In this blog post, we will be discussing some of the most common injuries that occur during Yoga. The first and most important thing to know is that all injuries are preventable! When you follow these 5 simple rules, you can avoid these painful or uncomfortable yoga problems.
The Top 5 Yoga Injuries
Wrist injuries
Wrist injuries are among the most common yoga injuries. This is because Yoga emphasizes a lot of weight-bearing postures in which you use your hands and wrists to support yourself, such as Downward Dog or Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose). If the muscles that surround your wrist are tight or weak then it can cause an imbalance around the joint leading to a sprain or fracture over time.
Symptoms of wrist injury: Pain in the wrists, swelling, and possibly bruising around the area. In more severe cases you can have trouble using your hands for simple tasks such as opening doors or holding silverware at mealtime because it will cause pain to lift even small objects.
Lower back injuries
This is another common area for injury in Yoga. Many people try to do too much, too soon, and put a lot of stress on their lower back muscles. This can lead to muscle strains or even a herniated disk.
Symptoms of lower back injury: Lower back pain is the most common symptom. You might also experience sciatica (pain that radiates down your leg) if you have a herniated disk.
Knee injuries
The knees are another common area for injury in Yoga, especially if you are doing poses incorrectly or trying to do too much too soon. Poses such as Downward Dog and Half Camel can put a lot of stress on the knee joint if you are not flexible enough. This can lead to pain, swelling, and even ligament tears.
Symptoms of knee injury: Knee pain is the most common symptom. You might also experience swelling and difficulty bending your knees. In more severe cases you may have trouble walking or standing up from a seated position.
Ankle injuries
Ankle injuries are another common injury among Yoga practitioners. This is often due to people trying to do poses that are too advanced for their level of flexibility or strength. Many times, people will also roll their ankles when transitioning in and out of poses which can lead to ankle sprains or even fractures.
Symptoms of ankle injury: Swelling, pain, and bruising are the most common symptoms. You might also have difficulty walking or putting weight on your ankle.
Neck injuries
Poses that require you to hold your head up for an extended period of time can lead to neck strain and even cervical disk problems. This is especially true if you are not flexible enough to do these poses properly.
Symptoms of neck injury: Neck pain is the most common symptom. You might also experience difficulty looking up or down, tingling in your arms, and even dizziness when you move your head too far to either side.
These are just a few of the most common yoga injuries. Read our next blog on how to prevent yoga injuries so you can avoid these painful problems.
