asana: parsvottanasana

yogabuch / asanas / parsvottanasana

parsvottanasana
„Lateral intensive leg extension“

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last update: 30.12.2018
Name: parsvottanasana
Trivial name: intense side leg stretch
Level: A

Classification

classic: standing posture
psychomental: introverting
physiological: standing forward bend, ischiocrural stretch

Contraindication

This posture must not be practiced in the case of acute disc disease in the lumbar spine, as strong flexing moments occur in the segments of the lumbar spine. At best, it must be modified so that the area of the lumbar spine remains straight.

Effects

Preparation

To be able to place the palms of the hands on top of each other, the forearm muscles in the area of the palmar flexors and the finger flexors must be clearly flexible:

  1. Dorsal forearm stretch
  2. Palmar forearm stretch
  3. Palmar forearm stretch in upavista konasana

The movement of the arms in the shoulder joints, a slight retroversion with a clear endorotation, can be prepared with:

  1. purvottanasana („8 treasures“)
  2. shoulder stand
  3. gomukhasana
  4. maricyasana 1
  5. maricyasana 3
  6. setu bandha sarvangasana
  7. namaste on the back

In addition to the hamstrings, the other hip extensors gluteus maximus and dorsal hip muscles can place a restriction, practice this:

  1. half lotus forward bend
  2. hip opener at the edge of the mat
  3. hip opener 3
  4. parivrtta trikonasana
  5. parivrtta ardha chandrasana

This pose is one of the most intense forward bends, partly because it is a one-sided forward bend. It requires good preparation:

  1. uttanasana as a generally effective and efficient stretch of the hamstrings to prepare for flexion in the hip joints in this pose
  2. prasarita padottanasana very similar to uttanasana
  3. pascimottanasana unsuitable if the hamstrings is inflexible
  4. janu sirsasana unsuitable for inflexible hamstrings
  5. tryangamukhaikapada pascimottanasana unsuitable for inflexible hamstrings
  6. Head down dog is also a good preparation for the ischiocrural group when the pelvis is tilted powerfully
  7. hip opener 5 as a very effective stretch for the hamstrings that goes beyond uttanasana
  8. warrior 3 pose
  9. trikonasana
  10. parivrtta trikonasana

The far-forward center of gravity and the narrow physical base of support give this pose a little bit of a balancing character:

  1. warrior 3 pose
  2. vkrsasana
  3. hasta padangusthasana, especially the straight version, but also the sideways version
  4. eka pada prasarita (one leg lifted) variation of uttanasana
  5. eka pada (one leg lifted) variation of tadasana
  6. ardha chandrasana
  7. parivrtta trikonasana
  8. parivrtta ardha chandrasana

If the calf of the back leg feels a strong stretch, which tends to occur when there is a large distance between the feet, the gastrocnemius is usually responsible. This can also be prepared:

  1. downface dog especially the variations with one leg lifted
  2. warrior 1 pose
  3. parivrtta trikonasana

Follow-up

derived asanas:

similar asanas:

Diagnostics (No.)

(410)(411) Wrist:

In extensive dorsiflexion, weaknesses of the wrists are most likely to become apparent.

  1. Ganglion, usually in the dorsal area between the hand and forearm, produces a sensation of pressure during dorsal flexion of the wrist
  2. Tendinitis of the tendons of the palmar flexors or finger flexors
  3. Carpal tunnel syndrome: worsening of symptoms in this position
  4. Fractures and fractures of carpal bones, especially the scaphoid bone
  5. Arthritic changes (degenerative with cartilage atrophy) of the joint
  6. Arthritis (joint inflammation) of various kinds
  7. Rather rare: Dislocation / subluxation, which would cause a significantly increased sensation of tension in various muscles covering the wrist joint
  8. joint trauma, which may cause pain in the joint even after many weeks or months

but also purely muscular symptoms such as

  1. Shortening/hypertonus of the palmar flexors of the wrist, which cause intense stretching sensations
  2. Shortening/hypertonus of the dorsal flexors of the wrist, which can be felt as cramps in the dorsal side of the wrist
  3. Golfer’s elbow: Strain pain at the point of origin of muscles of the inner ulnar side of the forearm in the transition to the upper arm
  4. Less common: tennis elbow: Pain on exertion at the point of origin of the muscles of the outer radial side of the forearm in the transition to the upper arm

(241)(276) Shoulder: endorotatory retroversion:

Mobility in terms of retroversion is dependent on endorotation and may already reach its limit here, but this can be significantly exceeded again when endorotation is removed. The anterior parts of the deltoid (pars clavicularis and acromialis), in which corresponding stretching will also be felt, are the main limiting factors.

(511) Pectoralis major:

Shortening of the pectoralis major can reduce retraction (movement of the shoulder blades backwards and inwards), so that the outer edges of the hands cannot or can hardly be pressed against each other and the elbows cannot be moved backwards very much.

(650) Kyphosis and lordosis of the spine:

Normally the back should round reasonably evenly starting from the lumbar spine and slowly increasing. Deviations from this, e.g. due to hyperkyphosis or steep positioning of the thoracic spine, especially with reduced flexibility, are clearly visible. Spondylolisthesis or individual misaligned vertebrae should also be easy to recognize here. See the FAQ.

(611) Pelvic obliquity, scoliosis of the spine:

Lateral deviations of the spine from the median plane, known as scolioses, are also quite visible in this posture. See the FAQ.

(601) Back extension:

In this pose, the back extensors should allow the back to sink into roundness(flexion). Excessive tone can prevent this or cause a distinct stretching sensation. Any tension, whether caused by posture, professional or other demands, scoliosis, hyperkyphosis of the thoracic spine or misaligned vertebrae, should be clearly visible here.

(644) LUMBAR SPINE:

Problems of the lumbar spine or its musculature may become apparent in this posture. If the lumbar spine remains recognizably lordotic (concave from behind), there is probably a hyperlordosis of the lumbar spine and a hollow back, often with shortened hip flexors. See the FAQ.

(880) Hyperextension of the knee joint in the front leg:

Overextension of the knee joint refers to the ability to or even the current state of an angle of more than 180° in the knee joint. To a certain extent, this is considered normal by anatomists and is on average more common and more pronounced in females. However, it can also indicate weakness of the quadriceps or hamstrings. Furthermore, hyperextension often causes unphysiological sensations that are not caused by stretching or exertion of the muscles and should be avoided, see also FAQ.

(852) Calves:

In this pose, the calf muscles of the front leg are clearly stressed, the more you try to use the calves for stabilization and the further the load moves from the heel towards the balls of the feet, the greater the strength endurance demand on the calf muscles (including the m. triceps surae, but also pronators and supinators of the ankle). However, the calf is less prone to cramps here. If calf cramps occur quickly, this often indicates a lack of strength endurance or a supply problem such as a lack of magnesium in the blood or poor circulation. This generally has nothing to do with nocturnal calf cramps, which are more likely to be caused by prolonged stretching movements(plantar flexion) in the ankle due to the current dream event.

(950) Foot deformities:

As a posture that is particularly effective in the front leg, the consequences of deformities of the foot are even more apparent here than in symmetrical postures.

(960) Foot:

In this pose, misalignments(subluxations) of foot bones, usually tarsal bones or the metatarsal bones, can become noticeable directly or in the adjacent joints. In addition, in the case of hallux valgus, the metatarsophalangeal joint area of the big toe will show increased pressure pain.

Variants:

Arms extended

Fingers on the floor

without Namaste

Instructions

  1. Stand in tadasana across the mat. Jump into a straddle just wide of the leg.
  2. Turn the right leg 90° out and the left leg at least 45° in, preferably 60°. Then rotate the pelvis 90° to the right so that the median plane is parallel to the front right leg.
  3. Place your hands on your back in namaste: place your palms on top of each other behind your bottom (fingers pointing towards the floor), thumbs on top of each other. Press the hands back away from the buttocks so that you can turn them upwards (the fingertips point towards the buttocks in between). The edges of the hands press on the spine or just next to the spine on the back.
  4. Move the elbows backwards and inwards, as well as the shoulder blades backwards and inwards towards the spine(retraction) and downwards(depression).
  5. Straighten both legs and consciously press the right forefoot and left heel onto the floor. Keep the torso stretched upwards from the pelvis and tilt the pelvis forwards towards the right leg as far as possible in the hip joints.
  6. When the limit of the hamstrings ’s ability to stretch is reached, reduce the extension of the upper body and aim your forehead at the right shin.

Details

  1. Before starting the posture, spread the toes of the right foot to the maximum. In particular, make sure that the little toe is abducted to the maximum so that its underside is stretched and it is not curled sideways. This can also be recognized by a roughly horizontal toenail.
  2. It is difficult to maintain the correct position of the pelvis in this posture. Once the pelvis is tilted when assuming the posture or in the posture, it is difficult for less experienced beginners to correct. Therefore, build up this posture particularly carefully.
  3. There is usually a three-dimensional evasive movement of the pelvis in the right hip joint:
    1. the left hip wants to move backwards.
    2. the left hip wants to move upwards.
    3. the pelvis wants to straighten instead of tilting into flexion.
  4. Use the work of the legs to move the pelvis in the right direction: the right leg pushes the right hip backwards and the left leg pushes the corresponding hip forwards.
  5. The center of gravity of the body is clearly further forward than the pelvis. The work of the front foot and leg is therefore very important for a secure stance, especially as the physical base of support at the front is quite narrow overall. Since in this posture the base of support is very long and narrow, and its greatest extension is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body (in the direction between the feet), and since furthermore the rear foot is turned very far towards this axis, balancing across this axis (which is the main direction of sway, namely sideways) depends very much on the work of the front balls of the feet and the calf muscles pushing them down.
  6. Balancing becomes more difficult as the distance between the feet increases. The balance of forces also becomes less favorable as the pelvis tilts more easily. Therefore, be a little more cautious when choosing the distance.
  7. Any correction of a sloping pelvis immediately leads to significantly more intensive stretching of the hamstrings (right side). In the same way, any deviation in one of the three directions described above, however small, takes away some of the effectiveness of the posture. Therefore, take great care with the posture of the pelvis.
  8. People often confuse turning the pelvis (back to the correct posture perpendicular to the front leg) with moving the shoulders in this direction (to the right), which only leads to lateral curvature of the spine. Stretch the side of the body belonging to the front leg in the same way as the other: Hips back, shoulders forward. The shoulder blade naturally remains depressed.
  9. If the back heel does not put pressure on the floor, the stance will not be very secure. In order for it to do so, the distance between the feet and the rotation of the rear foot must be in proportion: the greater the angle between the front and rear foot, the easier it is for the heel to come to the ground, but the more difficult it is to keep the pelvis straight (especially: the rear hip sufficiently far forward) and vice versa: the smaller the angle, the easier it is to keep the pelvis straight and the more difficult it is to press the heel to the ground. There is a „golden mean“ to be found here, i.e. there is an individual optimum. If both requirements cannot be met at the same time, the distance between the feet should be reduced until it is possible. Conversely, the distance can be increased if there is still an appreciable angle range (an interval) in which both the heel on the ground and the hip can be held sufficiently far forward.
  10. If the forehead can be placed on the lower leg, this should be done as far as possible in the direction of the foot. If not, keep the head in line with the spine instead of reclining it into the neck.
  11. This posture is one of the very intensive stretches of the hamstrings, which is why its limited stretching capacity or resilience becomes very clear here. Any disorders such as irritation of the origin of the hamstrings at the ischiadic tuber(PHT) also become very clear. As the hamstrings holds a significant part of the body weight, it is also slightly strengthened.

Variants

Arms stretched

Instruction

  1. Take the pose as described above, but do not assume a namaste position with your arms on your back, instead stretch your arms parallel out from your shoulders and forward, also elevating your shoulder blades.

Details

  1. This variation further intensifies the stretch in the hamstrings of the front leg due to the longer effective lever arm of the arms and therefore requires more intensive balance work.
  2. This variation is not recommended in the case of any injuries to the hamstrings, especially irritation at its origin on the ischium(PHT).
  3. Depending on the flexibility of the shoulders in the direction of frontal abduction, the arms can be stretched forward in the extension of the side of the body or remain below the level of the back (measured at the upper thoracic spine). However, this is of secondary importance for the effect of the posture in terms of the intensification described above as long as the fingers are not resting on the floor; otherwise this would result in the next variation listed below.

Fingers on the floor

Instructions

  1. Take the pose as described above but without namaste on the back. Instead, stretch your arms forward and down and walk your fingers on the floor away from the front foot.

Details

  1. This pose simplifies the arm position, which is not possible for everyone. Instead, the fingertips are placed on the floor with minimal weight when the arms are stretched so that no significant relief is to be expected in terms of stretching the hamstrings. Run further forward with the fingertips so that the upper body stretches better and as a result the hip joints are tilted more into flexion.
  2. Even though the weight of the fingertips on the floor should be minimal, the posture loses some of its light balance character and the lower leg muscles of the front leg are relieved.

without Namaste

Instructions

  1. Take the pose as described above, but keep the fingers on the hip bones instead of placing the arms behind the back in namaste.

Details

  1. This variation preserves the light balancing character of parsvottanasana and therefore the need for intensive work on the calf muscles better than the last variation described. It is also possible to place the hands interlocked on the sacrum. This significantly reduces the demand on flexibility in the shoulder joints, but does not completely give away the weight of the arms in terms of the effect of the pose.