Yoga Anatomy

Skeletal joint actions

Spine Upper limbs Lower limbs

Neutral spine or flexionScapular abduction and
upward rotation, shoulder
flexion and adduction,
elbow flexion, forearm
pronation

Hip flexion, internal rotation,

and adduction; knee flex-

ion and internal rotation (of

tibia); ankle dorsiflexion;

lifted foot pronation

Muscular joint actions

Spine

To calibrate concentric and eccentric contractions to maintain neutral alignment of spine:
Spinal extensors and flexors

Upper limbs

Concentric contraction Passively lengthening

To abduct and upwardly rotate scapula:
Serratus anterior
To stabilize, flex, and adduct shoulder joint:
Rotator cuff, coracobrachialis, pectoralis major
and minor, anterior deltoid, biceps brachii
(short head)
To flex elbow:
Biceps brachii, brachialis
To pronate forearm:
Pronator quadratus and teres

Rhomboids, middle and lower trapezius,

latissimus dorsi

Lower limbs

Standing leg Lifted leg

Concentric
contraction

Eccentric

contraction

Concentric

contraction

Passively

lengthening

To adduct and
inwardly rotate
hip:
Pectineus, adductor
brevis and longus

To allow hip and knee

flexion and ankle

dorsiflexion without

collapsing into grav-

ity:

Gluteus maximus,

medius, and mini-

mus; hamstrings

at hip joint; vastii;

soleus; intrinsic

muscles of foot

To allow lateral shift of

pelvis over standing

foot and to maintain

balance by actively

lengthening:

Gluteus medius and

minimus, piriformis,

obturator internus,

superior and inferior

gemellus

To flex, adduct, and

internally rotate

hip:

Psoas major,

iliacus, pectineus,

adductor brevis

and longus,

gracilis

To flex and inter-

nally rotate knee:

Popliteus, gracilis,

medial ham-

strings

To pronate foot:

Peroneals, extensor

digitorum longus

Gluteus maximus,

gluteus medius and

minimus (posterior

fibers), piriformis,

obturator internus,

superior and in-

ferior gemellus

(continued)