Leg pain

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

I am concerned about some persistent leg pain I have. It seems to located right under or below my knee, although it radiates out to my calf. I have often thought this is simply sore hamstrings or calfs so I have been doing poses to stretch these areas, however it usually only makes the pain worse (although pain is not really the correct word, as it feels more sore than painful)

Recently I read an article my Julie Gudmestad in the October issue of Yoga Journal about Hamstring injuries that result in pain at the sit bone. This made me wonder if perhaps one could injure the other end of the hamstings just as well, and if I have done that.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks!
-Dave

#2

It sounds like you might be overinflamming the insertion site of the knee flexors. They include the hamstrings and the gastrocnemius both are located on the medial and lateral sides of the knee. In general keep in mind that stretching increases pitta, which is likely to promote inflammation when carried on repeatedly. So I recommend instead pay attention to their antagonists and strengthen these muscles while stretchign the quadriceps. Poses to do this would be the lunge, lifting the back foot to tone the hamstrings and gastrox; and pidgeon pose in which you feel the pull in the quads. Lay off hamstring stretches for sometime and also give yourself some rest. Remember Patanjali Yoga Sutra II, 47 to perfect yoga asana he recommends “relaxation of effort and lessenign the tendency for irregular breathing”. namaste mukunda