Table of Contents
Preface 9
Introduction 11
What's the difference between an Injury and a medical condition? 11
The prevalence of yoga-related injuries 12
Preventing injury 12
The role of alignment 14
The structure of the handbook 14
Communicating with Students 18
Why do we check in with students at the start of a class? 18
Basic guidelines for communication 21
Part 1 The Lower Limb and Pelvis
1 The Foot and Ankle 26
The anatomy of the foot 26
The anatomy of the ankle joint 30
Common foot and ankle injuries and conditions 33
Key yoga asanas and how to adapt them 41
Improving the overall health of the foot and ankle 47
2 The Knee 53
The anatomy of the knee joint 53
Common knee injuries and conditions 64
Key yoga asanas and how to adapt them 70
Improving the overall health of the knee joint 73
3 The Hip 76
The anatomy of the hip joint 76
Common hip injuries and conditions 87
Key yoga asanas and how to adapt them 93
Improving the overall health of the hip joint 95
4 The Pelvis 103
The anatomy of the pelvis 103
Common pelvic injuries and conditions 112
Key yoga asanas and how to adapt them 115
Improving the overall health of the pelvis 118
Part 2 The Spine and Trunk
5 The Vertebral Column 124
An overview of spinal anatomy 124
6 The Lumbar Spine 133
The anatomy of the lumbar spine 133
Common lumbar spine injuries and conditions 137
Key yoga asanas and how to adapt them 147
Improving the overall health of the lumbar spine 152
7 The Thoracic Spine 158
The anatomy of the thoracic spine 158
Common thoracic spine conditions 164
Key yoga asanas and how to adapt them 167
Improving the overall health of the thoracic spine 169
8 The Cervical Spine 175
The anatomy of the cervical spine 175
Common cervical spine injuries and conditions 180
Key yoga asanas and how to adapt them 185
Improving the overall health of the cervical spine 188
Part 3 The Upper Limb
9 The Shoulder 194
The anatomy of the shoulder girdle 195
The anatomy of the shoulder joint 201
Common shoulder injuries and conditions 205
Key yoga asanas and how to adapt them 209
Improving the overall health of the shoulder 212
10 The Elbow, Wrist and Hand 217
The anatomy of the elbow and forearm 217
The anatomy of the wrist 221
The anatomy of the hand 223
Common elbow, wrist and hand injuries and conditions 225
Key yoga asanas and how to adapt them 228
Improving the overall health of the elbow, wrist and hand 230
Part 4 Common Medical Conditions
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) 234
Diabetes mellitus 235
Asthma 236
Pregnancy 237
Osteoporosis 237
Hypermobility 238
Depression and anxiety 240
Glossary of Anatomical Terms 242
References 244
Further Reading and Resources 259
Subject Index 260
Author index 269
