Preventing Yoga Injuries

Why Yoga Hurts Sometimes—and How We Can Do Better

With the rise in popularity of yoga, soft tissue injuries are becoming more common—especially in public classes that aren’t built around individual needs. Most injuries aren’t the result of one “wrong” pose. They come from missing the signals, moving too fast, or not being met where you are.

Here’s what tends to go wrong in a typical class—and how a therapeutic approach can offer something better.

Common Triggers for Injury in Yoga:

• No real understanding of your experience level.
  Group classes often assume a lot. A therapeutic approach starts with an actual conversation about your background, injuries, and goals.

• High-risk poses with no context.
  Some postures are fine for one person and completely inappropriate for another. That depends on your joints, history, and capacity. This is where anatomy and biomechanics actually matter.

• Alignment that's either ignored or overemphasized.
  Good alignment isn’t about looking like the photo—it’s about distributing load safely and giving your body space to adapt.

• No one’s watching your cues.
  If a teacher isn’t reading your breath, expression, or hesitation, they’re missing the body’s feedback system. That’s where injury starts.

• Sequences that don’t make sense.
  When transitions are rushed or awkward, or poses aren’t balanced with counterposes, tissues get stressed. There needs to be a clear, supportive arc to the session.

• Authoritarian or overly performative environments.
  When students feel pressured to “keep up” or follow blindly, the body’s wisdom gets ignored. That’s where trust breaks down.

• Aggressive hands-on assists.
  Physical touch can be powerful—but only when it’s consensual, informed, and grounded in presence. Otherwise, it can do more harm than good.

What Safer Practice Looks Like:

In private therapeutic sessions, your body and your experience lead. Here’s what that means in real terms:

• You’re assessed for past injuries, current patterns, and capacity—not assumed to fit a mold.

• The practice is designed with a deep understanding of anatomy and how your tissues actually move and respond.

• Alignment cues are detailed but adaptable—we’re not chasing perfection, we’re building awareness.

• You’re encouraged to give feedback, speak up, and tune in. No forced silence. No “just breathe through it.”

• Sequences are built for your body, your energy level, and your goals—not based on what’s trendy.

• We share responsibility. You’re not a passive student—you’re an active participant.

• Assists, if used, are collaborative and optional. You’re always in charge of what happens to your body.

If You're Attending Public Classes...

You don’t have to quit your studio practice—but go in informed. Injury prevention is everyone’s responsibility, and some studios do it better than others. Look for spaces that:

• Encourage personal agency and self-awareness

• Emphasize breath as the barometer for effort

• Offer meaningful modifications—not just “easier versions”

• Build in rest and counterposes

• Allow space for feedback and dialogue

• Know how to see bodies and offer individualized support

Therapeutic yoga isn’t about being cautious—it’s about being conscious. The more intentional your practice is, the more sustainable your growth will be. Safe doesn’t mean watered-down. It means effective. And you deserve that.