Does Bikram Yoga Help With Pronated Ankles?

Bikram yoga, a Hatha style of yoga in which you are performing a sequence of 26 poses in a room heated to over 100 degrees has the potential to help pronated ankles. Many of the foot exercises for correcting pronated ankles are done in Bikram yoga. If you have pronated ankles, you should speak with your doctor before starting Bikram yoga.

Significance

Pronated ankles is a condition in which the arches of the feet have fallen in response to your foot rolling inward when you walk. Continued walking on pronated ankles can lead to conditions such as plantar fascitis, heel spurs, shin splints and sprains. Pain from these conditions can cause you to stop exercising altogether. Treatment for pronated ankles includes stretching the muscles and tendons around the ankles. This stops the inward rolling and reshapes the arch into its proper form.

Considerations

Many of the stretches recommended by orthopedists for pronated ankles are done routinely in a Bikram yoga class. Learning proper body alignment during class and performing the poses correctly will force your feet and ankles into the proper position, leading to an overall proper posture and naturally correcting the ankle pronation. Performing the exercises in over 100-degree heat will naturally relax the tendons and muscles surrounding the ankles.

Warnings

If you are new to Bikram yoga, you should first make certain you are healthy enough to perform yoga in the heat. If you are over age 60 or pregnant, practicing Bikram yoga may not be a safe option for you as exercising in the heat has the potential to cause fainting, dehydration, and may possibly harm a forming fetus in a pregnant woman. Talk to your doctor to find out if it is safe for you to take a Bikram yoga class.

Tips

In order to get the most benefits from Bikram yoga, take a class from an experienced Bikram yoga instructor who knows anatomy well and can teach you the proper body alignment needed to help correct your pronated ankles. Since you will be exercising in extreme heat, make certain you have water to stay hydrated, and stop exercising if you begin to feel dizzy, lightheaded or faint.