification: bend your knees slightly to ease the tension on the hamstrings. You can also place a block under your hands if reaching the floor is challenging

3. Supine Spinal Twist –Supta Matsyenndrasana

Supine Spinal Twist

• Bring your right knee toward your chest, then guide it across your body to the left

• Extend your right arm to the side and turn your head to the right, deepening the twist

• Keep both shoulders grounded and relax into the stretch

• Inhale, feeling your ribcage expand

• Exhale, and see if you can deepen the stretch by slightly twisting more to the left

  • Modification: if your knee doesn’t comfortably reach the floor, place a cushion or bolster underneath it for support. You can also keep the extended leg bent

Spend some time working through these and see how your body feels. Up next, we will focus on stability exercises to round out the injury prevention series.

*Disclaimer: Although I am a licensed and board-certified sports physical therapist, I do not claim to hold certification as a yoga teacher. I am currently in the process of becoming a yoga teacher through a program accredited by the Yoga Alliance, and look forward to incorporating this into my practice. Follow these exercises at your own risk, and always seek out professional advice before beginning any new exercise program

Written by Dr. Asha Anand, PT, DPT, SCS, CSCS

If you like what Dr. Asha has to say, book an appointment with her here!