Saturday, February 20, 2010

Kriyas for Knee Pain

One of the common symptoms of ageing is knee / joint pain. Even young people hold their knees while climbing stairs or while squatting during rigorous workouts. The lifestyles, routines and regimens prevalent today are far from what our ancestors had prescribed and that leads us towards vikriti, a state of imbalance.

Knee pain is the direct result of an imbalance in the pranic flow in the knee region. Since the problem finds its root in something that is beyond physical, the solution too calls for a more holistic approach. Sanatan Kriya, which touches upon all aspects of human existence, offers simple techniques to keep such problems at bay.

Sit with a straight back, arms straight, palms on the floor close to hips and legs stretched forward. Keeping your eyes shut, do the following set of asanas.

Jaanu Akarshan

  • Inhaling, contract your right knee pushing it into the floor.
  • Hold for a count of 7.
  • Release while exhaling.
  • Repeat 7 times.
  • Now do the same on the left knee.
  • Finally contract and release both the knees together, 7 times while maintaining breath awareness.

Jaanu Chakra

  • Fold your right leg such that the thigh presses against the torso, the knee touches the chest.
  • Support the thigh with both your hands.
  • Now rotate the lower leg (knee onwards) in clockwise and reverse direction, seven times each.
    Synchronize the rotation with your breath, inhaling in half circle and exhaling in the other half.
  • Gently bring the leg down.
  • Repeat with the left leg.
  • Now fold both the legs close to the chest, and repeat the rounds with both legs together in clockwise and counter-clockwise direction.

Finally, lie down in shavasana. Take your awareness to the knee joints and strengthen them with the aid of your consciousness.

Ayurveda prescribes regular massage of the knees with mahanarayan oil to keep the knee joints lubricated. It is also advisable to apply alternate hot and cold compression to the affected region so as to stimulate muscle movement. Later on hot compression can be done at regular intervals to release accumulated vata (wind) from that region.

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