Yoga for Athletic Injuries

Personalized poses have a place in rehabilitation.

Pigeon. Crow. Frog. Downward dog. No, this is not an article about the zoo. Those are just some common, funny-sounding and effective poses used in yoga. This ancient practice is everywhere lately, with studios popping up on seemingly every corner. One population who has found yoga especially beneficial is athletes. From general conditioning to injury recovery, athletes turn to the practice to condition their bodies and minds.

Some physical therapists are cross-trained as certified yoga instructors and incorporate yoga poses into their therapy. There is a distinct difference, however, between physical therapy and yoga therapy. "One main difference between yoga and physical therapy is how we use the breath," explained Lori Rubenstein, DPT, MAppSC, CYT, owner of Mosaic Physical Therapy.

Dr. Rubenstein always does a breath assessment with new clients, which can improve energy and core strength. The quality of the breath and where people breathe from are important. Many people suck in when inhaling instead of expanding the diaphragm. Lateral expansion breathing exercises work the transverse abdominis on both the inhale and the exhale, which is good for trunk stability. And a longer inhale helps with tension release. When clients are in pain, yoga explores the source of that pain. Physical therapists can address issues in multiple body parts simultaneously with yoga-inspired exercises.

Another important aspect of yoga is visualization or bhavana. In her experience, Dr. Rubenstein's athletic clients improve when they visualize. "Their kinetic ability is better," she explained.

Amanda Kriebel, DPT, PT, RYT, owner of Awareness Physical Therapy, agreed. "Yoga adds the element of the mind-body connection, which is critical for athletes to excel in their performance," she said. "Elite athletes physically train at an intense level. Yoga brings balance for their bodies to recover and for their minds to relax so that they can outshine their competitors."

Dr. Kriebel is a registered yoga teacher, an athlete and has been practicing yoga for more than 10 years. With her yoga practice she became aware of the changes she felt in her physical body as well as her focus and presence during her own sports activities.

Dr. Rubenstein also practices yoga. "With so many of our patients, I saw that stress perpetuates their problems," she said. "I thought yoga would balance that out." She took certification classes to be a Certified Yoga Teacher.