Yoga for Injury Prevention

“Not only is yoga excellent for flexibility, but it is also a great tool for longevity and injury prevention, as it allows for internal body awareness.” - Kyle Shewfelt, Canadian gymnast

Preventing and Recovering from Injuries

Preventing injury and/or recovering from injury are important aspects of any wellness or fitness routine. But this requires more than simply stretching. 

Cross-training is crucially important in the prevention of or subsequent recovery from injuries. Challenging your strength and flexibility in a variety of ways and directions will improve your overall stability and mobility in whatever activity you choose.

In my experience as a physical therapist assistant, many patients would come in for treatment from overuse injuries which generally occur from repetitive activities and strain. A lot of these patients were runners or weight lifters. I have found that some people who fall into either of these groups can have a hard time doing any other type of activity. This happens for a number of reasons but can ultimately end up with injury and a slow recovery. 

This is where yoga can really shine!

Yoga for Injury Prevention

Yoga’s breathing and meditation practices, in addition to the postures and poses, are very complimentary to a running program as I discussed last week (read more here) but can also be an asset to anyone following a lifting routine. While the benefits of a yoga practice to stretch after a run may seem obvious, what may be less obvious are the benefits for balance, stability, and core strength that can be developed and improved through a consistent yoga practice. Plus, the slower, more controlled movements and stretches associated with yoga can greatly benefit weight lifters. 

Slower and more mindful movement is not necessarily easier. In fact, it is a lot more challenging in a lot of ways. They force you to really get in touch with your body and its sensations and abilities. Longer, sustained holds with conscious breathing allow for your muscles to recruit more muscle fibers to fire thus improving muscle activation, strength, and endurance. 

Yoga for Injury Recovery

We have all been there, it happens, even with the best of intensions injuries occur. What you decide to do after the initial injury can make all of the difference. Speaking with your physician and/or physical therapist are obviously the best places to start. And then when you are cleared to return to activity, yoga can give you a more gentle transition back to activity.

Through yoga’s mindful movement, you can cultivate a greater awareness of your body and learn to follow its lead in your recovery. There is such a variety of yoga styles and practices available that there is sure to be one that meets your needs.

Private Yoga Sessions

As I have stated in the past, private yoga sessions are the ideal place for injury recovery and injury prevention to take place. Each session is completely personalized to your specific needs and goals, not mine or anyone else’s.

Over the course of multiple sessions, a routine can be created and then progressed as needed to continue making progress and to continue your recovery.

If you are still curious to learn more about how private yoga sessions can help you, please contact me at 231-215-9660 or caitlin.anderson@tranquilwavesyoga.com to chat about your specific desires and needs.

Yoga on YouTube

Once again, I have a special short (10 minutes) yoga sequence to share today. This sequence focuses more on engaging the core and promoting balance and stability. I hope you will take the opportunity to watch, like, and subscribe as I hope to continue to bring you yoga videos in the future. A reminder, I will cue you to move with breath but please take as many breaths while holding the poses as you need to feel comfortable. I also do not speak the entire time so as to allow you the settle into the practice and just notice what comes up mentally or physically for you. Enjoy!

What other topics would you like me to write about?

What kind of yoga videos would you like to see in the future? Sequences, meditations, breathing practices?

Let me know in the comments below or contact me directly.