yogabuch / asanas / supta padangusthasana
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supta padangusthasana
„lying leg stretch“
instructions and details with working links as PDF for download/print
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last update: 30.12.2018
Name: supta padangusthasana
Trivial name: lying leg stretch
Level: A
- Classification: A
- Contraindication
- Effects of
- Preparation
- follow-up
- derived asanas
- similar asanas
- diagnostics
- Instruction
- details
- Variants
Classification
classic: posture
Contraindication
Effects
- (721) Stretching the hamstrings (straight version)
- (751) Stretching of the adductors (lateral version)
- (756) Stretching the gracilis
Preparation
In cases of significantly restricted flexibility of the hip flexors, especially the iliopsoas, the thigh lying on the floor will clearly tend to lift off the floor, causing the knee joint to bend:
- hip opener 1
- hip opener 2
- Quadriceps stretch 1 on the wall
- Quadriceps stretch 2 against the wall
- warrior 1 pose with strong straightening of the pelvis
- upface dog
- bhujangasana
- ustrasana
- urdhva dhanurasana
The greatest difficulty in this pose is probably a good flexion in the hip joints, which also allows little evasive movement, for which the following preparations are suitable:
- uttanasana as a generally effective and efficient stretch of the hamstrings to prepare for flexion in the hips in this pose
- prasarita padottanasana
- parsvottanasana
- pascimottanasana
- janu sirsasana
- tryangamukhaikapada pascimottanasana
- downface dog as another good preparation for the hamstrings when the pelvis is tilted powerfully
- hip opener 5 as a very effective stretch of the hamstrings that goes beyond uttanasana
- warrior 3 pose
- trikonasana
- parivrtta trikonasana
- supta krouncasana
- ardha supta krouncasana
Wrap-up
derived asanas:
similar asanas:
Diagnostics (No.)
(650) Kyphosis and lordosis of the spine:
In this pose, the back should lie largely flat on the floor. The lumbar spine becomes flat or the physiological lordosis largely remains, the thoracic kyphosis is largely eliminated. Deviations from this, for example in the form of a remaining significant thoracic spine kyphosis or a lumbar spine hyperlordosis, are abnormalities that require further examination. See the FAQ.
In contrast to savasana, shortened hip flexors would rarely lead to a hollow back, as the pelvis is usually tilted out of the hollow back due to the pull on the extended leg. Instead, the pull on the straight leg will usually cause the thigh of the leg lying on the floor to lift off the floor. The foot then remains on the ground in line with gravity and the knee joint bends. The extent to which the knee joint bends therefore indicates the shortening of the hip flexor group, whereby in this posture the rectus femoris is less likely to be the cause than the iliopsoas, as the knee joint in question is extended. This mechanism is also used in a very similar orthopaedic test, the Ely test. For the risks of the hollow back that usually results from shortened hip flexors, see the FAQ.
The hamstrings is of course the target site of the posture. The less the outstretched leg can be lifted, the more restricted its flexibility and vice versa. Depending on the angle and individual constitution, the other short hip extensors may also play a restrictive role. The tendency of the knee joint of the extended leg to bend is also a consequence of the restricted flexibility of the hamstrings. If the knee joint were bent, the thigh could be pulled further towards the rib cage or the sensation of stretching would be reduced. Various disorders may be found in the muscles of the back of the leg:
- Shortening of the hamstrings, see FAQ
- Damage to the ischiocrural group, which causes pain or functional limitations, can also be easily recognized here, from simple tension to strains to muscle (partial) tears, which would possibly cause greater flexibility in a side-to-side comparison.
- Irritation of the ischiadicus nerve: irritation of the ischiadicus nerve, which innervates the leg and foot, can become symptomatic, especially in forward bends, even if they are otherwise rather calm. See the FAQ.
- Irritation of the origin of the hamstrings at the ischial tuberosity (at the ischial tuberosities, also known as PHT: proximal hamstring tendinopathy) will become clearly evident in this posture and require protection from the intensive stretching that this posture demands, see also the FAQ.
- Baker’s cysts create a feeling of tension or a foreign body in the back of the knee and indicate damage to the inner knee, see FAQ.
Variants:
(P) completely with pressure on the thigh
Instructions
- Lie in savasana.
- Bend the right knee and pull the thigh towards you until you can grasp the big toe of the right foot with your index and middle fingers.
- Straighten the right leg and pull it as far as possible towards the chest.
Details
- This pose is also known as urdhva prasarita padasana.
- Depending on the flexibility of the hamstrings, it may not be possible to grasp the big toe, so use a belt with a loop around the foot to bridge the remaining distance and pull on it. The belt is positioned close to the heel so that no additional stretching occurs in the gastrocnemius, which also covers the knee joint.
- As an alternative to the big toe, you can also grip the outer foot or the heel. Both of these are less easy than reaching for the big toe because they are further away.
- Mobility restrictions in the hamstrings tend to tilt the pelvis „backwards“ (i.e. into extension in relation to the left leg lying on the ground). In many cases, however, the flexibility of the hip flexors does not allow the pelvis to tilt. Instead, the leg lying on the floor will bend because the hip flexors pull the thigh upwards. Attempting to extend the grounded leg more will increase the effective lever and keep the thigh on the ground better, thereby intnesivating the stretch in the hamstrings.
- Naturally, the lifted leg shows evasive movements, it wants to bend, turn out and outwards. Avoid these movements as much as possible.
- The shoulder on the same side as the lifted leg should remain on the floor if possible.
- As with many postures with an extended knee joint and wide flexion in the hip joint, there is also a clear tendency to cramp in the rectus femoris, which can occur if the performer tries to actively extend the leg and bend it further in the hip joint. Avoid the cramp. Do not pull the leg up using the strength of the hip flexors but with the hand. With good flexibility, the arm must be bent accordingly.
- Sometimes performers make the mistake of trying to do supta padangusthasana instead of the much more difficult supta krouncasana, but this lacks any stretching of the rectus femoris.
- As usual, stretch the inner foot as well as the outer foot and the heel as well as the forefoot (ball of the foot) in the lifted leg.
- Make sure that you do not pull the lifted leg towards the armpit, but straight towards the shoulder.
Variations
sideways
Instructions
- Lie in savasana.
- Bend the right knee joint, turn the thigh out at the hip joint.
- As soon as possible, grasp the big toe of the right foot with the right index and middle fingers.
- Straighten your right leg, lower it and pull it as far as possible towards your head. However, do not let your left hip come up, but keep your pelvis as level as possible on the floor and your left leg extended.
Details
- It is hard to avoid the left hip becoming slightly lighter. However, this effect is reduced if you try to extend your left leg well. Raising the left leg tends to keep the left hip as close to the ground as possible.
- The right leg can also first be pulled as far as possible towards the chest as in the straight version and then lowered as far as possible. The result may differ slightly due to the unsteadiness of the posture (see the FAQ).
- The leg to the side should remain extended and turn out as far as possible, as the abductivity of the hip joint is a function of rotation.
- To reduce the tendency to tilt, the left arm can be placed sideways on the floor with minimal weight or held extended just above the floor.
sideways with weight
Instructions
- Perform the lateral variation described above, but hold a sufficiently heavy weight in the hand contralateral to the lowered leg or support yourself with your hand on a heavy object.
Details
- This variation avoids lifting the hip contralateral to the lowered leg by having the performer support themselves on a weight in the sense of a transverse adduction, for example by gripping the handle of a dumbbell from the ground (i.e. with an underhand grip). If the dumbbell is heavy enough, together with the arm it generates a sufficiently large moment to keep the lateral hip down. This can be felt as work by the pectoralis major, biceps and possibly the pars clavicularis of the deltoid. It tends to have a strengthening effect on these muscles. Even better than just holding the barbell is to press the elbow to the floor using the strength of the arm flexors. This force can be intensified until just before the barbell is lifted. If the sensation of pressure on the olecranon is too uncomfortable, use a softness mediator underneath.
With belt
Instructions
- Adopt the posture as far as possible. Where a lack of flexibility in the hamstrings prevents you from reaching the big toe or stretching the lifted leg, „extend“ your arm with a belt with a loop around the foot near the heel. Pull on the belt with your lateral hand. In the straight version, the contralateral hand can help to stretch the leg by pressing against the thigh if necessary.
Details
- In the sideways variation, the same hand grips the belt, but the other hand can no longer support the leg when stretching. Then stretch the arm out to the side to prevent the pelvis from tilting, see next variation.
Sideways with belt
Instructions
- Do the previous variation, but hold a belt around your foot with your hand on the same side.
Details
- It is hard to avoid the left hip becoming slightly lighter. However, this effect is reduced if you try to extend the left leg well. Lifting the left leg tends to keep the left hip on the ground as much as possible.
- There are several ways to use the belt to hold the foot:
- around the whole foot.
- only around the outer heel. If this can be done without the belt slipping, it can promote exorotation of the leg.
- held with the hand on the same side; the other arm can then extend to the opposite side to keep the pelvis as flat as possible due to its gravitational effect.
- with one end in each hand, which allows the leg to be turned out more to a limited extent. To do this, the belt can be wrapped once around the foot and pulled more at the lateral end (in relation to the foot).
- If necessary, hold a dumbbell with your free hand as described above.
(P)
Instructions
- Lie in savasana and lift the right leg.
- The supporter leans down towards the performer from the back of the lifted leg and presses against the lifted thigh from the front with both hands or forearms while supporting the lower leg between the head and shoulder.
- With further pressure from the hands or arms, which ensure the extension of the knee joint against the lower leg supported between the shoulder and head, the supporter leans further and further down towards the chest of the performer in order to bend as far as possible in the hip joint.
Details
- As with many postures with an extended knee joint and wide flexion in the hip joint, there is also a clear tendency to cramp in the rectus femoris, which can occur if the performer tries to actively extend the leg and bend it further in the hip joint. This support largely eliminates this tendency to cramp. First stretch the leg and then move it towards the chest. If necessary, the supporter can, if he is stable enough, push down the thigh of the leg lying on the floor with one foot, placing the foot at an angle on the thigh and trying to compensate for its tendency to exorotate, see next variation.
(P) Complete with pressure on the thigh
Instructions
- Perform the partner exercise described above together with the supporter.
- The supporter shifts their body weight onto the leg on the same side as the lifted leg of the performer and slowly and with increasing force places their other foot in the middle of the thigh lying on the floor, pushing the front of the thigh medially.
Details
- If at all possible, the foot placed on the thigh should push from lateral to medial in order to counteract the exorotation moment of the thigh that occurs as a deflection in the hip joint. In the lateral version, the pressure on the thigh can also prevent the pelvis from tilting.
(P) sideways with pressure from one hand on the SIAS
Instructions
- Adopt the lateral variation described above.
- The supporter presses the contralateral hip (to the side leg) down with one hand, with the other hand he grasps the thigh from the side as described above with both arms, resting the lower leg on the shoulder, turns it out further and pushes it further towards the head.
Details
- ..
(P) sideways, symmetrical with two feeders
Instructions
- Two performers assume the lateral variation with the opposite side so that they can hold each other with their free hand.
- The tendency to lift the hip contralateral to the lowered leg is significantly reduced by bending the free arms of both performers.
Details
- This exercise is suitable if no weights are available to hold the free hand on the floor, but cannot produce the same effect as a heavy barbell.