Notes
To achieve the full entwining of the legs, the standing leg needs to flex at the hip and knee
as well as the lifted leg.
This position of hip flexion with internal rotation and adduction is not structurally easy
(the shape of the hip socket generally makes it easier to externally rotate when the hip is
flexed). The action of adduction with internal rotation especially lengthens the piriformis,
obturator internus, and superior and inferior gemellus. Restriction along the outside of the
thigh can also come from shortness in the muscles that attach near the top of the iliotibial
(IT) band: The gluteus maximus and tensor fasciae latae attach directly to the IT band, and
the gluteus medius and minimus attach nearby and affect it strongly.
This position can be challenging for the knees: If the hips don’t perform the actions of
adduction and internal rotation, the knees are forced to compensate and possibly overro-
tate. Paying attention to internally rotating the tibia can help prevent this overmobilization
of the knee.
This action in the legs is generally stabilizing for the sacroiliac (SI) joint because it encour-
ages the pelvic halves to move together in the front, which can bring congruence to the
edges of the SI joint on the anterior surfaces of the sacrum and ilium.
Breathing
The scapulae need to be able to both abduct and rotate upwardly. If the scapulae are pulled
down too much, the movement of the rib cage is unnecessarily inhibited.
From the standpoint of shape, center of gravity, and breathing, this is the most compacted
of the one-legged balancing postures. The entwining of the arms compresses the front
of the rib cage, and freedom to move in the posterior portion of the rib cage is essential.
Garudasana (continued)