First let me note that these are great yin/passive poses for healthy knees and ankles. They will help you to open greater range of motion and circulation in these areas, and provide an occasional chiropractic adjustment. If your knees and ankles are NOT healthy, proceed with great caution and take advantage of the prop suggestions. If you feel pain, you need to back things waaaaaaaay up and turn these poses into active poses instead of yin poses. Pain is a sign that these are poses you need muscular support to avoid injury. Yin poses are meant to provide NO muscular support. This is one reason that they work so effectively into your joints.
Reclining Hero Pose is a wonderful opener for the ankles, moves deep into the knee joint and, through the backbending aspect, provides and especially effective opener for the lower belly and shoulders.
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| Reclining Hero Pose sometimes take a little prep with props.... |
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| but once you get there, ahhhh :-) |
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| If you need a little more lift, change us your props to accommodate. |
Seated Forward Fold
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| Placing blankets beneath the knees relieves strain on the hamstrings and delicate tissues of the knee joint. In both this and the next pose, you may feel pressure, even popping, in your ankles when you allow them to completely relax. This release is often needed and can feel great, but remember pain is never needed. |
Wide Angle Forward Fold
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| In a wide angle fold, the blankets under the knees again provide relief from strain in the knees. Using a bolster to prop your torso helps relieve strain in the inner thighs/medial knee. Be sure to angle the bolster so you feel just a light stretch to the inner knee area. |
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