The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › Injuries, Restrictions, Ailments, Pose Modifications › Injuries › Calf injury
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Hi
I have strained my lower calf muscle. It’s a previous overuse running injury which I went to Bikram to help fix. I don’t want to take a break from my Bikram since I only started in January and have established a good practice. What can I do to take care of my calf and still do my yoga?
I recently injured my knee (sprain) and the orthopedist told me there was no reason to stop my practice.
He said to just listen to my body.
One of my instructors also said on my stronger leg, it’s good to go only as far as my bad leg can go so the body is in balance overall.
I fell on ice on the same knee a few weeks ago and was devestated that I’d be back to where I was, but amazingly, my knee feels so much better and I can go even farther in postures with no pain.
I blame the yoga LOL.
I recommend getting back to the mat as soon as possible too. 😉
Thanks for the good advice. I’ve decided to go to class tomorrow with an open mind as to what my body will tell me is okay to do. After reading a lot of posts on this site I looked into the Yogabodynaturals supplement and gravity stretching sequence. With the yin idea in mind I’ve been kind to myself today and stretched into my body mindfully. I already feel on the mend. Such good advice on Gabrielle’s site from an inspirational teacher. A new phase of yoga awaits. One where I leave my ego at the door and start having a meaningful dialogue with my body instead. Many thanks
Hi Loretta
May I ask you this? How many days have you taken off to rest your muscles? There is certainly a need to heal. If you have torn tissue, which it sounds as though you have, then it is important know that it may not be wise to simply stretch it.
As with hamstring injuries, often there is a weakness that needs some strength work. Most people think, stretching out their hamstrings is the way to heal that tightness. More times than not, the muscles need attention from a therapist who can massage it, as well as give strength building exercises. Otherwise more damage happens and it just gets tighter.
For these reasons I do not necessarily recommend gravity stretching (yin). It may (and equally) may not work.
Have you been to see somebody for an assessment?
If you decide not to go and see somebody and doing yoga for several classes doesn’t fix it, then it probably won’t and you will need to go down a different path – perhaps the one above (seeing somebody).
Oh, another question: Do you straighten your legs in Standing Sep Leg Intense Stretch? Please go and see the information about finding the hidden length in your leg muscles. You may very well find that bending your legs in the pose mentioned and a couple of related poses will actually ease your calf muscles back to health.
Go easy. There are instructions in the scripted class that are ambiguous that may make things harder or worse for you. Stay very mindful and then come back and tell us how that class goes. Don’t go for the ultimate stretch. If you feel it tugging, then bend that leg to let it go. (And tell me what standing with a locked out leg feels like. That will be helpful to get a reading on how you’re feeling.)
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Gabrielle as always gave excellent advice.
It also made me realize I should have prefaced my post a little more with talking to the doctor first before trying to handle the situation on your own.
I only returned after my injury when I got the okay from the specialist.
It’s amazing because I’ve heard many people brag that this yoga has done more for them than any physical therapy in the world, BUT that was also after getting the proper clearance :).
Thanks again for more sound advice. This injury is a micro tear in the soleus. I’ve had an assessment on it in the recent past Dec 2014, and was given strength work, one leg calf lifts and stretches for the gastrocnemius and soleus. The injury reoccurred when I was sprinting in a circuit class this Monday. I took an anti inflammatory at the time as the best thing I could do, the next day I stretched carefully and did my calf lifts carefully. I went to class today and modified my intense standing postures. I bent my legs in the forward bend. I did not kick out in the standing head to knee. I carefully did uttkatasana believing it would be good to strengthen the calf. Again I modified the intensity. I had a good class but stayed within my limits. I walked my dog an hour before and after class because there’s noone to do that. It’s a grade 1 injury and with some remedial work I’ve gotten back some level of normality. Probably I’m at 80% strength wise. It’s such a small tear that is only exacerbated by running. My days of marathon running are long gone.
I have done a yoga teacher training course in the UK. I’m also a qualified aerobics instructor and was an army physical training instructor. I was a history teacher by profession. I always take an academic approach to everything. I don’t take Bikram as gospel. It has to make sense physiologically. Hence why I’m very impressed with Gabrielle. I will listen and continue to learn.
Many thanks
Loretta
Thank you Loretta
I greatly appreciate your trust and your kind words. If you’re willing or if you need to, please do come back and let me know how it’s going and if I/we can offer more support or help!
Sometimes in that hot room the tendency is to get a little obsessed with the outcome of the pose rather than the holistic outcome of the yoga! Seems to me, thankfully, you’ve got this one in the bag! :cheese:
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂 -
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