How to Get Back to Your Yoga Mat

How to Get Back to Your Yoga Mat

Yoga is becoming an ever-more popular form of meditative exercise incorporating flow between specific poses and maintaining rhythmic breathing, while stretching and strengthening the body with mindful focus. Practitioners get their hearts pumping with calm minds, open hearts, and generous spirits.  Whether your dog is up or down, once you catch the yoga bug, it becomes a sacred part of your life.

The health benefits of yoga are many, well-documented in the medical literature, and most readily accessible with regular practice. Unfortunately, there is a 20% incidence of musculoskeletal injury or overuse syndromes among avid yoga practitioners – especially those who are somewhat older.  10% of injured yogis never return to their beloved practice.

Preventing the loss of ability to regularly engage in this therapeutic activity is the main goal among those beginning to feel pain, stiffness, and weakness in their joints or muscles, which can affect almost any part of the body.  Many degenerative or traumatic conditions can develop from or prevent participation in yoga, especially among those who overzealously force an excessively intensive regimen, attempting to achieve all instructed challenging poses, perhaps to impress others or just simply by pushing themselves when their bodies may not be adequately trained.

The good news is that a careful musculoskeletal and neurological history and physical examination can lead to efficient diagnosis and implementation of a restorative treatment plan.  Once a yogi is feeling better, there are sensible strategies and tactics that may be followed with specific posture, tempo, and breathing modifications to permit successful return to his or her favorite studio, back on the mat, with feet grounded, hearts open, minds at ease, muscles strong, joints flexible, and painfree!  Namaste!