Knee and Inner leg pain

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hello,

 I just joined this forum so I want to say hello first and foremost. I have come across several postings in the past as I was learning about yoga and they have been quite helpful.  So without further blabbering on to my issue.
I have been practicing yoga for about a year now. I have only been using videos and have been doing quite well so far. The gains I have made both mentally and physically drive me to continue my practice. I usually do a variety of power yoga dvd's by Rodney Yee. 
 So far every problem I have encountered I have been able to work through and learn from.  However recently I started noticing some pain in the inside of my left leg as well as the inside of my left knee. It feels like a strain of sorts.  From the the middle of the inside of my leg all the way to the inside of the left knee as well as sometimes feeling like it is pulling on the inside of my left calf. I haven't figured out if I pulled something in my groin or in my knee, however it is isoated to the left side.  I notice it the most with any forward bending but particularly when I am in seated wide legged forward bend. The right leg lets go with the normal stretch of the muscle. The left leg feels like its holding on for dear life and refuses to just relax into the stretch. 
 Any ideas as to what I may have done? If so are there any recommendations as to how to help heal it.  I would prefer to not stop my yoga practice because I feel like I have made so many gains in the recent past and would hate to lose them.

The help and advice is greatly appreciated

Namaste,
Gage

#2

[QUOTE=SunGod84;65874] If so are there any recommendations as to how to help heal it. [/QUOTE]

Namaste

surrender

Feel the G

#3

Hello Gage,

Welcome to the community.

I’ve re-written this several times. Hopefully this is a keeper.

Let’s start with the big elephant in the room.
We have no shot at determining what you’ve done without a complete picture of you and your practice. Even when that is provided through writing it remains challenging in the absence of contact hours. The relationship between teacher (of Yoga) and student cannot be surrogated by a DVD. I understand it’s use, its need, and its effect but I also understand its shortcoming(s).

When a student has moved past discomfort (which the practice should have) and into pain OR injury the practice begs to be amended. Heeding such a pandering is part of Yoga itself - listening to your body, discerning what moves you toward self rather than away, caring for your being at all sheaths in all ways (as best one can given the context).

I am curious about your practice since you mention legs relaxing in forward bends. Legs do not relax into forward bends. Quadriceps are engaged, legs are often rotating, and legs remain active (except in some “brands” of practice where students lie around with no alignment whatsoever).

Finally, I am not so certain as to the appropriateness of an asana practice where a student with less than a year of asana in their body is doing Upavishta Konasana AND having complaint of leg pain as you describe. Is your body ready for this pose? Since you’ve chosen a teacher with whom you cannot dialogue it will be darn tough to ask him. Ergo you’ll have to ask yourself or get some time with a qualified teacher in your area.

gordon

#4

Thank You for your response Gordon. I was slightly mystified by the first response. I completely understand where you are coming from. One of the main reasons I chose the route of home practice with dvd’s is that my schedule usually only allows for a home practice so I do my best to fit it in. I have wanted for a long time to get into a yoga class and I hope at some point in the near future I can. I know that the interaction and relationship between student and teacher is an important on. I think that when I said my legs were “relaxing” into the pose I was using the wrong terminology. My quadriceps are engaged, my legs are grounded, and my heels are reaching. It is a recent occurrence is only isolated to my left leg. It is also tough for me to know if a possible injury from my past is just making itself known that hasn’t before. I have had knee problems for years from sports in high school. Also the problem only seems to be presenting itself after the wide angle seated forward bend. It doesn’t present itself in any other forward bend that I attempt. Once that pose is performed I then can feel the pull that I described. Without rambling too much I will end there. I have seen many of your posts and have used them for guidance in the past. I appreciate your response and hopefully in the near future I can find myself a local teacher to further expand and deepen my practice.

Thank You

#5

Thanks for sharing I also want to do yoga and searching for yoga trainer and also follow your tips too.

#6

with the respect for previous posts…if the pain is bothering you for a long time and wont go away, i would go to regular doctor to do the scan and to see what is going on. after that you can employ any healing approach you wish…