Yoga: Generally Safe, but Injuries Happen

Yoga is widely practised across Faridabad and Delhi NCR for fitness, flexibility, and mental wellbeing. While yoga has many health benefits and is generally safe, yoga-related injuries are more common than widely acknowledged — affecting approximately 10% of regular practitioners annually. Overstretching, hypermobility-related instability, and repetitive loading in extreme ranges are the primary mechanisms.

Common Yoga Injuries

Hamstring Tendinopathy: Chronic proximal hamstring pain from repetitive deep forward folds (Uttanasana, Paschimottanasana). Extremely common in dedicated yoga practitioners. Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction: Deep hip-opening poses (pigeon, lotus, half-moon) overstretch the SI joint ligaments, particularly in hypermobile individuals. Wrist Pain and Impingement: Weight-bearing poses (plank, downward dog, crow) compress the radiocarpal joint. Shoulder Impingement: Chaturanga done incorrectly creates anterior shoulder impingement. Lower Back Pain: Excessive lumbar flexion or extension in advanced poses. Neck Pain: Headstands and shoulderstands compress the cervical spine.

Physiotherapy Approach

Assessment

We distinguish between overstretching injuries (where rest and gradual progressive loading are needed), impingement syndromes (requiring technique correction and strength work), and instability injuries (requiring stabilising exercise rather than more stretching).

Hypermobility Management

Many yoga practitioners are hypermobile. We emphasise stability and proprioception over flexibility — the missing element in many hypermobile yoga practitioners' programmes.

Return to Practice

Guidance on pose modifications, props, and technique corrections that allow continued yoga practice while the injury heals.