Yoga Teacher Training Forum

What Should Teachers Do to Prevent Yoga Injuries?

A yoga teacher must try to prevent injuries in her classes, and there are several ways to keep your students safer during their classes to avoid an injury such as a muscle strain. 

1: Require Students to Provide a Physical Examination Form

You can require your students to have a physical examination from a physician before they begin a yoga class. Have a blank form ready to give to a potential student. They can take this form to their physician’s office to receive clearance to participate in classes. If a student has any specialized restrictions due to a health condition, then you can plan an alternate routine for this individual. 

2: Have Soft Floor Surfaces to Prevent Injuries 

It is important to protect your yoga students by having soft floor surfaces, including carpeting or mats. When students are performing asanas, they can fall or trip, but if you have provided soft flooring, then a student is less likely to incur an injury such as a bruise, scrape or torn tendon. 

3: Keep a Yoga Studio Clean and Organized 

An additional way to protect your students during their poses and movements is by maintaining an organized and clean studio. Keep the area where students practice asanas clear by removing chairs, equipment and tables. If a student falls during a movement or pose, then they will not hit a hard object that can cause an injury.

4: Monitor Your Students Closely

To protect your students during their yoga classes, monitor them closely. Place the new and inexperienced students toward the front of the room where you can see how they are performing asana poses and movements. You can also have a more experienced student assist with monitoring the newer students. 

5: Permit Students To Adjust a Pose or Movement

One of the first things that you should teach a student is to adjust her movement or pose when she feels uncomfortable. A student should understand how to listen to her body in order to prevent an injury. If a student knows that it is okay to stop her routine when she feels pain, then she won’t feel self-conscious about it in front of the other students. 

Protect Your Students

With these five tips, your students are less likely to experience an injury during one of your yoga studio’s classes.