Dealing with an Injury You’ve probably heard of the RICE method to relieve pain, reduce swelling, and speed healing. The RICE method is great to follow right after you’ve suffered from a physical injury and it’s helpful to keep doing it within the first 48 hours. What it exactly means is: Rest by reducing your […]
In recent months I have explored the wonders of the wrist and the secrets of strong shoulders. Each has a huge influence on the way we practice yoga poses and both, rightly, deserved the individual attention. But, what of the bits of the arm between? Just a couple of bones, a few muscles and a
Until about five years ago I lived in Denver, Colorado, a state pretty much in the middle of the USA known for its beautiful landscape and the Rocky Mountain range. Most people I knew there were into the outdoors and being active, whether it was hiking, cycling, or skiing. When I first moved to Colorado
The Sacroiliac Joint, commonly known as the SIJ, is a wondrous thing. We have two of them. They are the joints that connect our legs to our spine. They are incredibly stable but can also move in all directions. They house the shortest ligament in the body and they are a really common, but often
When I started my yoga journey, even the simplest balance seemed impossible. But over the years, I have found that Pattabhi Jois was definitely right – I practiced and it came! I took baby steps – sometimes it felt like I would never achieve a particular pose and then suddenly I was there. I still
Ankles are amazing things – they (literally) hold us up and propel us around. They absorb HUGE amounts of impact when we run and jump. And yet we rarely pay them any attention. Unless they are a problem, of course, then they can cause pain and suffering. Let me introduce you to the incredible world
Our hands are amazing things. A real marvel of biomechanics, we use them to manipulate our environment; to gather information about the world around us and eloquently express our feelings. For yogis, though, they have another absolutely vital function — supporting us in our asana. But how do they do all of this and just
After practicing a strenuous activity such as yoga, it’s possible that some of your muscle or tendon fibers tear slightly or become injured. This can sometimes go unnoticed, but if you regularly practice a posture incorrectly or, even worse, you don’t replenish your body to repair itself, your body is more susceptible to greater injuries. The foods you
I love knees – they are simple, honest joints that work hard for us and tell us when they are not happy. Very few people get through life without ever having sore knees and many unfortunate folks suffer painful knees on a daily basis. And knee pain is horrible. It is often enough for people to
