Are you a frequent sufferer of knee pain? Does it feel like a mammoth task to even climb a single stair? Pain in your knee joint can be bothersome and is caused due to injured tissues or weakened bones in your knee joints. Yoga can be beneficial for knee pain and is a natural way of reducing pressure, and provides instant relief. Check out this article for the best yoga poses for knee pain relief; you can try and control the pain in your knees.
Causes Of Knee Pain:
Here we have listed a few reasons that cause knee pain.
- Arthritis.
- Menopause.
- Obesity.
- Post-operation recovery.
- Usage of certain drugs.
- Physiological ageing.
- Injury.
- People who perform high-mobile activities like soccer players, bodybuilders, and athletes.
How Can Yoga Help With Knee Pain:
Yoga has a special place in India, as it is a natural way to tone and strengthen your muscles. If you are suffering from chronic knee pain, then that is caused due to the injury of ligaments, knee capsules, muscles, combined cavities, or other connective tissues. Yoga helps reduce the sharp pain of the knee joint, and it is always necessary to be careful before you try any pose and how it affects your ailments. Baba Ramdev knee treatment and Iyengar Yoga for knee pain are the two accessible Yoga pose that the yoga gurus are propagating.
Best Yoga Poses That Give Comfort To Your Knees:
Look into the practical yoga poses that help in reducing knee pain:
1. Bridge Pose (Sethu Bandhasana):
Sethu Bandhasana, or the bridge pose, is one of the best yoga asanas for knee pain that help you stretch your joints in the knees that help reduce the tension. You can perform this pose at the comfort of your home and energizes your body, reducing the pain in your knees. Breathing during the whole process is also very important.
How To Perform Bridge Pose for Knee Pain Relief:
- Start by lying on your back with your hands on the side.
- Lift your hips and knees while inhaling fresh air, putting pressure on your hands and shoulders.
- As you perform this pose, you can start feeling pressure in your shoulder and knee muscles.
- It might be challenging to achieve this on the first go, so don’t expect perfection for the first time.
2. Hero’s Pose (Virasana):
Hero pose, also called Virasana, is a knee strengthening yoga pose. This asana works effectively in reducing fatigue in your legs after a long and tiring day. It helps in crushing synovial fluid into the entire knee joint. This pose also helps elongate your quadriceps. If you have a previous knee injury, then it is better if you avoid this stretch or at least perform it under the guidance of a trained yoga instructor.
How To Perform:
- Place a yoga mat and kneel on the floor.
- Bring your knees together so that there is a gap between the feet.
- The thumbs need to be firmly placed on the floor.
- Slowly lower your hips and sit down in the gap between your calves.
- If you are having trouble bending so far, then you can place a book in between your calves so that you don’t have to bend more.
- Try staying in this posture for 30 seconds.
- Unless you have a previous knee injury, you can try this pose without worry.
Read: Top Home Remedies for Knee Pain in Old Age
3. Makarasana:
Crocodile pose or also called Makarasana is one of the best yoga exercises for knees that help reduce inflammation in your knees control the spasms. It relieves you from your pain and is also considered one of the most comfortable poses in yoga for knee pain.
How To Perform:
- Place a yoga mat and sleep on it with your stomach facing the floor.
- Keep your hands straight and above your head, keep your knees straight, only the toes touching the floor.
- Breathing slowly, raise your arms and legs simultaneously above the floor as high as you can.
- Try to keep yourself in this position for 5 to 10 seconds.
- Keep your knees and elbows as straight as possible for effective results.
- Maintain yourself in this pose for as long as you can initially and then slowly increase the amount of time.
4. Chair Pose (Utkatasana):
Utkatasana or chair pose is one of the best yoga stretches for knee pain because while performing this pose, your body weight is shifted to your hip sockets, relieving pressure from your knees. This is also one of the yoga poses to strengthen knees by pointing your hamstrings and quads.
How To Perform Chair Yoga Pose for Knee Pain:
- Stand straight with your hands on the side and keep your feet slightly apart.
- Slowly drop your hips by bending your knees, similar to sitting in an imaginary chair.
- Place your hands upward and try keeping them straight.
- Stay in this pose for five seconds and then slowly come into your initial position while exhaling.
- Don’t force yourself in stretching more than you can, as it can cause more damage than good.
5. Tree Pose (Vriksasana):
Tree Pose or the Vruksasana is a knee strengthening yoga pose that has been popular balancing since ancient times and has been used in the modern era too. This pose supports the shins and calves and is one of the accessible yoga poses for knee pain relief
How To Perform:
- Stand erect with your hands on the side and feet together.
- Slowly put your hands upward, forming a namaskar.
- Now lift your right foot and place it on the inner part of your left thigh.
- Stay in this position for 5 to 10 seconds.
- Come back to the initial position.
- Repeat the same process with the other leg.
- All the while performing this pose, try keeping your knees and elbows straight.
Read: Easy Yoga for Arthritis Sufferers
6. Veerasana (Warrior Pose):
Veerasana or Warrior pose is considered a pain relief stretch in yoga for knee joint pain. This pose helps tone the muscles in the knee joint areas, and it is recommended to relieve pain in your knees. People with knee issues can try this Warrior pose in yoga poses for knee pain as they are very safe and help stabilize your knee.
How To Perform:
- Stand straight with your hands stretched out parallel to the ground and a hip-width gap between your feet.
- Slowly bend your right knee forward and stretching your left leg simultaneously.
- Remain in this position for 10 seconds.
- Repeat the same process with the other leg.
- Remember to keep your hands straight during the whole process.
7. Trikonasana (Triangle pose):
Trikonasana or the Triangle pose, helps you balance and fine-tune the tissues that promote the healthy functioning of your knees, making it one of the perfect yoga poses for knee joint pain. It also provides proper alignment between your shinbones and thigh bones.
How To Perform:
- Stand erect with your toes facing opposite directions and both feet wide apart.
- Stretch your hands outward parallel to the ground.
- Bend towards the right from above the waist and place your right palm on the floor and your left palm should be upward facing the sky.
- Stay in this position for at least 10 seconds.
- Repeat the same process with the other leg.
- Performing this pose might be difficult initially, but with practice, you can achieve success.
- It might not be an asana of yoga for knee pain in old age.
8. Downward Facing Dog Pose:
The downward dog pose or Adho Mukha Svanasana is another famous pose of yoga for knee pain relief. This asana affects the quadriceps and calves, reducing the pressure your body puts typically on the knees. Therefore performing this stretch is the best of knee pain yoga exercises.
How To Perform:
- Stand straight with a width similar to your hip between your legs.
- Raise your hands above your head.
- Bend downward, lowering your abdomen in the process, and place your palms and feet on the floor.
- Stay in this posture for 10 seconds.
- Repeat the same procedure at least ten times.
With the effective ways to do yoga asanas that help reduce your knee pain in hand, try to include them into your routine to obtain relief from the pain. Yoga also enables you to concentrate and divert your mind from the pain, improving your overall wellbeing. There are prominent Yoga gurus like Ramdev and Iyengar, who recommend many asanas for many things. Baba Ramdev yoga for knee pain and Iyengar yoga for knee pain are a few prominent yoga poses specified for knee pain. Go through the list of the best yoga for knee pain and choose the one that suits you best.
Read: Yoga Poses for Relief From Shoulder Pain
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article are mere suggestions and not a replacement for professional advice. It is best if you avoid any exercise or yoga if you have any knee injury and give it time to heal. Consult a professional yoga trainer for assistance if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions And Answers:
1. Can Performing Yoga with Bad Knees Be Ok?
Ans. Yoga is very beneficial for your painful knees and can be performed daily. If you have a severe knee injury or torn ligament then, it is better if you avoid any sort of workout. Otherwise, yoga is a low-impact workout session that helps improve and strengthens your knees.
2. How do I Protect My Bad Knees During Yoga?
Ans. Performing yoga can be much more comfortable if you can follow some simple rules, especially if you have bad knees.
- Always use a mat while doing yoga.
- Keep breathing during the whole process.
- Try to micro-bend your knee.
- If you are taking the help of a trainer, then express all your concerns about your knee pain so that there are modifications made accordingly.
3. How Does Diet Affect Your Knee Pain?
Ans. Diet plays an essential role in treating any ailment, and knee pain is no exception. Maintaining your weight so that there is minimal pressure on you is another key. Try to add fresh vegetables, fruits, healthy beverages, and avoid spicy, salty, and deep-fried food.
