I just recently started doing yoga! I couldn’t help but notice the emphasis on external hip rotation. Every pose implements external hip rotation while internal hip rotation is ignored. From a chiropractic standpoint this bothered me. Many hip injuries seen in my office are due to decreased or restricted internal rotation of the hip. Hip injuries that are not addressed or treated end up turning into low back problems down the road. Let me explain. Your legs are attached to your pelvis and spine through the hip joint. The hip joint is a ball and socket joint, which means it can move in many directions. If there is a motion restriction in any plane it can cause problems in the joint. If there is too much mobility in a specific plane (i.e. external rotation in those who frequently do yoga) there will also be problems in the joint. When the joint isn’t moving correctly it effects the way we sit, stand, walk, jump, etc. Low back pain may appear as a secondary symptoms of hip joint dysfunction.

So how do you prevent this from happening? There is a very simple way to stretch the internal rotation muscles of the hip. Please see the picture below! After every yoga class dedicate a few minutes to stretching your hips to decrease the risk of hip injuries and lower back pain.