Yoga and Joint Laxity
In talking about fitness and yoga, it’s essential to broach
the subject of joint laxity. While those of us in the yoga community often
uphold a very flexible body as open, this flexibility may actually be symptomatic
of joint laxity.
From the Wikipedia entry on joint laxity:
In
a 'normal' body, ligaments (which are the tissues that connect bones to
each other) are naturally tight in such a way that the joints are restricted to
'normal' ranges of motion. This creates normal joint stability. If muscular
control does not compensate for ligamentous laxity, joint
instability may result. The trait is almost certainly hereditary,
and is usually something the affected person would just be aware of, rather
than a serious medical condition.
Ligament laxity is a cause of
chronic body pain characterized by loose ligaments.
As the last sentence of this quote implies, joint laxity
isn’t entirely benign. Unless joints are sufficiently supported by strong
muscles, the instability (openness) may be a cause of pain. While some people
with joint laxity experience a lot of pain in their bodies, others experience little, if
any, pain. In addition to pain, other symptoms of joint laxity include:
- Exercise feels depleting;
- Undue soreness after
exercise – often soreness felt two days after the workout;
- Working out feels
disjointed or uncoordinated;
- Yoga is one of the first
activities that feels right;
- Chronically tight muscles.
People with joint laxity are often drawn to yoga, as it can
feel like a homecoming to focus on mobilizing and opening. Even though yoga may
be a nourishing means for those with joint laxity to reconnect with their
bodies, the practice of yoga does not provide the benefits of all-around
fitness.
As I’ve mentioned in previous postings, the evidence
supporting the benefits of aerobic fitness are incontrovertible. If you are
interested in all-around health, yoga is best balanced with some aerobic
fitness training and intelligent strength conditioning. Unfortunately, those
with joint laxity have often had negative experiences with more traditional
forms of fitness training, and often avoid them.
Rather than throwing out the baby with the bath water, and
focusing solely on yoga, those of us with joint laxity are best served by
learning how to develop aerobic capacity and building the muscle-mass that
helps stabilize the joints.
In forthcoming posts, I will outline some techniques that
allow those of us with joint laxity to develop all-around fitness.
Comments