Can you perform yoga with a sprained ankle?

You need to be sure that you keep your weight off your leg. You can perform these seated yoga poses.

Yoga with an ankle injury can be challenging. But that does not mean that you have to give up yoga entirely. While your ankle may need some time to heel, according to yoga expert Pragya Bhatt here are a few asanas you can do during the recovery stages. You need to be sure that you keep your weight off your leg so perform mostly seated yoga poses. Yoga poses while lying down or on a chair can be the safest. Did you know practising yoga incorrectly can also cause injuries?

Janu naman or knee press: Sit on a chair. Press feet on the ground. Inhale and place hands on inner sides of the knees. Inhaling, press both knees outwards and away from each other with your hands. Simultaneously, push your legs inwards, to create a resistance between the hands and legs. Hold this resistance as long as possible. Release and repeat a few times.

Janu sirsasana: Sit on a chair and place your heels on another chair. Inhale and as you exhale, bend your head towards the right knee. Try to hold your toes and continue breathing evenly. Repeat a few times, rest and then repeat with the other leg.

Uddiyana bandha or stomach lock: While you are seated on a chair, place your hands on your waist. Inhale and exhale a few times deeply. Exhaling forcefully, lock in the stomach muscles, caving in the spine. Hold the breath and lock for a few seconds. Relax your stomach. Exhale lightly, before inhaling deeply.

Sarvangasana or shoulder stand: You can also try shoulder stand if you have an ankle injury. Lie on your back and support your low spine with your hands. Lift your hips up off the floor, such that you use your shoulders to balance yourself. Hold for as long as you can and slowly get both your legs down.

Viparita karini or legs up the wall: If you have had a tough day at work or feel like the muscles of your back and neck need to be stretched, try this asana. Lie down flat on the floor, near a wall. Now, raise your legs such that they are rested comfortably along the wall. Make sure the base of your back is touching the wall as well. Stretch your arms out on either side of your body and relax. You may choose to raise your chin towards the ceiling, but do not stress your neck while doing this. Close your eyes and breathe in deep allowing yourself to relax. Hold this pose for as long as you are comfortable.

Once you have recovered, you can try the balancing poses like the tree pose and slowly move on to the more complex balancing poses like the half moon pose. Here are 10 common yoga asanas we all do wrong.

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