Yoga has gotten a lot of bad press lately. Does it really cause hip injuries?
Here are few examples of recent bad press:
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/11/15/yoga-injuries_n_4280083.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/03/sunday-review/womens-flexibility-is-a-…
I know it also does a lot of good for people as well. It seems a shame not to recommend clients to take yoga classes anymore. But I’d hate to be causing injury to anyone.
I’d love to know what other professionals think of this dilemma.
Hi Amber,
with yoga, as any other exercise, it is not yoga that causes the injury but the combination of the person trying yoga and yoga itself.
What makes yoga more difficult for me to recommend as a generic ‘do yoga’ advice are the vast array of styles in addition to the great number of teachers of so many different abilities. Yoga in a class setting can be a problem when there are many participants to one teacher but that is true for other classes as well. I have seen ‘body sculpting’ and Pilates classes that had my hair stand on end.
The best thing is to get to know individual instructors and see whether you are comfortable with them.
Karin Singleton
www.meltnc.com
Wow
very interesting articles
I think because the fitness world is so unregulated we are truly seeing “anything goes”.
Yoga is not the only thing that can injure clients, there are many many other exercise “franchises” that are very harmful
This is a buyer beware industry
The problem is that things get “trendy” and “popular”
Only recommend what you believe in
Just like healthy food, if a person eats too much of it they will gain weight. If a person does exercise wrong, they will get hurt. Yoga is not new but, if done incorrect , a person will get hurt. Check your teaching skills with other yoga instructors. This will help you evaluate yourself. Feel confident with your instruction. And do not worry about the press. They are paid to write and, will write anything. I was the U.S.A. powerlifting champion and, squatted for many years ( over 700lbs on a regular basis). Then someone wrote an article about squats can damage the knees. The U.S.M.C. had banned them. Well years later someone wrote an article that squats will not damage the knee if done correctly. So, squats were viewed more closely and, it was discovered that they will not hurt if done correctly. I have been squatting for 42 years now and, my knees work fine. And, the U.S.M.C. lifted the ban. Also, slight injury can occur with any activity. but, I have not met anyone disabled from yoga. Keep the faith, Brian Rozzi
I would add to Karin’s response. In addition to the person who is doing the yoga, and the yoga itself, it’s the person teaching the yoga.
A good instructor will watch each participant and cue the many elements of each pose, offering modifications and progressions as necessary.
The pictures of people in heavily twisted arm balances seen on instagram today look cool. However, most people who come to a yoga class will never reach that level of stability and flexibility. The problem occurs when the ego of the student and/or the instructor exceeds the student’s actual physical capabilities.