Is it okay to hyperextend (lock) the knee?

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Bernie
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Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:25 am
Location: Vancouver

Is it okay to hyperextend (lock) the knee?

Post by Bernie »

I was recently asked the following question about locking of joints:
  • Dear Bernie Clark,
    Thanks so much for your amazing work. I really love your recent books. After listening to 2 of your interviews, I wanted to mention two points and ask your opinion. - During the first interview, you had mentioned that locking the joints doesn't cause injury most of the time, so it was ok to do so. My experience is that even tough it may not cause harm, when a student locks the joint (for example the elbows) it creates the feeling of stability but this way the muscles do not engage either. Also if somebody locks the knee joint for example in a standing pose,the center of gravity changes. And they tend to put more weight of the heels and this effects the pelvis as well. Because of see that the joint-lockers find it difficult to connect with the bandhas. Kind regards, Urun.
Hello Urun and thanks for reaching out. You made a number of points so let me try to address them separately:

1) ...when a student locks the joint (for example the elbows) it creates the feeling of stability but this way the muscles do not engage either.

Yes, it does take less muscular effort to lock a joint than to not lock it. But, that is not a bad thing! We have evolved to be economical and use the least of amount of energy when we move, walk, run, etc. We have evolved to lock our joints. Look at any competitive weight lifter pressing hundreds of kilos overhead: they do not microbend their elbows. Watch elite runners, they do not avoid full extension of their legs (watch Usain Bolt at the 37 sec mark of this video.) We are designed to do this.

So, it is not a problem to lock a joint and save the muscles from having to do extra work. However, if your intention in exercising your body is to increase the load on the muscles, sure — feel free to unlock the joint. This is not the most efficient way to use a joint but it can help make muscles stronger. However, if that is your intention, why not simply add load to the body? If your intention is to get stronger, weight training is much better than yoga. And, if you are a yoga teacher and you want a particular student who can easily lock her joints to avoid that position because she is not working her muscles, great! But, why not make the whole class microbend: don’t just single her out.

2) … joint-lockers find it difficult to connect with the bandhas

I can only suggest that this is a generalization you have made without any real study. It may your experience, but you cannot assume that everybody is like you. The only bandha that I am aware of engaging while doing asanas may be moola bandha, although some teachers would include uddiyana bandha, but none would include jalandhara bandha. Personally, while a little moola bandha might be good to maintain some core stability, I would not teach the other two during asana practice. Research by Prof Stuart McGill shows that hollowing the belly (uddiyana bandha) when under load is not the ideal way to create core stability. My experience is, I have no difficulties maintaining a little moola bandha (remember, bandhas should be “subtle”, not overt or obvious) when my knees are locked. Nor is my pelvis effected by straightening my legs. So my experience is not the same as yours. Finally, bandhas are tools best used with pranayama practice, not with asana, so I don’t worry about them in these situations.

3) ...And they tend to put more weight of the heels and this affects the pelvis as well.

Again, that is not my experience. I can place the weight of my body on any part of my feet that I like despite my knees being hyperextended. I am sure you can too. To say that people locking their knees move weight to their heels is not a true correlation.

Teachers have to be very careful not to create the situation they are warning against. Too many times teachers will say something like, “Do A, B and C and notice how X, Y and Z happen. Try it now. Do you feel it? See what I mean?” And, naturally the students all nod their heads and agree. But this is not proof of anything except the willingness of many students to be lead by their teachers. Students are suggestible!

A real correlation would be noticed if, unknown to the students, they were standing on pressure plates on the floor which exactly mapped out where the pressure was on their feet while they were locking their knees. I am not aware of any studies that show hyperextended knees place more weight on the heels.

I could say more on this topic, but I already have in this article: I Hyperextend My Knees: Is This Bad? (Probably Not.) Perhaps this will answer other questions for you.

Cheers
Bernie
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