We all know how good a yoga session can feel – energising the body, clearing the mind or boosting strength… but what happens when an injury makes you hesitate to get on your mat? Yoga is a journey, a process, and it’s inevitable that some days you won’t have the energy or ability to do your usual postures. But yoga is about self-acceptance, and that includes acknowledging and respecting how your body is on the day. In fact, if you accept where you are in the moment, simply getting on your mat and being present with your daily reality will bring you into better balance. A damaged joint may cause over-compensation and increase tension in other muscles, for example, or levels of pain and discomfort may mean you’re not breathing fully, in turn affecting muscle oxygenation, increasing blood pressure and heart rate, and leaving you feeling fatigued. Rather than give up on yoga until you’re fully recovered, you can still enjoy its benefits, all you need is your GP’s OK to practise and a few simple modifications. Ready to give it a try? Here’s how to adapt your postures for a range of common setbacks.
'Balance in Body & Mind is Important to the Life I Lead Now' - Paralympic champion swimmer Ellie Simmonds OBE talks about finding balance after retirement, learning to say no' and why she firmly believes that sport is for all
If you thought Ellie Simmonds would be swapping life in the fast lane for a slower pace when she announced her retirement from competitive swimming three years ago, you’d be mistaken. Because, according to the 29-year-old multiple world record breaker – who captured the hearts of the British public back in 2008 after winning her first Paralympic gold at the tender age of 13 – she’s not ready to slow down yet. In fact, she’s just getting started.
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