Should Yoga Teachers Ask Students About Injuries?

Trish Corley Author

Pros and cons of yoga teachers asking students about injuries.

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If you teach yoga (or any other form of exercise), you know it is important to foster a safe and inclusive environment for your students. This involves addressing a crucial aspect of teaching: understanding when and how to approach the topic of pain and injuries. 

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The goal of this article is to tackle the big question that you need to ask yourself in the effort to create a safe and inclusive yoga class:

Is it best practice to ask students about injuries in a group yoga class?

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This is a question to get curious about if you want to make informed choices as a yoga teacher. I will share my thoughts and experiences and also remind you that you get to make your own choices as a yoga teacher. That is, you choose how to conduct your classes and approach your students. 

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To ask about injuries at the start of class or not? It's a big decision, and I like to make a list of pros and cons when making decisions. So let's start there:

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PROS of Asking Students About Injuries at The Start of a Group Yoga Class:

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1. Students Feel Heard and Safe:

Among discussions with yoga teachers and teachers in training, I have been told that people feel supported and safe when the teacher asks about injuries at the start of class. Feeling safe can have a very positive impact on student's experience in the class, and even in their healing process.  There is research that suggests that how a physical therapist communicates with their patient can change the outcomes of the treatment. In 2010, Smith, J., Johnson, A., & Brown, L. published an article in the Journal of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation that suggests, "Patients who reported feeling heard and understood by their physical therapists had higher levels of satisfaction with their therapy experience." *

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2. Offer Modifications:

Identifying existing injuries allows the teacher to guide students away from poses or movements that might exacerbate their conditions and to offer modifications and alternative postures. This prevention can be crucial in avoiding the progression of minor injuries into more severe ones. If you can provide each student with the support they need to practice comfortably and effectively, that is for sure a win.

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3. Better Class Planning: 

Having insights into students' injuries helps the teacher plan the class more effectively. They can design sequences that minimize the use of postures that could be problematic for specific injuries or conditions and maximize postures that will be more healing and supportive. 

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4. Create Connection:

My favorite yoga teachers have the ability to create connection with their students, often when they address the class before the physical practice begins. By addressing injuries at the start of class, teachers can provide students with a sense of individualized attention and care. This creates connection and can make students feel valued and supported throughout the class.

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5. Create Educational Opportunities:

Discussing injuries openly can serve as an educational opportunity for both the teacher and all of the students in the class. It raises awareness about the importance of self-care, mindfulness, and the potential risks of pushing too far. 
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CONS of Asking Students About Injuries at The Start of a Group Yoga Class:

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1. Students May Be Misled:

While students may feel safe and heard when the teacher asks, about injuries at the start of class may be misleading to students. Despite the best intentions of the yoga teacher, the teacher probably does not possess comprehensive medical knowledge or the ability to diagnose injuries. Students may assume that the teacher can provide expert guidance based on their injury disclosures, which may not be the case. This can create false expectations and potential misunderstandings. It's important for yoga teachers to emphasize the importance of consulting with healthcare professionals for personalized advice regarding their injuries and to remind students that yoga teachers can offer general guidance and modifications, but they may not be medical experts.

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2. Unequal Attention to All Students:
In larger classes, especially those with diverse student populations, the volume of injury inquiries can be overwhelming for the teacher, making it challenging to address each student adequately. Have you ever experienced a teacher providing more attention to certain students? It is not fair to the other students if the teacher gives more individualized attention to the students with injuries. 

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3. Disrupted Sequencing:

In theory, a teacher could create a sequence that would address the needs of all the students and their injuries. In reality, this is very difficult to do, especially if the teacher learns about the injuries at the start of the class. Many yoga teachers put a lot of time and effort into creating yoga sequences to serve their class. Attempting to accommodate different students and different injuries may disrupt the original plan and often leaves the teacher wrapped up on in concern. Who wants someone teaching a yoga class from a place of concern?

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4. Time Restraints:

Asking about injuries at the start of class can take up a lot of time. I've sat in classes, where several students raise their hand and give a lot of information about themselves and their injury. Sometimes the teacher takes more time to respond. A lot of classes are only 60 minutes long. I know a lot of yoga teachers already struggle to fit everything into that hour! Is the discussion about injuries the best use of time?

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5. Privacy:

Asking about injuries in a group yoga class can potentially violate privacy as some students may feel uncomfortable sharing personal medical information in a public setting, causing them to withhold information or feel exposed in front of their peers. This intrusion into personal health matters may compromise the confidential nature of their medical conditions.If a yoga teacher asks about injuries, but a student doesn't say anything, this could lead to the teacher assuming that student has no injuries, and that could be problematic too. 

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6. Liability:

I am not a lawyer, but I have heard a lawyer say that as soon as a yoga teachers ask students if they have injuries and they tell you about them, their liability increases. This may be of more concern in some countries than others, but it's something to consider. If a yoga teacher knows someone has an injury and the student does something to exacerbate the injury in their class, the student could claim that the teacher knew about the injury, but instructed them to do what caused them more harm anyway. Even if a yoga teacher is not concerned about a lawsuit, it is important to ask if they are being misleading when asking about injuries (see #1). 

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Conclusion:

Let me remind you that if you are a yoga teacher, you get to choose if you ask students about injuries at the start of class or not. As for me, based on the pros and cons of asking students about injuries at the start of a group yoga class, I chose not to. While the benefits of creating a safe and supportive environment, offering modifications, better class planning, creating connections, and educational opportunities are evident, they come with significant challenges.

[Let me also remind you, that if you are a yoga teacher and do choose to ask about injuries before class, please be equipped to use the information. I have seen teachers ask, students answer, and then nothing is really done to address the injuries. Please don't do that to students.]

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Although I have the expertise of a physical therapist, if I am teaching a group yoga class it is not an individualized therapy session. Instead of taking time to ask and assuming that all students want to disclose their injuries, I find it more appropriate to incorporate a brief statement at the beginning of each class. This statement emphasizes the importance of safety and encourages students to approach me privately if they have any injuries or concerns they wish to discuss. This approach respects individual boundaries, promotes open communication, and ensures that each student receives the personalized support they may need without compromising their privacy or creating potential misunderstandings. 

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I am aware that some people may disagree with my choice, but here's the thing. I am confident in my choice! For the last 12 years of teaching yoga, I developed a simple and concrete system for managing students with injuries and pain as a yoga teacher. Without overwhelming myself, I am able to deliver a solid class to a variety of students. I do offer modifications and adaptions, without teaching from concern. I see my students and make true connections while empowering them to lead their own journey of healing. 

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Now I am ready to teach other yoga teachers how they can easily and confidently support their students with injuries and pain. 

This is why I created the "Teach Yoga to Students With Injuries" course that helps yoga teachers know exactly how to manage group and private yoga classes, even when students have injuries or pain.

* Smith, J., Johnson, A., & Brown, L. (2010). The Impact of Therapist Communication Style on Patient Satisfaction and Functional Outcomes in Physical Therapy. Journal of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, 42(3), 247-261.

Categories: : Effective Teaching Techniques, Injuries & Yoga