10 Yoga Poses if You Have Bad Knees

Is severe knee pain causing you decreased mobility? Are you unable to perform your daily tasks due to debilitating knee pain? Taking care of yourself in your knee pain by performing Yoga, can make a big part of your treatment that will not only boost your health and immune system but will also make you feel energetic.

Yoga can benefit the whole body by reducing pain and distress, lowering blood pressure, and regulating metabolism. Some studies have shown that practising yoga can decrease the stress that is known to aggravate pain by down-regulating the levels of cortisol in the body and by increasing the levels of serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins. Yoga also helps reduce the levels of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein and other inflammatory cytokines in the blood that are known to cause pain and swelling.

There are various Yoga poses which upon daily practice can boost your leptin and adiponectin levels in their bodies. Both of these chemicals are known to work together to alleviate inflammation and pain in the body.

10 Yoga Poses to Practice if You Have Bad Knees

1. Bridge Pose

2. Child’s Pose

3. Tree Pose

4. Supine Twisting

5. Bound Angle Pose

6. Mountain Pose

7. Cow Face Pose

8. Chair Pose

9. Peaceful Warrior Pose

10. Triangle Pose

1. Bridge Pose

Woman performing Bridge pose, Credits: pixabay

Bridge pose also known as Setu Bandha Sarvāṅgāsana, or Setu Bandhāsana is an inverted back-bending asana. It is suitable for beginners and is considered to be safe.

How to do it?

1. Perform the bridge pose by lying down in a supine position.

2. Bend your knees and slowly lift your buttocks off the floor. Make sure your thighs are about parallel to the floor.

3. Firm the outer arm, shoulders

4. Stay in the position anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 minute.

5. Release your posture with an exhalation, moving the spine slowly down onto the floor.

Benefits: Bridge Pose opens the chest, heart, and shoulders. It stretches and strengthens the spine,  and helps relieve knee pain and back pain.

2. Child’s Pose

Woman performing Child pose, Credits: pixabay

Bālāsana, also known as Child’s Pose, or Child’s Resting Pose is a kneeling asana which resembles a child-like pose.

How to do it?

1. Kneel down with both the knees under your hips.

2. Make sure your toes are pointing outwards and are placed together.

3. Stretch your palms straight on the mat.

4. Bring your forehead down towards your palms. Keep your palms stacked under your forehead.

5. Stay in this pose for 1-3 minutes. Exhale and release from the position.

Benefits – Child pose is beneficial in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. It helps relieve pain in your back, knees while also calming your mind.

3. Tree Pose

Woman performing Tree pose, Credits: pixabay

Vrikshasana or Tree Pose resembles the shape of a tree and is a balancing asana. It is one of the easiest poses that can help strengthen your legs.

How to do it?

1. Stand with legs two ft apart

2. Bring your arms up above your head and join your palms together.

3. Exhale, hold your breath and bring your right leg towards the inner side of the left thigh by bending it slightly.

4. Place your foot right foot on the shin bone of the left leg.

5. Stay in the pose for around 2-3 minutes. Repeat the same with the other leg.

Benefits:  Tree pose provides stability and tones with the leg muscles, strengthens your knees and hip joints, relieves knee pain, leg cramps and improves your balance.

4. Supine Twisting

Woman is assisted in performing supine twist, Credits: pixabay

The Supta Matsyendrasana also called the Supine Twist or the Reclining Twist is a stomach revolving posture. It is a gentle posture that stretches the spine, back, thighs, and neck while the body rests and also stimulates internal detoxifying processes.

How to do it?

1. Lie on your back, with your arms placed parallel to your body in line with your shoulders.

2. Draw your right knee towards your chest, and bend it cross outside of the opposite foot slightly towards the upside.

3. Turn your head towards the opposite side of your bent knee. Ensure your shoulder blades are fully touching the ground.

4. Hold in for several minutes and breathe into the twist, and then switch to the other side.

Benefits: Supine twisting releases stress from legs, relaxes it and strengthens the legs while stretching the hamstrings. It also provides relief from pain and stiffness caused due to arthritis in the knee joints.

5. Bound Angle Pose

Woman doing Bound angle pose, Credits: pixabay

Baddha Konasana, also known as Bound Angle Pose is a seated asana in Hatha Yoga. it is easy to do and suitable as a meditation seat.

How to do it?

1. Begin seated on your yoga mat with your spine straight and your legs extended in front of you.

2. Rest your arms at your sides with your palms on the mat

3. Bend your knees and draw your heels in toward your pelvis.

4. Press the soles of your feet together and let your knees drop open to both sides.

5. Clasp your big toes with your first two fingers and press your feet and toes firmly on the floor

6. Hold it for 5 minutes and then release the pose.

Benefits: This pose helps strengthen the muscles in the back and the knee by counteracting stiffness, reducing pain, and bringing more ease in the movements. It is beneficial for pregnant women.

6. Mountain Pose

Woman doing Mountain pose, Image Credits: pixabay

Mountain pose or Tadasana is a yogic posture that helps attain stability and firmness in the body when regularly practised. It forms the base of all standing asanas.

How to do it?

1. To begin with, the pose, stand with legs keeping 2 ft apart

2. Inhale, bring your arms up to the shoulder level, interlock the fingers, and turn the wrist outwards.

3. Now raise the arms up above your head.

4. Raise your heals and balance your body on your toes.

5. Hold this position for 10-30 seconds.

Benefits: When we place all weight on our toes, it helps tones and strengthens the muscles and joints in the legs. It will also strengthen the knees and hip joints, and improve your balance.

7. Cow Face Pose

Caption: A man doing Gomukhasana, Image Credits: pixabay

Gomukhasana or Cow Face Pose is a seated asana used for meditative purposes. Regular practice of this asana can provide numerous benefits. Let’s see how to perform this.

How to do it?

1. Sit in a meditative posture, with your legs stretched out

2. Bend the left leg and try to bring it towards your left hip. Do it similarly with right leg

3. Make sure your right knee is placed on the left knee.

4. Move your left hand towards back and palm outwards.

5. Raise your right hand and bring it back and down to reach the left palm and clasp.

6. Hold into this position for 2-3 minutes.

7. Exhale and release the clasp, and come back to normal position slowly.

Benefits: It stretches the spine and hip joints along with your arms and shoulders. Improves blood circulation towards the knees and ankles which in turn lubricate your joints, relieving pain and swellings.

8. Chair Pose

Women doing chair pose, Image Credits: pixabay

Utkatasana, Chair Pose, is a standing or low squatting asana in hatha yoga.

How to do:

1. Stand in tadasana pose with feet and legs together.

2. Inhale and raise your arms together, perpendicular to the floor.

3. Pretend to Sit back and down by bending your knees slightly down.

4. Keep your weight on heels.

5. Stay in this position for 30 seconds to one minute.

Benefits: Removes the stiffness from knees, strengthen the hips, thighs and calf muscles. Improves knee function.

9. Peaceful Warrior Pose

Woman doing the Warrior pose, Image Credits: pixabay

Peaceful Warrior Pose or Shanti Virabhadrasana is one of the standing asanas that has served potential health benefits.

How to do?

1. Begin with a standing position, step right foot forward.

2. Turn the left foot towards 45 degrees to the side.

3. Flip your arms out with palms facing up.

4. Bend right knee at a 90-degree angle, keeping it in line with the ankle.

5. Place your left hand on the left leg and arch back, eyes towards the ceiling and right arm overhead towards your back wall.

Benefits: This pose activates and strengthens the muscles that help function your knees better.

10. Triangle Pose

Woman doing triangle pose, Image Credits: pixabay

Trikonasana or triangle pose basically involves a triangle made by the trunk, arms and legs. It is a standing pose.

How to do?

1. Stand with your legs two 2-3 ft apart.

2. Take a deep breath, raise the arms sideways up to shoulder level.

3. Turn the right foot towards the right side.

4. Slowly bend your body towards the right side, right-hand palm and fingers placed behind or in front of the right foot.

5. Now raise your left hand in line with right hand, palm facing forward.

6. Remain in this position for 10-30 seconds, repeat on another side.

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