Common yoga injuries and how to avoid them

Because “listen to your body” only works if you actually know what you’re feeling.

Yoga is supposed to be healing. But let’s be honest: too many people walk out of class with tweaked shoulders, irritated hips, or a low back that’s more angry than aligned.

At YFS (Your Form Sux), we love yoga — when it’s done with real awareness, smart cueing, and zero pressure to force your body into poses it’s not ready for.

So let’s break it down: here are the most common yoga injuries we see in the clinic — and how to actually avoid them.

🧠 First: Why Do People Get Injured in Yoga?

• Going beyond your active range (just because you can doesn’t mean you should)
• Copying someone else’s body instead of feeling your own
• Forcing “alignment” that doesn’t fit your anatomy
• Skipping warm-ups or pushing through discomfort
• Lack of strength or stability in key joints (especially shoulders, spine, hips)

And let’s be real: a lot of group yoga classes don’t include personalized cues, regressions, or safe progressions — especially for newer bodies or hypermobile movers.

🚩 The 5 Most Common Yoga Injuries

1. Wrist Strain / Carpal Compression

From: Planks, downward dog, chaturanga, arm balances
Why: Too much pressure on extended wrists, poor scapular support, or flared elbows

Avoid it by:

• Warming up your wrists and shoulders first
• Pressing through all 10 fingers, especially the base of the thumb and first finger
• Stacking your shoulders over your wrists, not behind them
• Building shoulder + core strength before jumping into weight-bearing poses

2. Shoulder Impingement or Strain

From: Repeated vinyasa, upward dog, binds, or poor chaturanga form
Why: Collapsed scapulae, flared elbows, lack of rotator cuff support

Avoid it by:

• Keeping elbows tucked in and at a 45º angle during chaturanga
• Engaging lats and scapular stabilizers — not just arms
• Modifying to knees-down or cobra until you’ve built control
• Skipping vinyasa entirely when you’re tired or flared up (yes, you’re allowed)

3. Low Back Compression or Strain

From: Backbends, forward folds, or rounding/twisting without support
Why: Hyperextension in lumbar spine, weak core, or “hanging out” in passive shapes

Avoid it by:

• Engaging your deep core + glutes during backbends
• Keeping a micro-bend in knees during forward folds
• Lifting from the hips, not collapsing into the spine
• Skipping deep twists or drop-backs if your nervous system isn’t regulated

4. Hamstring or Hip Flexor Strains

From: Overshooting splits, forward folds, or lunges
Why: Forcing flexibility instead of building active range

Avoid it by:

• Warming up with dynamic movement (not static holds)
• Using blocks or bolsters for support
• Engaging the front leg in hamstring stretches — don’t just flop forward
• Avoiding passive overstretching at end range (especially if you’re hypermobile)

5. Knee Pain or Meniscus Irritation

From: Lotus pose, pigeon, deep lunges or twists
Why: Twisting or externally rotating from the knee instead of the hip

Avoid it by:

• Supporting knees with blocks, blankets, or props
• Exiting any pose that feels “sharp” or compressed
• Engaging glutes and outer hip to take pressure off the knee
• Learning to rotate from the hip joint — not cranking the knee sideways

✅ How to Stay Safe (and Actually Get Stronger) in Yoga

• Slow down. Control is harder than depth.
• Use props. They’re not a crutch — they’re a progression tool.
• Respect your end range. Passive stretch ≠ effective movement.
• Train strength + stability alongside your flexibility.
• Work with teachers or clinics (like us) who get the nuance.

Remember: Your pose ≠ their pose. Your range ≠ your worth.

Final Word: Your Yoga Should Work With Your Body — Not Against It

Injuries in yoga don’t happen because you “suck.” They happen because most people were never taught how to move smart, support their joints, or modify with purpose.

That’s what we do at YFS — help your body move better, recover faster, and stay pain-free in whatever movement practice you love.

Feel like yoga keeps tweaking your body instead of helping it?
Book a movement consult or strength support session at YFS Toronto — and let’s make your practice work for you.