Dandasana & Paschimottanasana

The main story in paschimottanasana is a symmetrical stretch of the back of the body, especially the hamstrings. Look at how this pose is different from an asymmetrical pose, such as Janu Sirsasana.

Anatomy

  The main story in paschimottanasana is a symmetrical stretch of the back of the body, especially the hamstrings. Everything starts with the pelvis.In Paschimottanasana, the pelvis is in a neutral position and the hip joints are relatively in line with each other. Paschimottanasana folds the body forward, flexing both the trunk and the hips. The knees extend, and the hands grasp the feet to link the upper and lower appendicular skeletons. The shoulder and pelvic girdles are connected by the vertebral column; thus actions in the shoulders and hips conspire to affect the spine and back, which in turn influence the position of the pelvis. This is an example of triangulation, wherein two points here the shoulder and pelvic girdles affect and are influenced by another point the spinal column. Flexing the trunk causes the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the back to pull upward on the pelvis, tilting it forward. This action draws the origins of the hamstrings on the ischial tuberosities up and back, stretching these muscles.  

BASIC JOINT POSITIONS

• The hips flex. 
• The knees extend. 
• The ankles dorsiflex. 
• The feet evert. 
• The trunk flexes. 
• The shoulders flex, abduct, and externally rotate. 
• The elbows flex. 
• The forearms are pronated. 
• The wrists extend.