Are Single-legged poses safe for SI Joint issues
I just finished the Low Back Care training, and have a client who has SI joint issues. Are single-legged poses safe?
I understand that asymmetrical poses need to be avoided (Warrior 1, Warrior 2, Low Lunge, etc.), but I am wondering if single-leg balance poses could be okay if the condition is not acute – Tree Pose, One-Legged Tadasana, Standing Quad Stretch, Standing Knee Circles (rotating the thigh bone in the hip socket), etc. – might these options be okay?
Also, if the condition is not acute, could Eka Pada Apananasa and Supta Padagusthasana A, B, C (if hips/sitting bones kept more level vs. moving into a full twist) be okay?
Thank you for your guidance!
Answer from Justine
If the SI Joint condition is not acute we do have a wider range of options available. I will add the caveat of doing poses to stabilize the SI Joints in your sequence. Doing a warm up, moving to standing, and then when you get back to the floor adding in prone backbends, rolling bridge or other poses that are good for stabilizing before savasana.
Tree pose, one-legged tadasana and standing knee circles should all be fine. I say should, as your client should have the final say. If any pose triggers pain, I would say skip it for that day. I hesitate at the standing quad stretch, just because we want to think of stability. We don’t want someone falling and having to catch themselves. I think lying on the side and stretching the quads from that position would be safer. (And, I have super tight quads, so this could be flavoring my answer! If it is an easy pose for your client, I think it would be fine.)
In all my years teaching I have only had one student whose SI was triggered by eka pada apanasana. Generally it is a very safe pose. But, due to that one student, I felt the need to mention it could be a trigger. Supta padangusthasana A, B and C are all safe if the pelvis is kept level, as you say.
Thank you so much for your inquisitiveness and for bringing the gifts of Yoga to your community!
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