April 19
by Donna Farhi
Since the writing of this column over twenty years ago, my travels have taken me many places, and I continue to see a disconcerting number of students who have been indoctrinated with the methodology of “hips square to the front,” in standing postures such as Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II) and Triangle Pose (Trikonasana). While all of the explanations I have given in this column remain anatomically sound, in the interests of expediency, I now ask attendees if they understand the nature of the knee joint. Almost everyone knows that the knee is a hinge joint. We can expand on that by adding that the knee has slight rotational give when it is bent, something the Celestial Design Committee added at the last minute before we rolled off the assembly line so that we can make quick changes of direction (to escape the jaws of death), or, in happier circumstances, enjoy soccer, basketball, or any number of fun games that require deft directional shifts. This slight rotational ‘give’ in the knee is only present when it is bent. Following on this logic, when we bend the knee in a pose like Virabhadrasana II, it’s vital that the ‘knee obey the foot’, to prevent any rotation. I then ask the group if there is anyone who would like to debate with me on the anatomical soundness of the knee tracking clearly over the foot. No? I didn’t think so! I then ask students to determine whether it is possible for the knee to track over the foot if the two sides of the pelvis are forced square to the front. The resounding answer is no. Therefore, putting aside all the intricacies of hip and sacroiliac anatomy, when you practice this posture, tracking the knee over the foot becomes a ‘non-negotiable’ action. The pelvis must then organize itself around this non-negotiable kinesiological truth.
While many have a basic understanding of the kinesiology of the knee, many people have difficulty clearly perceiving when the knee is aligned over the foot. For beginners and those who are visual learners, I suggest that as they keep their spine vertical they take a peek over the bent leg. If you can see your heel, your knee is turning inwards and the femur on that side has swung behind the line of the heel. As soon as you align the knee over the foot, and draw the femur over the trajectory of the heel, the heel will ‘disappear’ from view.
There are other compelling reasons to be particular about the position of the femur, knee, and foot. If you attempt to keep your hips square to the front in postures like Virabhadrasana II, the head of the femur no longer sits snugly into the center of the hip joint or acetabulum.
There is a thick band of cartilage that runs around the rim of the acetabulum called the labrum (Illustration A). The labrum increases the stability of the hip joint by preventing excessive movement of the femur, and increases the suction of the femur into the socket itself. Grinding the femur against the labrum can cause deterioration of this cartilage eventually resulting in cracks and in some instances, complete tears. Your femurs really do not like being pressed forward or back of their centered position within the acetabulum. Thus, forcefully pushing on the femur through the misguided attempt to get your hips square to the front, may very well contribute to degeneration of the labral connective tissue.
If you continue to practice in this way, you too may join the growing ranks of Yoga practitioners worldwide with labral tears; a condition that often requires surgical intervention.
Transitions:
For those of you who practice Yoga methods that rely heavily on the structural template of the Sun Salutation (Suryanamaskar), and transition into, and out of standing postures from a lunge position, maintaining the tracking of the foot-knee-femur, is crucial. It is during these transitions that the knee is bent and it is during these transitions that you weight bear into the knee. If you are a teacher, start observing how your students make these transitions. I’m betting that 50% of your students twist and torque their knees when they come into a standing posture from a lunge, and twist and torque their knee as they transition back into the lunge. There are only so many times that you can do this before the ligaments, cartilage and meniscus of your knee will have had enough. Try this test.
Sprint Start:
Transition from Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), into a lunge with the right leg forward (Fig. 12). Imagine that you are a sprinter on the block, gearing up for your push off to begin your sprint. Press forward and back from your right foot to your right sitting bone and through to your back foot. Check that you are not swinging your right hip out to the right.
As you make the transition into Warrior II, be vigilante in keeping your right hip directly over the trajectory of the right heel (Fig. 13).
Or, more simply put, DO NOT TWIST YOUR KNEE INWARDS (Fig. 14, incorrect).
If you make the transition correctly, you will feel your buttock and hip muscles actively supporting the movement. The next day, you may even feel a little fatigue in these muscles, which is clear evidence that you are recruiting muscles into action that may have previously been inactive.
This article follows and supplements the original post which was first published between 1988 and 2003 when Donna was writing full-length feature articles for Yoga Journal and Yoga International USA.
The re-curated originals will be followed by New Insights such as this post, where Donna shares what's changed after more than three decades of teaching internationally. This material is being offered for free for the first time as a service during Donna's sabbatical. All material © 2023 Donna Farhi.
Thanks to Julieanne Moore for her patience and dedicated work as our model.
An occasional bonus Feature article will also be published.
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What about if you have had hip replacements, as in my case? Do the same cues work? My surgeon said I would know when I was doing something my hip did not like. I am aware of keeping knee in line with heel and tell my students to keep hips more diagonal. What about the cue to keep front heel in line with back foot instep? Does that still apply?
Hi Nana. Not all hip replacements are created equal which is why it’s important to get more specific contraindications from your surgeon or physiotherapist. The cue to “keep the front heel in line with the back foot instep” is not set in stone. For some people it feels better to align the front heel with the inside of the back heel. Many of my students with congenital hip issues find that they need to stand quite differently. if you imagine your yoga mat as a rectangle, starting with the upper left corner (A), upper right corner (B) and the lower left corner (C); these students place their back foot on the lower left corner of the mat (C) and their front foot on the upper right corner of the mat (B). I describe this as a diagonal stance, and it can be amazing for those with hip dysplasia and other congenital hip disorders. As with all things, if it feels wrong it probably is wrong: always prioritize your felt sensation above any instructions.
I teach, but I also know that the moment I personally transition from WI to WII, my front knee drops in. I’ve learned, with practice, to press down through the ball of my front foot, and shift my front heel to the midline, feeling the adductors switch on.
Whilst teaching (not demonstrating) I sit on the floor and watch knees during that transition. I’m fortunate to teach a group of folks who are regular in their practice with me. So I can safely call their name and simply say “watch front knee”. They’ve learnt what to do, making an easy adjustment that protects their joints.
Wonderful observation skills that all began with your own practice and kinesthetic awareness.