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Joint Mobility & Stability, Hypermobility, Hyperextension, and How Yoga Can Help + Fact Sheet — Anatomy for Yoga Teachers, Yoga Therapists, Health & Wellness Coaches, Holistic Healthcare Providers

Lesson Overview

In this lesson, we explore musculoskeletal health, plus issues, particularly hypermobility, and teaching techniques to optimize joint health.

Objective

Be familiar with the characteristics of musculoskeletal health and issues, particularly hyperextension and hypermobility, and teaching techniques to optimize joint health, especially for students with hypermobile joints.

Description

Describe a healthy musculoskeletal system and the effects of optimally functioning joints. Name issues related to musculoskeletal health. Describe potential consequences of diminished mobility and excessive mobility. Discuss how hypermobility may be misunderstood as “being good at yoga.” List the anatomical factors that determine joint mobility and stability. Describe the ways in which yoga practice is a powerful tool for optimizing musculoskeletal balance. List four general teaching considerations related to joint health. Comment on using asana to move joints through their healthy range of motion.  Describe the felt sense of being in a hypermobile body. Define joint hypermobility and discuss considerations regarding the number of hypermobile joints a person has. Note the percentage of the population that may have particularly extreme hypermobility. Discuss teaching considerations and techniques for students with hypermobile joints.

Vocabulary

hyperextension, hypermobility / hypermobile joints, joint congruency, joint hypermobility syndrome

Related Lessons

This is part of a series of related topics. Use the quick menu above to navigate within this section.

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