TS02: Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual Solutions: From Quick Fixes to Spiritual Journeys—The Case of Knee Instability

Speaker bio: Nicole DeAvilla, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT

Regardless of whether a client is a star athlete with a career-threatening knee injury, a single mom whose knees buckle under the weight of her responsibilities, or a business owner unable to recover from a string of injuries, they have musculoskeletal, psychological, AND spiritual challenges.

For many clients, a quick fix (if it’s the right one!) will be enough to send them home after a handful of sessions—or even a single session. For others, with stubborn, chronic, or recurring knee injuries, a deeper look at the chakra system and yoga’s full complement of lifestyle and esoteric offerings will be needed. We’ll explore how yoga therapists can approach clients who may arrive through the door of physical pain when a deeper yoga perspective and action taking is really what’s called for.

Learn how to deal with buckling knees, being knocked to one’s knees, knee-jerk reactions, and other knee instabilities on the physical, psychological, and spiritual planes. Understand issues involved in meniscus tears; ACL, MCL, LCL, and PCL sprains and tears; chondromalacia; extensor mechanism dysfunction; and patellar tendonitis. We’ll also consider how and when to work with other healthcare providers.

With millions of knee injuries occurring each year, let’s be ready to help!

Learning Objectives

1. Assess common knee issues using evidence-informed yoga therapy principles.
2. Select appropriate yoga therapy interventions for knee health and injury prevention within a framework that considers biopsychosocial-spiritual health.
3. Explain the role of a yoga therapist in a multidisciplinary healthcare team and identify strategies for working alongside other healthcare professionals to support knee rehabilitation and re-injury prevention.