38 YOGA JOURNAL
PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER DOUGHERTY; ILLUSTRATIONS: MICHELE GRAHAM- Virasana (Hero Pose): When
practiced with the knees together
and feet outside the hips, we push
maximal range of motion for
most people and add rotational
strain multiplied by body weight. - Padmasana (Lotus Pose):
Without sufficient mobility
in the hips (and some of us
will never have it due to our
particular anatomy), our knees
twist too much. The primary axis
of movement in the body is the
hips, a true ball-and-socket joint
uniquely suited to rotation. - Pasasana (Noose Pose):
Without sufficient strength in
the hamstrings and calves, gravity
wins, putting undue pressure on
the knees, which strains the ACL.
Laxity in the ACL can reduce
power and stability in the knee.
Now that I’ve laid out what to
avoid, here is what I recommend.
Try this homework for two
weeks to get to know your knees.
Get real
If healthful for you, take Adho
Mukha Svanasana, and look
at your knees. Notice that the
inner knees naturally move back
farther than the outer knees and
the kneecaps glance toward each
other. Remember: This is normal!Gain knowledge
Sit in Dandasana. With relaxed
thighs, lightly grasp the inner
and outer edges of your patel-lae and wiggle them side to side.
Lightly grasp the upper and lower
edges of your patellae and gently
slide them up and down. Next,
engage your thighs. Notice how
the patellae cinch into the ends
of the femurs. The moral of this
story? Use your muscles, instead
of mobility, to move your knees
in asana.Say thanks
Rest your hands on your knees
and send them love. They do
so much for you amid so many
demands. Show ’em gratitude!
When a body part hurts or
doesn’t do what we think it
should, we often believe it has
failed us. More likely, we have
failed our body part by blaming
or ignoring it. Gratitude is
the antidote to shifting that
relationship.MARY RICHARDS, MS, C-IAYT,
ERYT, YACEP, has been practicing
yoga for almost 30 years and travels
around the country teaching anatomy,
physiology, and kinesiology. A hard-
core movement nerd and former
NCAA athlete, Mary has a master’s
degree in yoga therapy.ANTERIOR KNEEFEMURVASTUS
MEDIALISVASTUS
LATERALISANTERIOR
CRUCIATE
LIGAMENTMEDIAL
COLLATERAL
LIGAMENTTIBIAPATELLA LATERAL
COLLATERAL
LIGAMENTARTICULAR
CARTILAGELATERAL
MENISCUSPATELLATIBIAL
PLATEAUMEDIAL
MENISCUSKNEE KNOW-HOW
Avoid injury by understanding how connective tissues help knees move, bear weight, and respond to strain.
MENISCUS: Pads the space between the femur and tibia. This C-shaped structure also deepens the
tibial plateau and helps stabilize the knee, especially the medial meniscus, which firmly attaches to the
joint capsule and resists shear and rotation. Each knee has two menisci.
ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT (ACL): Functions like a stiff bungee cord to keep tibia from sliding
too far ahead of femur. It’s one of the most commonly injured parts of the knee due to twisting actions
that overstretch or tear it. That means many yoga poses put it at risk.
MEDIAL COLLATERAL LIGAMENT (MCL): Keeps the knee from buckling inward. Also works with the
ACL to stop the tibia from sliding too far forward. The MCL typically gets injured in sports with heavy
physical contact and sudden changes in direction, such as football. It is not commonly injured in asana,
though avoid “knee drift” toward the midline of the body in bent-leg asana; when the knee is in flexion,
center the kneecap toward the space between the second and third toes.LEARN MORE
Study Experiential Anatomy online
with Mary and Judith Hanson
Lasater. Sign up today at
judithhansonlasater.com/yj.ANATOMY