Risks With Yoga

Risks With Yoga

Yoga is an ancient discipline originated in ancient India and is known for its many mind-body benefits: it releases tension, can prevent injury, creates more flexibility, adds strength and balance, and calms the mind. In fact, it is the most commonly used non-mainstream health approach among US adults, with the amount of practitioners increasing 50 per cent between 2012 and 2017 – from 9.5 per cent of all adults to 14.3 per cent.

Along with the many benefits, Yoga can be dangerous if not done with the right approach. As it is said, “you have to be smart about it. If a pose bothers you, don’t do it.” Besides its acceptance and tremendous benefits, if I tell you that yoga can be dangerous for you in many ways. Would you believe me, Yeah? Not a digestible fact but yes, practicing yoga can be harmful to some of the cases. 

Few studies show that yoga causes musculoskeletal pain and injury, moreover the injury rate can increase 10 times from the past. What new yogis may not be aware of, however, is that despite its reputation as a gentle, low-impact practice, yoga carries risks, as with any exercise routine. The practice can exacerbate carpal tunnel syndrome, destabilize joints, and contribute to strains, sprains and tendinitis. “Part of the yoga practice is to become more mindful of where your body is positioned in space.” “So make that body awareness a daily practice of life, because injuries don’t start on the mat. They start before the mat.”

Different types of issues that can occur due to wrong approach of yoga at home are:

·       Yoga Pain / Muscle Pain: Yoga pain is a serious problem for many of us. There are some yoga poses that everyone cannot do properly, especially at home without guidance. Practicing asanas with a wrong approach or without proper guidance can lead to severe pain in different body muscles. You can suffer from health problems if you practice certain yoga poses wrongly, some of them are given below:

         i.           Backaches & Slip Disc: Bharadvajasana & Marjaryasana are some of the yoga poses helps in reducing back pain, but if done in the wrong way these asanas can cause a serious backache.

       ii.           Neck sprain and pain: Matsyasana and Kapotasana are the asanas those you have to do with your neck. It works with neck twisting. If some do this in the wrong way it is possible he/she gets serious neck pain or sprain.

·       Yoga Injuries: When someone tries complex yoga poses at home in the wrong way or without any supervision or guidance of an expert, the possibility of getting a serious injury doubles. According to several studies, the rate of Yoga injuries is increasing. Many Yoga forms require more flexibility and very hard to do. Curiosity for trying these asanas is a possible cause of yoga injuries as there is no supervision at home.

·       Exhaustion: Exerting too much effort and strain during your yoga leads to exhaustion. Fatigue is a sign that you are overworking or doing too much yoga. Another type of exhaustion is heat exhaustion that is a result of hot or power yoga sessions.

Ways to reduce your chances of getting hurt while doing yoga:

• Practice yoga under the guidance of a qualified instructor.
• If you’re new to yoga, avoid extreme practices such as headstands, shoulder stands, the lotus position, and forceful breathing.
• Be aware that hot yoga has special risks related to overheating and dehydration.
• Pregnant women, older adults, and people with health conditions should talk with their health care providers and the yoga instructor about their individual needs. They may need to avoid or modify some yoga poses and practices.

Conclusion over “dangers of yoga” at home:

Finally, as we say everything has two faces. One is good or another is bad. In Conclusion, Practicing yoga at home can be dangerous but when not applying the right approach or the way of doing asanas is wrong, especially when practiced without complete knowledge or proper guidance, yoga can bring side effects along. Hiring a personal yoga coach or attending yoga classes can be a good way to avoid the dangers of Yoga.

So, Yoga is still the best and right approach to heal physically as well as mental problems. Add yoga in your routine under the guidance of certified yoga trainers to prevent dangerous of yoga. Happy Yoga!

Sources: Instafitness.in , scmp.com , nccih.nih.gov