Best Yoga poses to ease your knee pain

Yoga is highly beneficial for both physical and mental well-being! It is a form of exercise that enhances flexibility, strengthens muscles, and improves mobility. Certain forms, known as asanas, help manage chronic diseases, promote cardiovascular health, aid digestion, and even relieve stress and anxiety.
Knee pain is common, especially among runners, but there may be multiple causes, such as not wearing the right footwear, pressure on the legs from driving, sitting for long hours at a desk, and more.
Yoga also helps ease knee pain by strengthening the muscles around the knee joint and increasing flexibility. Here are some gentle yoga poses that help:

Utkatasana

The supported chair pose helps build strength in the quadriceps and glutes, which support the knees.

How to do it:

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and bend your knees as if sitting in a chair. Only go down as far as comfortable.

Setu Bandhasana

The bridge pose strengthens the glutes and hamstrings, reducing pressure on the knees.

How to do it:

Lie on your back with knees bent. Lift your hips slowly while pressing into your heels. Repeat for 10 sets.

Viparita Karani

The legs up the wall pose reduces swelling and improves circulation in the knees, which alleviates pain.

How to do it:

Lie down and extend your legs up along a wall, keeping your hips as close to the wall as possible, forming an “L” shape.

Anjaneyasana

The low lunge pose stretches and strengthens the thighs, which support the knees.

How to do it:

From a standing position, step one foot back, bend the front knee, and lower your back knee to the ground.

Virabhadrasana

The warrior pose strengthens the thighs and improves stability, directly supporting the knee joints.

How to do it:

Step one leg back, bend the front knee, and keep the back leg straight. Raise your arms overhead and ensure the front knee is aligned over the ankle.

Supta Padangusthasana

The hand-to-toe pose gently stretches all the leg muscles, including the calves and hamstrings, relieving muscle tension.

How to do it:

Lie on your back, use a yoga strap around your foot, and extend one leg up. Gently stretch the leg straight up while keeping the other leg extended on the floor, creating an “T” shape.

Prasarita Padottanasana

This head-to-toe fold forward stretches the inner thigh muscles and improves balance around the knee.

How to do it:

Stand with feet wide apart and fold forward, resting your hands or fingertips on the floor.

Why Yoga Instead of Instant Pain Relief Medication?

Yoga may take longer to alleviate pain than instant pain relief medications, but it is an effective and sustainable alternative. Research studies have shown that incorporating yoga into daily life for stretching, exercise, and even breathing can reduce health risks and improve mobility within two weeks. Compared to instant pain relief medication, yoga offers a long-term solution.