Yoga After Knee Replacement Surgery

If you're a yoga enthusiast, then having a knee replacement surgery might be one of the toughest challenges that you'll ever face. While yoga is not usually recommended for people with mobility problems, it is actually encouraged after a knee replacement to help strengthen muscles and improve flexibility in your new joint. In this blog post, we'll discuss yoga poses and how they can help improve your recovery from surgery.

Starting off with yoga after surgery is all about staying within your limits. The last thing you want to do is push yourself too hard and cause more harm than good, especially when it comes to using the muscles around your knee joint! The four yoga poses that I recommend for beginners are Tree Pose, Bridge Pose, Child's Pose, and Savasana.

Tree Pose

Starting with yoga can be overwhelming, but Tree Pose is one of the best yoga postures to help improve your physical and emotional well-being. This pose helps strengthen muscles in your leg, foot, abdomen, shoulders, hips and arms. It also aids digestion while providing stability for standing balance which you are likely to need after knee replacement surgery.

Reminder: NEVER place your foot on the standing knee or lock the knee. Press the mat away with standing foot to rebuild muscle that protects that shiney, brand knee(s).

Bridge Pose

This yoga pose helps stretch the muscles in your neck, shoulders and arms while also working on strengthening your leg muscles which are essential for regaining strength post-surgery. Bridge Pose increases blood flow to the brain as well as tones abdominal organs.

Tip: Be extra aware of pressing with the heels to engage your gluteal muscles and take burden off the front of the knees.

Child's Pose

This yoga pose is a great yoga pose for hip and knee pain relief. It also helps stretch your lower back which you may be experiencing after surgery. Use a bolster or other support at first. Just because you can bend this deeply doesn't mean you should right after surgery.

Savasana

Savasana, or Corpse Pose, is the ultimate yoga posture for relaxation. It helps calm the mind and is also great for clearing your head after yoga practice or any stressful event.

Reminder, the more relaxed the mind is the more open the body is to healing. On the other hand, stress robs us healing energy.

Avoid yoga poses that involve forward bending, backbends, twists of the spine, inverted yoga postures (like Headstand), balancing on one leg with eyes closed as well as deep knee bends until you are cleared by your doctor.

While yoga is not recommended for people with mobility problems, adding yoga poses to your therapeutic regimen can be beneficial in your journey. If you are currently undergoing knee replacement surgery or have experienced any injuries around the knee joint that may affect balance, then it is really important that you speak to your doctor about what yoga poses are most appropriate for you.

To learn more about yoga poses, live yoga classes, yogic breathing, meditation and yogic philosophy, be sure to check out www.vikkysantana.com.

I hope this blog post helps answer your questions around yoga after knee replacement surgery!

Keep flowing and growing!

All my love,

Hello, my name is Vikky, and I am thrilled to share my passion for yoga with you. I have been teaching yoga for over 13 years in South Florida, and my journey with this ancient practice started over 37 years ago. As a registered yoga teacher and 200 Yoga School with Yoga Alliance, I hold expertise in multiple disciplines of yoga, including yogic anatomy, 500-hour yoga teacher training, yogic philosophy, and meditation. My classes are a blend of dynamic movement, breathwork, and meditation, providing a holistic experience that nurtures the mind, body, and spirit. I believe yoga is for everyone, regardless of age, fitness level, or experience. My approach is welcoming and inclusive, creating a safe and nurturing environment for all my students to explore the many benefits of yoga. Through my teachings, I hope to inspire and empower students to connect with their inner selves, cultivate mindfulness, and lead healthier, happier lives. Join me in my classes to experience the transformative power of yoga firsthand.