Prevention Yoga – How to Work with Hyperextension

Hyperextension is generally used to describe when a limb is extended past the straight 180° line: this can happen in the elbows, knees and shoulders. All three areas can be of concern in yoga, and here we look at hyperextension of the elbow and knee. The term hyperextension is used medically to describe a situation where a joint has been taken past its normal range of motion, resulting in damage to the tissues around the joints -  ligaments, tendons and joint capsule. These are two different uses of the term hyperextension.