Asana – Issue 172 – April 2017

asaNa Magazine | April 2017 31

Challenges faced during
the practice

Chances of Injury

Contraindications

Best Time to Practice

Major Muscled
Involved

Limitation on Shoulder Rotation

As this pose requires the shoulders to rotate, limitation in the internal or external

shoulder rotation will cause a difficulty when reaching back to hold the feet.

Chest tightness

Similar to the shoulder rotation, if there is tightness in the chest, the arch of the back

will be limited, which needs more effort from the practitioner to achieve this pose.

Hip Limitation

As the hips are close to the floor and therefore have limited mobility, any tightness in

the hip area might cause an imbalance to the body during the pose and cause difficulty

in keeping the body weight centered.

Shoulder, Back & Hips

Any existing joint injuries

Pregnancy, hernia and other thoracic- and abdominal-related medical conditions

This pose is contraindicated to those with issues in the abdomen and thoracic area as

the front of the torso is active during this pose.

Hyperkyphosis

Refers to an excessive curvature of the thoracic spine, commonly referred to as

hunchback. As this is a backward bending pose, having a hunched back poses a difficulty

in achieving the pose.

Afternoon or evening, when the body’s natural flexibility is present.

Pectoral

Composed of the Pectoralis Major and Pectoralis Minor, this muscle makes up most of

the chest area muscles and is responsible for the movement of the shoulder joint. The

Pectoralis Major keeps the arm attached to the trunk of the body while the Pectoralis

Minor stabilizes the scapula.

Erector Spinae

A muscle group found in the back, which extends the vertebral column in forward and

backward bending. This muscle is responsible for returning the vertebral column to the

erect position after motion.

Rectus Abdominis

It is responsible for the flexing of the lumbar spine and keeping the internal organs

intact, therefore working with the Erector Spinae especially in backward bending

movements.

Quadriceps

A large muscle group that includes the four prevailing muscles on the front of the thigh,

which act as extensors of the knee joint.

Iliopsoas

The combination of the iliac and psoas major muscles that make an important part of

the hip flexors. Also known as the dorsal or inner thigh hip muscles, the iliopsoas work

for the flexion of the hip.