Because you enjoy practicing yoga and teaching it to others, you are familiar with many poses, some of which are very advanced.
Yoga is generally a safe form of exercise, but if you sustain an injury, especially to your spine or lower back, you could find yourself heading to the emergency room.
The rise of injuries
Yoga helps build strength and improve flexibility, and it has become very popular. However, with more practitioners come more injuries. The results of a study published in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine show that people should use care, especially yoga enthusiasts who are seniors or those who have already had injuries. The study findings indicate that 46 percent of all yoga injuries affect the back or trunk area.
Of muscles and more
As a yoga instructor, you probably caution students to use their core and not depend entirely on certain muscles to get them through a pose safely. Some muscle groups are designed to lift objects or assist with breathing. They do not hold the entire body up. Some poses are hard on the spine, which holds the body erect and allows for certain movements such as running. It is not meant to curve into an unnatural position. Some practitioners have suffered slipped discs because of trying to perfect a complicated pose.
How to proceed with medical care
As a yoga instructor injured on the job, you would be eligible for medical treatment under the Georgia Workers’ Compensation Act. You can judge for yourself whether your injury warrants a trip to the emergency room. If you can wait, inform your supervisor of the issue and choose a doctor from the panel of physicians that should be posted in the workplace. Make it clear to the doctor you see that you have an on-the-job injury. Your medical records will be important when it is time to file your claim for compensation. Be sure to keep all subsequent medical appointments and follow doctor’s orders, both for reasons of your insurance claim and your rapid return to yoga class.
