Utthita Parsvakonasana (Therapy)

The Sanskrit name is derived from Utthita (उत्थिता), meaning “extended,” Parsva (प्रसव) meaning side, Kona (कोना) meaning angle and Asana (आसन) meaning posture or seat.

• Begin by standing at the top of your yoga mat with your feet parallel to each other.

• Place a yoga chair and block at the front of your mat.

• Sit on the chair. Slightly slide the left thigh on the chair seated sideways and stretch the right leg out of the chair seat stretching the knee and ankle.

• Now raise the right arm up above your head.

• Place the left arm to rest on the block kept beside your left foot and look up.

• If you have difficulty reaching the floor, place a yoga block under your right hand for support.

• Keep your gaze soft and your breath steady, allowing yourself to find ease and stability in the pose.

• Stay in the Pose for 30 to 40 Seconds.

• Now Release and repeat with the right leg on the chair.

• The side bending of the torso while the hamstrings and lower back are stretched helps with building energy into the body.

• While in this pose, feel the stretch at the hips, lower back, middle back, hamstrings and inner thighs.

• Gradually come out of the pose & repeat the same with the other side.

• Engage your thigh muscles to stabilize your standing leg and support the weight of your body.

• Imagine creating space between each vertebra as you elongate your spine.

• Engage your core muscles to stabilize your torso and maintain balance in the pose.

• Avoid bearing weight in the grounded hand or arm.

• Watch for the bent knee pushing forward over the toes (past perpendicular to ground), to correct this, take a wider distance.

• Avoid in case of high or low blood pressure

• Avoid if ankle, knee, hip, or shoulder injury

• Avoid if suffering from insomnia