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| Asana Analysis: Reclined Bound Angle/Supta Badha Konasana |
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by Lisa B. Minn, PT - January 31, 2011
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This posture is one that allows deep opening of the chest, stomach and pelvic areas but in a safe and supportive manner. It helps to improve respiration and it relieves tension in the lower abdomen.
Muscles Stretched: *Adductor magnus, longus and brevis, pectineus, rectus abdominis, pectoralis major and minor
(*This depends on how much support you use. For a truly restorative version, use enough props so that the adductor muscles are slackened, not stretched.)
Points of Body Awareness:
*The forehead should be slightly higher than the chin, the chin higher than the chest and the chest higher than the pelvis.
*Ideally, the outer thighs should rest on props, even if the hips are flexible. The forearms should also be supported so there is no unnecessary stress on the neck or shoulders.
*Is there any discomfort in the hips or pelvis? If so, provide more support under the thighs.
*Try to visualize the heads of the femurs sinking into their sockets. If you feel like the hips are poking forward, rather than down into the sockets, provide more support to lift the knees higher.
*This is a back bending pose for the spine but there should not be any feeling of pinching or compression in the lower back. If there is, use more props to lift the torso into a more upright position.
*This pose may be stimulating to the second chakra. Be mindful how this feels for you. Notice any emotions that arise. If you feel vulnerable, insecure or agitated, honor that feeling. Don’t try to ignore it. Stay with the posture and emotion if you can or simply choose another pose.
*Let the belly rise and fall with the breath. Remain here for 5-10 minutes.
Variations:
Supta Badha Konasana is often done with a strap around the top of the sacrum, across the upper thighs and looped around the feet. This helps to bind the feet together and provide more relaxation in the legs. It also provides a sense of desirable compression through the hips and helps to cue the feeling of finding more approximation of the heads of the femur bones into the socket.
Another variation is to set up a bolster or stack cushions at a 45 degree angle, as pictured below, to allow the torso to remain more upright. This is a good variation for those who would otherwise not tolerate the pose including women who are more than 3 months pregnant, those with digestive disorders such as a hiatal hernia and those with back pain aggravated by back bending (stenosis, spondylolisthesis).
PT Notes: Because this posture involves sustained spinal extension, it may be helpful for those with HNP, osteoporosis or posture-related dysfunctions. It can also be useful for treating conditions related to piriformis spasm or tightness, and for those with pelvic floor dysfunction related to spasm or tightness of the perineum or adductor muscles. When this posture places the the adductor muscles on slack, it can be considered a form of positional release. Alternatively, this is a good pose for performing a low-load, prolonged stretch, when appropriate. It can also be a progressive stretch if you have several layers supporting the outer thigh and remove one layer every 5 minutes or so. I have used this technique with patients recovering from adductor strains and pubic rami fractures.
Use caution if there is a history of sexual abuse or if the client feels any anxiety or agitation with the legs open. Remember there are a significant number of patients with pelvic floor dysfunction (sometimes manifesting as hip or back pain) who have a history of sexual abuse. Use caution for those who are aggravated by sustained back bending postures, including those with lumbar stenosis or spondylolisthesis and for those with knee injuries aggravated by sustained flexion.
Photos from Mel Cambell and Do Restorative Yoga.
Lisa Minn is a licensed physical therapist and yoga enthusiast. She has been incorporating aspects of Yoga and Pilates into her physical therapy practice since 2001 and became a certified yoga instructor in 2004. Her experience ranges from working with athletes at West Point and Georgetown to instructing elderly and wheelchair-bound clients in the fundamentals of Hatha Yoga. Lisa has conducted several lectures and workshops across the US, as well as in Honduras and Peru, where she volunteered her services. She currently resides and practices in Northern California. This and other articles by Lisa can be found at The Pragmatic Yogi.
The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
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