Discussion Forum: General Discussion: Iyengar Yoga: Ankle flexibility

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Discussion Forum: General Discussion: Iyengar Yoga:
Ankle flexibility

rjadams25
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Sep 12, 2002, 3:01 PM

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Ankle flexibility	Can't Post

Hi,

I am having trouble w/ankle pain in full lotus. My knees and legs are fine but my ankles lack flexibility. Can anyone give me some asanas that may help? Thank you.
Rich

michellet
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Sep 16, 2002, 4:55 AM

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Re: Ankle flexibility [In reply to]	Can't Post

I also had pain in lotus pose for a period of time. When I asked my teacher about it, she drew my attention to the fact that I should keep my legs and ankles active.I was allowing my ankles to be lazy, and they hurt because of this. The foot, she told me, should stay active as it does in dandasana, not hang down. That adjustment, coupled with regular practice of standing poses for ankle strength and poses such as virasana for ankle flexibility, has done away with my pain in the Lotus pose.

rjadams25
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Sep 18, 2002, 6:28 AM

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Re: Ankle flexibility [In reply to]	Can't Post

michellet,
Thank you for your advice. I see what you mean. I do just sort of let my ankles go limp, thus they bend more than they ought. The rest,I already do.SoI guess I'll just keep trying. Again, thanks Smile

Rich

Phill
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Sep 21, 2002, 1:54 PM

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Re: Ankle flexibility [In reply to]	Can't Post

Don't know if this helps you but here goes anyway! Padmasana is a challenging pose and takes many years, but you need to have flexibility in the hips above all - without the hip flexibility, one tends to enter the pose either by forcibly twisting the knee and/or ankle. You could leave padmasana for a while and focus on other hip openers and see if that helps. Also, if the foot is not high enough on the opposite thigh, the ankle is pressurised, leading to pain (I know because this has happened to me!) The foot can only reach high enough when the hips are sufficiently soft - so we are back to hip openers again. Whatever else you do, be very very careful with knee and ankle joints - don't do anything that hurts them and take care! Namaste to all.

spangled
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Nov 27, 2002, 7:19 AM

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Re: Ankle flexibility [In reply to]	Can't Post

I'm a long way off full lotus, but I did read in a book on meditation that long calves (relative to thighs) are a big help, and that those who do not have this anatomical advantage do best to support the ankle.

Look at BKS Iyengar in lotus (in LoY or LoP). His feet are way over the thigh, and that's not just down to his high degree of flexibility.

Of course hip flexibility and a "tight posture" are the most important things, but its important not to get hurt while getting there. I did, and I'm not there yet!

emjay
Regular

Dec 13, 2002, 10:06 AM

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I received this advice from one of my teachers: support the ankle joints on the thigh bones as opposed to the outside edges of the feet. This way the foot is in a neutral position so as to keep the joint in alignment. The sole of the foot should face sideways instead of turning up. If you can't get them there, then practice more hip openers to gain more hip flexibility before attempting padmasana again.

angie reed
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May 20, 2003, 10:43 AM

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Re: Ankle flexibility [In reply to]	Can't Post

I find that how I am built is an issue... I have thick thighs and so, as open as my hips are, I just can't get into full lotus without bad pain in my knees and ankles.

I have never seen anyone built like I am comfortable in full lotus. There is always considerable compression of the flesh in the thighs, and resultant strain on the knees. Plus, that degree of compression of the flesh hurts that flesh even if it doesn't harm it. I'm not into pointless suffering. :-)

I can ego myself into the pose if I want to look good in class, but I know I am having to work too hard to protect my knee and ankle from overstretching/extension. My hips are as open as anyone could ask-- I don't even have sensation in the hips when in lotus...

That realization is what made me stop and examine the biomechanics of the pose when applied to my body. I would have to be extraordinarily loose in the knees to make this pose work with the thighs I've got.

Accordingly, I ~can~ work in inverted poses with legs in lotus, because the flesh is moved elsewhere/not compacted between my shins/ankles and the floor.

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