Feet and Ankles
Our feet are made up of bones, muscles, and joints. How many of each are there?
26 bones, 20 muscles, 33 jts
The ligaments on the Inside and outside of the knee which resist sideways forces and stability are called?
Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) and the Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL)
These are commonly known as the “sitting bones or sits bones
ischial tuberocity bones
This region of the spine contains 12 vertebrae and connects with the ribs.
thoracic spine
The shoulder girdle involves what three bones?
Humerous (upper arm)
Clavicle (collarbone)
Scapula (shoulder blade)
INTERNAL vs EXTERNAL ROTATION with pose examples
internal: rotating the limbs (hips, shoulders) inward (thumb/pinky toward body)
external: rotating outward (thumb/pinky away from body)
What are the two arches of the foot?
Tarsal and metatarsal bones
This crucial ligament prevents the tibia from sliding forward in lunges and warrior poses.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament
This is commonly known as the tailbone
the coccyx
These deep abdominal muscles wrap around the trunk like a corset, supporting stability
transverse abdominis
The infraspinatus muscle, assisted by the tres minor, externally rotate the arm when standing in what pose, with palms facing out?
Tadasana (mountain pose)
ADDUCTION vs ABDUCTION
bringing limbs towards (adduction) the body's midline
bringing limbs away from (abduction) the body's midline
What is the flat web-like band of tissue that extends from the heel to the toes?
Plantar fascia aka plantar aponeurosis
These powerful muscles at the front of the thigh extend the knee, like in Chair Pose. Name specifically the largest.
What are the Quadriceps or largest Rectus Femorus
The muscular engagement of the pelvic floor can be described as what in Yoga
Mula Banda?
These muscles form the side waist and help with rotation and lateral flexion.
internal and external obliques
Should your arms be internally or externally rotated when reaching the arms up in Urdhva Hastana? (upward arm pose)
externally with palms facing each other
Flexion vs Extension
FLEXION means bending a joint to decrease the angle between body parts (bringing them closer), like in Child's Pose or forward bends
EXTENSION means straightening or opening the joint to increase the angle (moving them apart) backbends or lengthening the spine in Downward Dog
Think flexion as "folding in" (Cat Pose) and extension as "opening out" or lengthening (Cobra, Mountain Pose
What is fascia?
a web-like system of connective tissue made mostly of collagen that wraps, supports, and seperates muscles, organs, nerves, and bones
The three bones forming the knee joint including this kneecap
femur, tibia, fibula and Patella
Why is the psoas muscle the most important muscle in determining an upright position?
It is the primary hip flexor, connecting your spine to your legs
This dome-shaped muscle is the primary driver of inhalation
diaphragm
In lowering from plank to chatarunga which direction should the elbow creases be facing?
somewhat facing each other
INVERSION (supination) vs EVERSION (pronation)
inversion- Foot inward (tree pose)
eversion- Foot outward (warrior 2)
eversion can be a collapse of the inner arches
How many bones are in the ankle?
7 bones
What are the three primary muscles used for flection of the knee?
Hamstring Muscles. : semi membranes, semi tendinosis, bicep femorius.
Tight hamstrings limits what action?
Forward bending
This flat bone at the front of the rib cage protects the heart.
sternum
How do you relieve pressure from the neck in Adho Mukha Svanasana?
Actively root the shoulders down the back, while maintaining the even rooting of the hands by internally rotating the arms.
Sagittal Plane vs Coronal Plane
Sagittal Divides body into left/right.
Coronal Plane: Divides body into front/back.
There are 6 basic terms of movement with the foot/ankle, how many can you name?
- plantar flexion - dorsi flexion - inversion
- eversion - medial rotation. - lateral rotation
A key yoga principal for the knee is pressing the feet down to create stability rather than forcing the knee into a deeper into a stretch
rooting and grounding
Why do we not squeeze the buttocks when moving into a back end?
It creates the unintentional effect of externally rotating the thighs.
This small but influential muscle can contribute to forward head posture and rounded shoulders when tight.
pectoralis minor
What are the two options when transitioning from arms overhead to hands on the floor?
swan dive
draw palms together and down the centerline, while trying to keep the chest from collapsing
Medial vs Lateral
medial means rotating or moving a limb toward the body's midline (internal rotation, like drawing your thigh inward), while lateral means rotating or moving away from the midline (external rotation, like turning your thigh out)
These powerful muscles at the front of the thigh extend the knee, like in Chair Pose. Name specifically the largest
What are the Quadriceps or largest Rectus Femorus
What is pelvic neutrality?
-.balanced alignment
- optimal position
- pelvis is not tilted anterior or posterior
- aka , anatomical position
This group of muscles expands during deep yogic breathing and allows for rib motion in pranayama
intercostal muscles
When should your elbows not hyperextend?
When supporting weight through straight arms
Proximal and Distal
Proximal refers to something closer to the torso of the body and distal is further away from the torso. So the distal end of the forearm is close to the wrist and the proximal end is closer to the elbow.
Medial vs Lateral Rotation
Medial- when turning the foot of the back leg to a 45 degree angle (Extended Side Angle)
Lateral- When the feet turn outward beyond the plane of the knee (malasana, squat)