Dangers of Practicing Yoga

Yoga and its associated health and spiritual benefits have been around for approximately 5,000 years.

In the U.S., beginning in the 1960s with the New Age and counter-culture movements, yoga has increased dramatically in popularity over the last 50 years.

It's only been in the last two decades that yoga has really gone mainstream. And it seems like it's an exercise fad that's here to stay; that is to say, it's not a fad at all, unlike some fly-by-night exercise routines like Tae-Bo, Richard Simmons videos, Jazzercise, and Jane Fonda aerobics.

As yoga has grown in popularity so too have the number of injuries from yoga.

This is far from a recommendation to avoid yoga, although some people may benefit from other forms of exercise....more on that below.

If you're overweight or new to yoga or it's been a while since you've practiced, it's advisable to exercise caution with certain poses.

Keep in mind that when asanas (postures) were divinely inspired, if you will, (if you won't: created), the population in the ancient subcontinent of India didn't have problems with obesity and sedentary lifestyles.

Certain yoga poses performed by certain segments of the contemporary population can wreak havoc on inflexible joints and ligaments.

The lotus pose, which is commonly the beginning meditative position in a yoga class, can put extreme stress on the knee, ankle and hip joints. Women are more susceptible than men are to injuries of the ACL joint in the knee and lotus may perhaps increase that risk.

A spinal twist called Marichyasana III can place heavy stress on the lower back ligaments and tendons, which can lead to back pain and spinal instability.

There are other examples of yoga poses that place excessive stress on the joints.

It's important if you fit into the category of being overweight or being a yoga neophyte to find a good teacher who knows how to make sure you stay in your safe zone. Yoga props such as blocks and straps will also help you stay safe.

It's common in yoga class to see some women with very low body fat that are hyper flexible, easily capable of twisting themselves into pretzels. Perhaps they have reached their peak in yoga and are actually too flexible and a better exercise protocol would be weight lifting.

Proper muscle tension is essential for any activity. Think of your muscle fibers as guitar strings. If a guitar string is too loose or too tight, it'll snap and won't create a properly resonant sound. Muscle fibers are no different--they should have a good tension balance.

Conversely, muscle heads who can't straighten their arms overhead definitely should put the weights down for a while and get their butts into the yoga studio.

It all comes down to balance in more ways than one in yoga. Listen to your body and don't force any postures in yoga.

Despite the words of caution, if you're reading this article and haven't been exercising lately, yoga is perhaps the best form of exercise to get back into shape and de-stress from the modern world.