Over a year ago, I tore the meniscus in my left knee and reinjured it on several occasions since. Reinjury combined with a lack of knowledge requires tremendous patience on my part, which has become my yoga lesson. Very gradually, through gentle exploration and the support and insight of my “healthcare team”, I am learning what movements and poses benefit healing and which ones to avoid until greater stability in my knee joint returns.
Here are some of my lessons:
- If you have tears in the meniscus of one knee, likely your other knee has similar wear and tear. Thus, it doesn’t hurt to practice your chosen healing remedies on both knees.
- Meniscus tears can take two to five years to heal … so don’t give up too soon. I’ll keep you posted on this.
- Stabilize your stance and stride — feet and ankles. This stability moves up the legs to realign and strengthen both knee and hip joints. Yoga’s standing asanas are good medicine.
- Tight internal hip rotators may be wrecking your knees. Lengthening these tissues via 90-90 Liftoffs is recommended.
Start as below for 1 minute to allow the muscles to relax. Then lift the right foot and lower leg for 10 to 15 seconds, hold, and ease down gently. Your body will signal what your capacity allows.
In the early stages of my injury, I could not do the above stretches. If that is the case for you, then try the suggested poses and yoga actions below.
- Sit upright with a long spine in a firm chair. Place a block or thick book between your knees and roll your toes to point backward. You are resting your weight on the front of your toes.
Yoga Action (Annamaya Kosha):
– The inner thighs release/draw to the inner knees.
– The inner knees press into the block.
Yoga Action (Pranamaya Kosha):
– Keeping the action of the thighs and knees, imagine the inside of the knee expanding like a balloon. You could guide your breath there on the inhale.
Yoga Action (Manomaya Kosha):
– rest in the pose by silently repeating to yourself “Relax. Release. Receive.”
2. Once you have success with the Chair Virasana pose, you might try the next variation. Sit on one or two blocks under your sit bones and complete the yoga actions described above.
NOTE: It may take more than one pose before you awaken these yoga actions or areas in your body and begin to feel the arising sensations and releases. In that case, apply the three yoga actions to the following poses –
VAJRASANA
TRIANG MUKHAIKAPADA PASCHIMOTTANASANA
ARDHA MATSYENDRASANA
For more yoga actions and teachings, click here. Namaste.
