Yoga for Knee Pain Relief
Practice these yoga poses to find relief from knee joint pain.
Did you know that knee pain affects around 20 million Americans? If you are included in that statistic and you suffer from chronic knee pain and discomfort, you know how aggravating it can be. Doing some simple tasks like kneeling on the floor or moving from sitting to standing can prove difficult and cause pain. The pain can be a huge deterrent to an active lifestyle… but it doesn’t have to be!
Yoga can be used as an effective way to reduce and relieve your knee pain and discomfort. The poses below are specifically designed to soothe or strengthen the knee joint. The props used are optional, and all you really need is a yoga mat. When you practice these poses, keep in mind your knee pain won’t disappear overnight, but, with daily practice, you can soothe and reduce your knee pain, and take steps to avoid it in the future.
By Allie Flavio
Foam Rolling
I recommend taking 5-10 minutes to roll out the below body parts:
- Glutes
- Hamstrings
- Quadriceps
- Calves
- IT Bands (sides of thigh)
Reclined Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose
How to practice this pose:
- Low back should feel long – avoid forcing your lumbar spine to flat – let it naturally curve here
- Keep toes and knees pointing straight towards the ceiling
- If you can’t straighten the leg and/or the glute lifts off the floor, guide the foot further away from your head
- Keep the grounded leg active with knees and toes pointing straight up
- Bring the yoga strap to the ball of your foot, pull down on the strap, and stretch from the back of your knee up towards the heel
- Bring the strap to the heel of the foot, push up through the inner heel and send the ball of the foot towards the ceiling
- No strap – you can use your hand to pull the foot towards the chest (this requires more flexibility)
- Repeat this on both sides and multiples times
Bridge Pose
How to practice this pose:
- Set up for Bridge Pose like normal
- Place a yoga block between your upper thighs, as shown in the photo
- Bring your attention to the block, squeeze it here, and awaken your inner thighs
- With the natural curve in your lumbar spine, begin to lift into Bridge Pose
- Energize your core center, continue to squeeze the block, and hold for 10 breaths
- Repeat several times
Banana Pose
How to practice this pose:
- Bring the body into a banana-like shape, stretching both legs and the upper body to one side of your mat
- For a deeper stretch, cross the ankles and clasp the wrists
- Once settled, release the wrist clasp and relax here for five minutes
- Repeat on the other side
King Arthur’s Pose
How to practice this pose:
- Place your folded blanket against the wall with blocks ready on either side
- Start in Tabletop Pose with your bum facing the wall
- Bring the right shin and top of the foot to the wall (pressing gently into it) and step the left foot forward coming into a Low Lunge-type position
- Bring hands to rest atop the blocks as you lift your chest and your hip points forward to protect the lumbar spine
- To deepen the stretch, bring hands to your thigh and slowly bring your bum towards the wall
- Hold for 5-10 breaths and repeat on the other side
Half Lord of the Fishes Pose
How to practice this pose:
- Do this pose at 50-75% your capacity – it’s a restorative twist, so keep it gentle
- Use your hands or the crux of your elbow to hold the knee into the chest
- Stay for ten breaths and repeat on the other side
Hero Pose
How to practice this pose:
- Start seated with your knees hip-width distance apart
- Place the block on your desired height between the feet
- Relax your hips back and rest atop the block, allowing the knees, quadriceps, and ankles to experience a stretch here
- If it’s too intense, you can try tucking your toes for added support
- Still too intense? Honor your body and come out of the pose – you can always revisit it after you’ve practiced the rest of this sequence a few times
- Stay for a minute to seal your practice, dropping into relaxed inhalations and exhalations
All images courtesy of Allie Flavio.
