Tips in yoga to prevent elbow pain

(May 24, 2012)

When the muscles in the back of the forearms suffer from any kind of micro trauma the result is inflammation and pain in the elbow region. Since the forearms and wrists are used extensively in many yoga exercises, elbow pain could be a problem especially if enough care is not taken while performing the asanas. A very common problem in such cases is a tennis elbow which is the result of the collagen in the tendon getting affected by the inflammation and results in the development of scar tissue in the elbow region. Common symptoms of a tennis elbow could include tenderness in the elbow region, pain on movement, weakness in the shoulder, forearm or wrist muscles, decreased range of motion and pain radiating from the elbow into the forearm and wrist. Some of the important tips to be kept in mind to prevent such elbow pain in yoga include;

Always start the yoga routine with some good stretching and warm up exercises which will get the blood flowing to the tissues in the arms, wrists and fingers.
Using light weights suing such warm ups is also a good practice to keep the muscles in the forearms strong and prevent injury during exercise.
Technique is of utmost important while performing any yoga asana and wrong technique can lead to elbow pain and other muscle injuries. Since using the right technique is so important, it is best to perform the asanas under the supervision of a trained yoga instructor.
Most importantly, after practicing asanas which involve the extensive use of the forearms and wrists, it is always advisable to take some rest before moving on to the other exercises. The muscles in the forearms and wrists need time to recover and any additional stress can result in elbow or wrist pain.

Submitted by s s on May 24, 2012 at 05:38

Any yoga pose to help elbow pain?

Relief from aches and pains in various parts of the body is just one of the many benefits of practicing yoga. The same holds true even for elbow pain which is especially a possibility when yoga asanas involving the forearms and wrists are not done using the right technique. Certain yoga stretches and poses can be very helpful in alleviating this kind of elbow pain. Wrist strengthening postures like the Chaturanga or Push up pose give you better control over the muscles in the wrists. This way the pressure can be released from the delicate tendons which connect the wrists to the elbows. Another good preventive and healing exercise especially in the case of tennis elbow is the finger-to-wrist-side-body-stretch. This stretch helps in opening up the chest and shoulder region so that elbow pain can be avoided or minimized. This stretch can be done for a few minutes before starting any yoga routine and even in the case of existing elbow pain.

Another helpful posture is the Bhujangasana (cobra pose) but it is better to do a variation of the half Bhujangasana pose in the case of elbow pain. To perform this posture you need to lie down in front of a wall on your stomach with your legs and feet together and while inhaling you need to start walking your palms up the wall as far as you can reach. While keeping the arms stretched and raised you need to gaze at your fingertips and take 10 deep breaths. This stretch helps in opening up the shoulder joints and helps in relieving elbow pain. After this stretch, you can go on to perform the full Bhujangasana. Apart from helping with elbow pain, this pose also improves posture by stretching out the spine and strengthens the muscles in the arms and back.

Submitted by A V on May 24, 2012 at 05:38