Does too much cat/cow upset your knees?

[Jiveblue]

Am a total yoga novice but, having been encouraged by various regulars here to give it a try, I did BREATH in January and really enjoyed it.

I have carried on doing a yoga session every day - sometimes following Adriene’s calendars but often selecting a workout which appeals on the day. I feel sure that various parts of me are stronger and that the stretching has been very beneficial - particularly Re a niggly IT band! However I am currently on the Runners IC due to a bothersome knee and even more upset as the knee problem means I can’t do several of the poses (eg child’s pose) which I had been able to earlier this year. 🥲

So.... how do you keep calm and occupy yourself when the pose is one you can’t do at all?? I don’t know what I should replace certain poses with or have the confidence to ‘freestyle’ and still maintain the tempo of the session. Also... do you find that cat/cow aggravates your knees? I can usually get on my knees but any movement whilst in that position causes part of the knee to ‘twang’ or cramp up which destroys my hard-won sense of well-being! Aaargh... I fear the gremlins have tracked me to the yoga mat...😈👿

[linda9389]

Oh no, that sounds really frustrating! CBDB and several others also have issues with their knees and CBDB has posted several times about adjustments she has made. I'm sure she will be able to offer some suggestions. About 10 years ago, when I was a true sloth, I had surgery to repair a torn meniscus. At the time I couldn't sit back on my heels (and when I occasionally forgot I would leap back up screaming), I couldn't even bend my legs up on the sofa. Now childs pose is my favourite yoga pose of all. I constantly thank that surgeon for encouraging me to have the op. I had no idea how important my knees would become to me once I found C25K 😄. Hopefully your knee will fully recover soon. Good luck.

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold]

Oh so sorry to hear. I do commiserate especially if it feels like going backward. And so so we’ll done for doing the daily practice! Big huge thumbs up 👍🏽!!

Yes, I have what some call sensitive knees 🤣 and had at the beginning 2 blankets and one pillow plus an ultra thick yoga mat. I am only now (after 4 months of daily yoga) beginning to tentatively try cat cow with only a mat (and yes, not moving sideways), and child’s pose is very slowly getting there.

Replacements:

There are probably loads that you can do but here some that I have done. I should note I am happy (very) to sit in Easy Pose (cross legged) so this is often a go-to pose for me, but may not be for everyone.

- cat -cow: I have actually sometimes done a cat cow movement in easy pose. I think even there is one YWA video where she does this.

- child’s pose - I tend to do a wide expanded child’s pose (knees wide as the mat) and this helps a lot. But only if your knees can take it.

- I also get ideas from an app called YOGA POSES, as I struggled in the beginning with names. And that sometimes gives me ideas for replacement poses.

Upcoming in the may calendar is also YWA chair yoga, and I’m actually really looking forward to that workout!

So I am wishing you loads of patience and get well wishes. It sounds like you are doing all the right things and being cautious and patient with your knees.

You’ll get there again, I’m sure!

We have our new YWA CALENDAR up and running over at Strength & Flex so maybe have a look for that chair yoga: healthunlocked.com/strength...