The SomaVeda Thai Yoga Dak Kha or Bent Inward Knee Asana

The SomaVeda Thai Yoga Dak Kha or Bent Inward Knee Asana in the Supine Position.

The Thai Dak Kha provides an elegant and deep way to address restrictions in the anterior thigh Sen Lines, Meridians and musculature in a gentle and supportive way. This basic position a facilitated Ardis Supta Virasana is an asymetrical hip, pelvis, groin and thigh opener. It emphasizes Sen Thawari and or Sahatsarangsi and is a wind relieving pose strengthening male and female sex organs, curing indegestion, piles and constipation. I have also found this particular therapeutic asana very helpful for pelvic edema, chronic and acute low back, sciatica, abdominal cramps and bloating as well as knee pain.

The rick to helpful and safe facilitation is to fully support the clients leg and knee throughout the extension.We bring the therapists inside leg up close and firmly under the clients leg and knee from the beginning. For those seemingly more common clients who struggle to “almost’ get the the asana, I recommend that you move your whole body up and actually start with your hip against the knee and then slowly sit down lowering the leg as far as it will go comfortably. One important note is that the heel position is important. Keep the clients heel as tight and close to their bottom as possible. This great reduces any torsional stress or inner rotation which might cause undue paid. If you can’t control the heel then I don’t recommend you do this posture as you might cause an injury to the knee!

We seek to leave the client/ patient in at least the same or better shape than we found them! This is Ahimsa principle in practice.

In SomaVeda™ we use this  protocol:

1) Test: Test for range of motion. Guide the knee downward towards the floor with support using two finger pressure only. If the knee goes all the way to the floor terrific. If not , that is the “bottom” for the motion. Bottom means the functional vs. structural limit in a given range of motion. Come or slide your support leg back under so your leg becomes the floor.

2) Palm: Palm Press the line with the outside hand while supporting the clients knee firmly with the inside hand. As you palm press keep your hand soft and the fingers turned out or away from the center line as this keeps you from poking them in the groin!

3) Hit: Two Hand Hacking and or other striking techniques such as cupping or hammer fist etc. Again we stress to use either both hands or the outside hand to hit with. Be gentle and the line on top of the leg is under tension.

4) Stretch: Stretch the knee, pushing with both hands as far towards the floor as your client can comfortably tolerate. Remember to coach and follow the breathing.

Now release cleanly! This means to simultaneously lift the knee straight up while pulling the foot on the same side directly up and under the knee. Whatever you do do not try to straighten the leg out before you lift the knee as it twist the knee strongly and could cause an injury!

This is an actual demonstration from a SomaVeda Thai Yoga Practitioner Certification program at the Thai Yoga Center, June 2011.

See you in class!

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