Baddha konasana or bound angle pose, is a seated hip opening pose where it mainly stretches the inner thigh, groin and knee. It also strengthens the pelvic floor and psoas muscles or hip flexors.
Anatomy:
– Hamstring engaged to flex knees and iliopsoas engaged to maintain the flexed hips. This helps in lengthening of the quadriceps of front thigh.
– Satorius, gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, tensor fasia latae and deep external rotators such as piriformis, obturator internus, obturator externus, gemellus superior, gemellus inferior, and quadratus femoris abducts and external rotate the hip outwards and downwards, lengthening the inner thigh and adductors muscles.
– Bringing both feet closer together and flexing the feet contracting the anterior tibialis.
– Biceps and brachialis slightly engaged while clasping under the feet helps to open up the hip more and stretching the inner thighs or adductors moving the knees outward and downwards.
– Trapizeus and rhomboids joining the shoulder blade to the spine draws the shoulder back and down opening the chest.
– Erector spinae engaged to lengthen and stabilised the spine, preventing from rounding the back as well.
– To further intensify the stretch if you are very flexible, fold forward from the hips, keeping the spine lengthened, reaching the navel to the feet instead of rounding the back and reaching the head to the feet.
Physical and Health Benefits:
– Stretches groin and inner thigh.
– Improve flexibility of the hips.
– Relieve back pain.
– Increase the blood circulations.
– Reducing risk of infertility and improving premenstrual, menstrual, menopausal and prostate disorders.
– Stimulates the abdominal organs, benefiting the kidneys, and bladder and improve digestions.
– Strengthen pelvic floor. Benefiting expecting mothers ensuring smooth delivery.
Spiritual and Mental Benefits:
– Opening the root (Muladhara) and sacral (Svadhisthana) chakras releasing stagnant energy and increasing their vibration.
– Relieving stress, anxiety and tiredness.
Contradictions:
– Avoid if have knee or groin injury or sprained ankle.
– Avoid forward bend if have herniated disc.
References:
Science of Yoga by Ann Swanson
The Key Poses of Yoga: Scientific Keys, Volume II by Ray Long
https://www.ommagazine.com/butterfly-pose-yoga-anatomy/
https://www.badyogi.com/blog/many-benefits-of-baddha-konasana/
https://www.thehealthsite.com/yoga/bound-angle-pose-baddha-konasana-how-to-practice-benefits-and-precautions-885508/
