Health & Fitness
The Pose That Saved My Hip
Hip Openers, especially pigeon has saved my hip from constant pain that doctors could never figure out.
I still don't know what my hip problem is. It started with the patella in my knee and then my hips were bothering me (left side the most) and were even more painful than my knee. I saw many different doctors, had MRI's, x-rays, and even had an uncomfortable arthogram where they filled my hip joint with dye. They first thought I had minor hip dysplasia, and then just a clicking problem but these doctors never really figured it out. Physical therapy on my knee helped a little bit but nothing really helped until I started to get back into yoga consistently.
I spoke about how Pilates aggravated my hip. I can't take spin and I have to be careful with too much cardio in general. I have finally started to listen to my body, not my ego. When I start to feel the tension in my hip I stop what I am doing or I will be in pain for the next few days.
Hip openers in general have really helped release the tension in my hips. I still have popping and clicking so lowering my hips from boat pose usually comes with some sound effects. The pose that has helped me the most overcoming constant uncomfortable hip pain is Pigeon Pose or Kapotasana. I come into a pigeon pose every time I finish a cardio workout at the gym and after long walks. It gets deep into the hips, both adduction and flexion. Kapotasana has saved me from painful days so many times. Be careful doing it and warm up with other basic hip openers first. There is a reason why it is taught at least half way into a class.
Do you have a favorite pose or a pose that has helped you recover from an injury?