Knees

I attended a 1 hour knee class with Lois Steinberg while she was in Dallas yesterday picking up her cat, Greg gave her cat treats as a gift and she was thrilled :)

The class was a quick demonstration on the use of the knee rods - she had them for sale with her new knee book which also shows the rods.

The short rods come in a set of 4 rods (2 per knee) and 4 short belts - the set cost $65 from her, the long rods which she said started cutting into her leg for longer practice are more $, not sure of the price but i could see where i could use that for, as she showed, the side of the outer lower leg (where the dent is along the side) which i have had a huge problem with aching there but its much better but anyway... the rods are to get the knee joint totally straight, the joint being straight will allow blood flow and help in healing, she said for Guruji's 75th birthday (if i haven't confused stories) a girl was there with a stiff leg which would not bend as a result of a medical procedure gone wrong and Guruji still straightened it more before bending - so a practice would be straight leg poses then bent leg. Before the rods she would use rolled mat with the belts.

she went person to person telling them your knees go in , go out, this knee does this that one that....mine go in

Here's what we did:

1) Supta Tadasana

 are you looking at me?
Experienced students: heels on blanket roll, belt the rods on either side of the knee cap, up against the knee cap, belt the rods in place with the buckle of the belt on the inner rod (this helps hold it in place), the belt tail should be where it is tightened inward, weight on the thighs (she uses 75 lbs), belt mid thighs mid shins

Less experienced: very small blanket roll under knees, heels on floor, the blanket roll should not get knees to bend, rods belts the same as above

 

 

 

2) Legs up the wall - foam with sandbag on feet

 

 

3) Dandasana - sacrum at wall, feet press against foam held by partner so there is pressure from both sides (sacrum/feet) - heels elevated on blanket roll

4) Virabhadrasana II - if there is knee pain from the weight in the front knee in this pose: front foot on block, toes up wall, block between shin and wall, action move the shin block up the wall