The belief behind this specialized yoga is that your body has layers of sheaths, or shadows. By incorporating martial arts, dance and other rhythmic movements into your routine, these shadows break apart. You may feel uplifted and enlightened after a shadow yoga session. Movements are supposed to be gentle and rhythmic, but you may experience joint pain if your form is wrong or if you move too quickly. Talk with your doctor before beginning a new exercise regime and let him know if you experience chronic joint pain from participating in shadow yoga.
Poses
Shadow yoga includes freestyle poses. During shadow yoga sessions, your poses will focus on standing, sitting, lying down, sideways, inversion, weighting, turning and other positions. Participants are encouraged to use creativity to bring martial arts movements, dances and everyday human activity movements into the routine, according to ShadowYoga.com. Poses range from beginner to advanced but give you the freedom to use your own creativity to form a pose.
Pain in Joints
Having pain in your joints during or after practicing shadow yoga can occur for several reasons. Because shadow yoga incorporates a variety of movements, you may experience joint pain from moving in new ways. For example, if you were relatively sedentary before beginning shadow yoga or if your only form of exercise was running, these new movements are different for your body. You may simply need time and practice to adjust to your new workout routine. Pain in your joints may also be a sign of something more serious, such as a sprain. Swelling or bruising around your knee or other joints, as well as joints that are painful to touch, may be a sign of an injury. Stop exercising immediately if you are in pain and make an appointment with your doctor to get the area looked at.
Prevention
Inadequate warm-ups and stretching can trigger joint pain throughout or right after your shadow yoga session. You may be able to prevent joint pain with a proper warm-up and cool-down. Go for a brisk walk before you head into the yoga studio. Walking can get your heart pumping and blood flowing, helping your muscles to warm up. After your shadow yoga session, stretch all your extremities, back and neck. Your shadow yoga instructor will probably provide an adequate warm-up and cool-down session, but doing a little more on your own may be beneficial.
Other Considerations
If you continue to experience pain two hours after your workout, you may be exercising too strenuously, MayoClinic.com reports. Cut back on your shadow yoga sessions and shorten the duration of your routine. Pain in joints can be a sign of arthritis. Inflammation in your joints from arthritis may worsen if you are not careful during exercise. While shadow yoga can improve flexibility in joints and keep your bones strong, you need to practice extra caution if you have arthritis.
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