There are more people embracing yoga every single month. This is because of its mental and physical benefits. The problem is that, at first glance, yoga looks like a very low impact activity. In reality, without proper execution, it is very easy to end up with injuries. Usually, the injuries are developing over time. They are a result of not using the postures in the correct way.
Fortunately, most injuries are not serious. You will not need to hire an 18 wheeler accident lawyer Washington DC to file an injury claim with an insurance company. However, this does not mean getting injured is not inconvenient, regardless of how serious it is. With all this in mind, here are the areas of the body you absolutely need to be careful with.
Neck
When you do shoulder stands, ploughs, or headstands, you can end up putting way too much bodyweight on the neck area. Also, the neck can be injured when it is not properly supported and you fling it back beyond its capabilities in some poses.
You should always make neck safety your number one priority. Be aware of the limits of your body and only try those poses you are ready for since the neck is highly delicate.
Shoulders
Your shoulders can easily be injured in shoulder stand poses and headstands. Shrugging can compress them and muscles end up injured. Remember that when your shoulders are tight, they are weak. Never attempt such poses until the shoulders are strengthened and opened up.
Wrists
Putting a large part of your weight on the wrists is a common mistake that leads to them being injured. Your wrists can also be more tender than you imagine from texting and heavy keyboard use.
You need to learn how to properly manage your weight as you perform poses. The wrists have to always be properly aligned and you should spread fingers evenly for more support.
Back
Most back injuries happen as you round the spine trying to go deeper into forward fold poses. Remember that when you move into any yoga pose, you will eventually get injured if the legs and back are not straight.
Make sure that before you bend, you lengthen the spine away and up from the hips. Also, it helps a lot if you focus on your breathing. Never aim for anything else except a perfectly straight back. And you should never fold more than your body allows to safely, especially as a beginner since it takes time to realize the limits of your body.
Knees
Knees often get injured because your hips do not have flexibility and you are doing hip-openers or knee-folding poses. The knees can also twist as you do half-lotus, the warrior pose, or the pigeon pose.
It is important to improve the flexibility of your hips. Never push beyond body limits and do preparatory poses before you try the more difficult poses. Contrary to popular belief, many poses are difficult and there is a way to get used to them before you even do them. And your big toe should be in alignment with the kneecap.