March 31, 2025 • 15 mins
One of the biggest concerns you might have as a yoga teacher is whether or not you’re stepping outside of your scope of practice. We are not doctors & we cannot diagnose an injury, however, we can AND SHOULD learn about them because we are teaching movement to people who probably are currently injured, have a past injury, or might injure themselves in the future.
If you’ve ever been afraid of stepping outside of your scope of practice, this is the episode for you! I’m gonna help you realize that you CAN work with injured students and offer them a quality yoga practice even with an injury.
Ep 65: Learning Anatomy Feels Overwhelming, Start Here!
Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!
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Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Monica (00:00):
One of the biggest concerns you might have as a
yoga teacher is whether or notyou're stepping outside of your
scope of practice.
Of course, we're not doctors andwe cannot diagnose an injury.
However, we can and should learnabout them because we're
teaching movement to people.
who are probably injured or havea past injury or might injure
(00:24):
themselves in the future.
If you've ever been afraid ofstepping outside of your scope
of practice, this is the episodefor you.
I'm going to help you realizethat you can work with injured
students and offer them aquality yoga practice, even with
an existing injury.
Welcome to the EssentialConversations for Yoga Teachers
(00:47):
podcast with me.
I'm Monica Bright, and I've beenteaching yoga and running my
yoga business for over a decade.
This is the podcast for you.
If you're a yoga teacher, you'relooking for support.
You love to be in conversationand you're a lifelong student.
(01:07):
In this podcast, I'll share withyou.
My life as a yoga teacher, thelessons I've learned, my process
for building my business andhelpful ideas, tools,
strategies, and systems I use,and you can use so that your
business thrives.
We'll cover a diverse range oftopics that will help you
(01:29):
whether you're just starting outor you've got years under your
belt and you want to dive deepand set yourself up for success.
I'm so glad you're here.
Listen, I don't take myself tooseriously, so expect to hear
some laughs along the way.
Now, let's do this.
Together.
(01:52):
Welcome back to the podcast.
I'm Monica and I am so gladyou're here.
If you're here because you'recurious about working with
students with injuries andwonder if you can help them,
then you're in the right place.
Injuries are my jam and I'vebeen injured quite a few times,
either from my yoga practice oroutside of it.
(02:14):
But I didn't want to stoppracticing yoga.
One of the most common concernsyoga teachers have is whether or
not they're stepping outside oftheir scope of practice.
This is what I think about that.
We are not doctors and we cannotdiagnose an injury.
However, we can.
and should learn about thembecause we are teaching movement
(02:37):
to people who probably eitherare injured currently, they have
a past injury or they might getinjured in the future.
There are so many yoga teachersthese days.
I believe you will separateyourself from the pack when you
are able to have conversationswith your students about what
(02:57):
they're experiencing in theirbodies.
This isn't to say that you haveto have.
all the answers, but yourstudents will trust you and feel
more connected to you whenyou're able to talk to them
about their injury and theirrecovery.
So if your concern is, I'mworried I'll overstep and work
(03:20):
outside my scope of practice,first and foremost, it's
essential to recognize that as ayoga teacher, your role is to
guide students in theirpractice, not to diagnose or
treat medical conditions.
you are not a doctor, a physicaltherapist, or a healthcare
provider.
And it's important tocommunicate this clearly to your
(03:43):
students.
However, this doesn't mean thatyou can't support.
your students with pain orinjuries.
Your role is to create a safeand inclusive space for students
to explore movement, to offermodifications and alternatives
to make poses accessible, and toencourage students to listen to
(04:06):
their bodies and honor theirlimits.
If a student has an injury orpersistent pain, you should
always ask if they've beendiagnosed by a healthcare
professional and if they haveany specific guidelines for
their practice.
This is the perfect place tostart.
If they haven't, you shouldsuggest that they consult a
(04:28):
doctor or a physical therapistto get a diagnosis.
Another concern that I hear fromteachers is that I don't feel
like I know enough about anatomyto even begin to help students
with injuries.
I understand that becauselearning anatomy can feel
overwhelming.
(04:48):
It's completely normal to feelthis way at first because it is
a broad and can be a complexsubject.
But you don't need to be anexpert to support your students.
My advice?
Start with the basics.
Learn the major joints, theshoulders, the hips, the knees,
the spine, and how they move.
(05:10):
Understand the muscles commonlyinvolved in yoga poses, like
hamstrings and quads.
Study common injuries such asrotator cuff tears, low back
pain, hamstring tears, and howthey might affect movement.
I address this in more detailand offered you some anatomy
(05:33):
resources in my last episodeNumber 65.
It's titled learning anatomyfeels overwhelming start here
You should listen to it and getyour journal because I shared
some of my favorite resourcesand you'll want to write them
down.
Remember, you're not expected toknow everything.
Just keep learning so that youfeel confident in guiding your
(05:57):
students safely and offerthoughtful modifications.
Injured students typically comewith pain symptoms.
Pain is a complex experiencethat involves not just the body,
but also the nervous system andemotions.
Here's what you need to know.
pain doesn't always mean there'stissue damage.
(06:20):
It can be influenced by stress,fear, or past experiences.
Sometimes the nervous systembecomes overly sensitive.
amplifying pain signals evenafter an injury has healed.
That's called centralsensitization.
And everyone experiences paindifferently.
(06:42):
So it's important to listen toyour students and respect their
unique needs.
I have a bunch of past episodesthat explain all of this in
detail.
You should binge them.
That's a shameless plug.
No seriously, I published thoseepisodes because learning about
(07:03):
injuries also means you shouldbe studying the nervous system,
pain science, and how injuries,pain, and the nervous system are
all intertwined.
The next time a student tellsyou that they're in pain,
especially if you don'tunderstand it or their injury,
ask them questions like, wheredo you feel the pain?
(07:25):
What makes it feel better orworse?
And have you seen a healthcareprofessional about this?
This helps you understand theirexperience.
Offer appropriate modifications.
and direct them towards gettinga diagnosis.
See how this is staying withinyour scope of practice and
(07:46):
helping your students at thesame time?
You can do this and I encourageyou to lean in and get a little
bit more curious.
It's going to require effort andmaybe a little more of your
time, but the payoff is inrelationship building with your
students.
You might be wondering how youcan support your students who
(08:09):
are recovering from injuries.
You know that doctors andphysical therapists often send
their patients and clients toyoga for relief.
So students with injuries areoften coming to yoga, However,
they may also feel vulnerable orfrustrated.
Here are a few ways you cansupport them.
(08:29):
Number one, create a safe space.
Let them know that it's okay totake breaks, skip poses, or use
props.
Number two, offer modifications.
Provide alternatives for posesthat might aggravate their
injury.
For example, you could suggest ablock under the hand in triangle
(08:50):
pose for shoulder stability, ora bolster or a blanket under the
knees in Shavasana for low backsupport.
And third, encourage bodyawareness by teaching students
to tune into their bodies andnotice how different movements
feel.
This empowers them to makeinformed choices about their
(09:13):
practice.
Remember, your role isn't to fixtheir injury, but to help them
move in a way that feels safeand supportive.
You can offer ideas, but onlythey know how they feel.
If you want to be sure you'renot overstepping or stepping
outside of your scope ofpractice, here are four ways to
(09:34):
ensure you stay within yourscope.
Number one, ask questions.
Always start by asking if thestudent has been diagnosed and
if they have medical clearanceto practice yoga.
Number two, Use clear language.
Avoid giving medical advice ordiagnosing injuries.
(09:56):
Instead, say things like, mighthelp you feel more comfortable.
Try it and see how it feels.
Or, have you talked to yourdoctor about this?
Number three, refer out whenneeded.
If a student's injury is severe,undiagnosed, or beyond your
knowledge, always suggest theyconsult a healthcare
(10:19):
professional.
And number four, keep onlearning.
Take workshops or courses onanatomy, injury prevention, and
trauma informed teaching tobuild your confidence and
skills.
If you don't feel confident yet,it's okay.
Confidence comes with time andexperience.
(10:39):
Start small.
Begin by offering one or twomodifications per class.
For example, suggest blocksunder the forearms in tabletop
for wrist relief for a studentwith a wrist injury.
Observe and learn.
Pay attention to how studentsrespond to your cues and
adjustments.
(11:00):
This will help you getobservable feedback and refine
your teaching over time.
And always practice selfcompassion.
It's okay to not have all theanswers.
What matters is that you'recommitted to learning and
supporting your students to thebest of your ability.
Ask yourself, what have Ilearned?
(11:21):
Or, how have I grown in the lastsix months?
Look back over time andacknowledge how you've grown as
opposed to judging yourself inevery little moment.
One of my most favoritestrategies is to simply empower
my students.
One of the most important thingsyou can do as a teacher is to
(11:42):
help students connect with theirown bodies.
Teach them to listen to theirbodies and ask them to honor
their limits.
Encourage them to exploremodifications and find what
feels best for them.
And as you learn, you can shareanatomy tidbits during class to
help them understand theirbodies better.
(12:03):
For example, you could say thisstrengthens your hamstrings, the
muscles on the backs of yourthighs.
When you empower your students,you're not just helping them in
the moment.
You're giving them tools topractice safely and mindfully,
whether they're in your class,another teacher's class, or out
and about in their daily lives.
(12:25):
I know that working withstudents who have pain or
injuries can initially feeldaunting, but it's also an
opportunity to deepen yourteaching and make a meaningful
impact.
You can stay within your scopeof practice, continue to learn,
approach each student withempathy and curiosity, and
(12:47):
create a safe and supportiveenvironment for everyone.
Remember, you're not alone inthis journey.
I'm here, and I love teaching,learning, and discussing
injuries.
It makes me a little excited onthe inside, if you can't tell.
If you want a deeperunderstanding of anatomy,
(13:07):
injuries, and pain, but you'reconcerned about staying within
your scope of practice, rememberyou aren't diagnosing, instead
you're working with your studentto make the yoga practice
appropriate for their bodies atthis time.
I truly believe that yogateachers are movement educators
(13:29):
and we must understand the humanbody, its movements, and
injuries in order to beeffective in our teaching.
It's so important for us to havethis conversation so that you
remember that there are so manyopportunities for you in the
teaching world.
Download the ebook, Sequencingfor Different Injuries.
(13:50):
The link is in the show notesbelow.
I promise you it will help forma foundation for teaching
students with injuries and agingbodies.
The information will also helpyou understand how to
accommodate Students ofdifferent abilities and it'll be
a great resource for you toreturn to again and again When
(14:10):
you download the ebook, you'llbe joining my newsletter.
That's just for yoga teachers.
I've got more Exciting teachingscoming soon.
So I want to tell you all aboutthem The link is in the show
notes below and I would love foryou to join it so we can always
stay connected I've also added alink to episode number 65,
Learning Anatomy FeelsOverwhelming.
(14:33):
Start here.
But seriously, scroll back andhave a listen to other episodes
I have on pain and the nervoussystem.
You know that my goal is for youto love the yoga teaching life
and allow it to be fulfillingand rewarding.
And as always, it takes somework to get there.
If you love this episode, let meknow.
(14:54):
I've got a link in the shownotes for you to send me a quick
text message about your thoughtson this episode.
I won't know your phone number.
It's just an addition to theplatform that I use that allows
for this new and super easy wayfor you to communicate with me.
Once you click on it, it willtake you to your messages.
Don't delete the code.
(15:15):
That's how your message will getto me.
And I would love to know yourthoughts, subscribe to the
podcast.
So you're always in the knowwhen a new episode drops and
share it with another yogateacher who you think would love
to be in on these conversations.
Thank you for helping to spreadthe word about.
This podcast.
And if you've been taking notesin your journal, as you listen
(15:37):
to these episodes, I'm so gladyou are.
And I would love to hear aboutit.
All right.
That's it for now.
Bye.
Mhm.
One of the biggest concerns you might have as a
yoga teacher is whether or notyou're stepping outside of your
scope of practice.
Of course, we're not doctors andwe cannot diagnose an injury.
However, we can and should learnabout them because we're
teaching movement to people.
who are probably injured or havea past injury or might injure
(00:24):
themselves in the future.
If you've ever been afraid ofstepping outside of your scope
of practice, this is the episodefor you.
I'm going to help you realizethat you can work with injured
students and offer them aquality yoga practice, even with
an existing injury.
Welcome to the EssentialConversations for Yoga Teachers
(00:47):
podcast with me.
I'm Monica Bright, and I've beenteaching yoga and running my
yoga business for over a decade.
This is the podcast for you.
If you're a yoga teacher, you'relooking for support.
You love to be in conversationand you're a lifelong student.
(01:07):
In this podcast, I'll share withyou.
My life as a yoga teacher, thelessons I've learned, my process
for building my business andhelpful ideas, tools,
strategies, and systems I use,and you can use so that your
business thrives.
We'll cover a diverse range oftopics that will help you
(01:29):
whether you're just starting outor you've got years under your
belt and you want to dive deepand set yourself up for success.
I'm so glad you're here.
Listen, I don't take myself tooseriously, so expect to hear
some laughs along the way.
Now, let's do this.
Together.
(01:52):
Welcome back to the podcast.
I'm Monica and I am so gladyou're here.
If you're here because you'recurious about working with
students with injuries andwonder if you can help them,
then you're in the right place.
Injuries are my jam and I'vebeen injured quite a few times,
either from my yoga practice oroutside of it.
(02:14):
But I didn't want to stoppracticing yoga.
One of the most common concernsyoga teachers have is whether or
not they're stepping outside oftheir scope of practice.
This is what I think about that.
We are not doctors and we cannotdiagnose an injury.
However, we can.
and should learn about thembecause we are teaching movement
(02:37):
to people who probably eitherare injured currently, they have
a past injury or they might getinjured in the future.
There are so many yoga teachersthese days.
I believe you will separateyourself from the pack when you
are able to have conversationswith your students about what
(02:57):
they're experiencing in theirbodies.
This isn't to say that you haveto have.
all the answers, but yourstudents will trust you and feel
more connected to you whenyou're able to talk to them
about their injury and theirrecovery.
So if your concern is, I'mworried I'll overstep and work
(03:20):
outside my scope of practice,first and foremost, it's
essential to recognize that as ayoga teacher, your role is to
guide students in theirpractice, not to diagnose or
treat medical conditions.
you are not a doctor, a physicaltherapist, or a healthcare
provider.
And it's important tocommunicate this clearly to your
(03:43):
students.
However, this doesn't mean thatyou can't support.
your students with pain orinjuries.
Your role is to create a safeand inclusive space for students
to explore movement, to offermodifications and alternatives
to make poses accessible, and toencourage students to listen to
(04:06):
their bodies and honor theirlimits.
If a student has an injury orpersistent pain, you should
always ask if they've beendiagnosed by a healthcare
professional and if they haveany specific guidelines for
their practice.
This is the perfect place tostart.
If they haven't, you shouldsuggest that they consult a
(04:28):
doctor or a physical therapistto get a diagnosis.
Another concern that I hear fromteachers is that I don't feel
like I know enough about anatomyto even begin to help students
with injuries.
I understand that becauselearning anatomy can feel
overwhelming.
(04:48):
It's completely normal to feelthis way at first because it is
a broad and can be a complexsubject.
But you don't need to be anexpert to support your students.
My advice?
Start with the basics.
Learn the major joints, theshoulders, the hips, the knees,
the spine, and how they move.
(05:10):
Understand the muscles commonlyinvolved in yoga poses, like
hamstrings and quads.
Study common injuries such asrotator cuff tears, low back
pain, hamstring tears, and howthey might affect movement.
I address this in more detailand offered you some anatomy
(05:33):
resources in my last episodeNumber 65.
It's titled learning anatomyfeels overwhelming start here
You should listen to it and getyour journal because I shared
some of my favorite resourcesand you'll want to write them
down.
Remember, you're not expected toknow everything.
Just keep learning so that youfeel confident in guiding your
(05:57):
students safely and offerthoughtful modifications.
Injured students typically comewith pain symptoms.
Pain is a complex experiencethat involves not just the body,
but also the nervous system andemotions.
Here's what you need to know.
pain doesn't always mean there'stissue damage.
(06:20):
It can be influenced by stress,fear, or past experiences.
Sometimes the nervous systembecomes overly sensitive.
amplifying pain signals evenafter an injury has healed.
That's called centralsensitization.
And everyone experiences paindifferently.
(06:42):
So it's important to listen toyour students and respect their
unique needs.
I have a bunch of past episodesthat explain all of this in
detail.
You should binge them.
That's a shameless plug.
No seriously, I published thoseepisodes because learning about
(07:03):
injuries also means you shouldbe studying the nervous system,
pain science, and how injuries,pain, and the nervous system are
all intertwined.
The next time a student tellsyou that they're in pain,
especially if you don'tunderstand it or their injury,
ask them questions like, wheredo you feel the pain?
(07:25):
What makes it feel better orworse?
And have you seen a healthcareprofessional about this?
This helps you understand theirexperience.
Offer appropriate modifications.
and direct them towards gettinga diagnosis.
See how this is staying withinyour scope of practice and
(07:46):
helping your students at thesame time?
You can do this and I encourageyou to lean in and get a little
bit more curious.
It's going to require effort andmaybe a little more of your
time, but the payoff is inrelationship building with your
students.
You might be wondering how youcan support your students who
(08:09):
are recovering from injuries.
You know that doctors andphysical therapists often send
their patients and clients toyoga for relief.
So students with injuries areoften coming to yoga, However,
they may also feel vulnerable orfrustrated.
Here are a few ways you cansupport them.
(08:29):
Number one, create a safe space.
Let them know that it's okay totake breaks, skip poses, or use
props.
Number two, offer modifications.
Provide alternatives for posesthat might aggravate their
injury.
For example, you could suggest ablock under the hand in triangle
(08:50):
pose for shoulder stability, ora bolster or a blanket under the
knees in Shavasana for low backsupport.
And third, encourage bodyawareness by teaching students
to tune into their bodies andnotice how different movements
feel.
This empowers them to makeinformed choices about their
(09:13):
practice.
Remember, your role isn't to fixtheir injury, but to help them
move in a way that feels safeand supportive.
You can offer ideas, but onlythey know how they feel.
If you want to be sure you'renot overstepping or stepping
outside of your scope ofpractice, here are four ways to
(09:34):
ensure you stay within yourscope.
Number one, ask questions.
Always start by asking if thestudent has been diagnosed and
if they have medical clearanceto practice yoga.
Number two, Use clear language.
Avoid giving medical advice ordiagnosing injuries.
(09:56):
Instead, say things like, mighthelp you feel more comfortable.
Try it and see how it feels.
Or, have you talked to yourdoctor about this?
Number three, refer out whenneeded.
If a student's injury is severe,undiagnosed, or beyond your
knowledge, always suggest theyconsult a healthcare
(10:19):
professional.
And number four, keep onlearning.
Take workshops or courses onanatomy, injury prevention, and
trauma informed teaching tobuild your confidence and
skills.
If you don't feel confident yet,it's okay.
Confidence comes with time andexperience.
(10:39):
Start small.
Begin by offering one or twomodifications per class.
For example, suggest blocksunder the forearms in tabletop
for wrist relief for a studentwith a wrist injury.
Observe and learn.
Pay attention to how studentsrespond to your cues and
adjustments.
(11:00):
This will help you getobservable feedback and refine
your teaching over time.
And always practice selfcompassion.
It's okay to not have all theanswers.
What matters is that you'recommitted to learning and
supporting your students to thebest of your ability.
Ask yourself, what have Ilearned?
(11:21):
Or, how have I grown in the lastsix months?
Look back over time andacknowledge how you've grown as
opposed to judging yourself inevery little moment.
One of my most favoritestrategies is to simply empower
my students.
One of the most important thingsyou can do as a teacher is to
(11:42):
help students connect with theirown bodies.
Teach them to listen to theirbodies and ask them to honor
their limits.
Encourage them to exploremodifications and find what
feels best for them.
And as you learn, you can shareanatomy tidbits during class to
help them understand theirbodies better.
(12:03):
For example, you could say thisstrengthens your hamstrings, the
muscles on the backs of yourthighs.
When you empower your students,you're not just helping them in
the moment.
You're giving them tools topractice safely and mindfully,
whether they're in your class,another teacher's class, or out
and about in their daily lives.
(12:25):
I know that working withstudents who have pain or
injuries can initially feeldaunting, but it's also an
opportunity to deepen yourteaching and make a meaningful
impact.
You can stay within your scopeof practice, continue to learn,
approach each student withempathy and curiosity, and
(12:47):
create a safe and supportiveenvironment for everyone.
Remember, you're not alone inthis journey.
I'm here, and I love teaching,learning, and discussing
injuries.
It makes me a little excited onthe inside, if you can't tell.
If you want a deeperunderstanding of anatomy,
(13:07):
injuries, and pain, but you'reconcerned about staying within
your scope of practice, rememberyou aren't diagnosing, instead
you're working with your studentto make the yoga practice
appropriate for their bodies atthis time.
I truly believe that yogateachers are movement educators
(13:29):
and we must understand the humanbody, its movements, and
injuries in order to beeffective in our teaching.
It's so important for us to havethis conversation so that you
remember that there are so manyopportunities for you in the
teaching world.
Download the ebook, Sequencingfor Different Injuries.
(13:50):
The link is in the show notesbelow.
I promise you it will help forma foundation for teaching
students with injuries and agingbodies.
The information will also helpyou understand how to
accommodate Students ofdifferent abilities and it'll be
a great resource for you toreturn to again and again When
(14:10):
you download the ebook, you'llbe joining my newsletter.
That's just for yoga teachers.
I've got more Exciting teachingscoming soon.
So I want to tell you all aboutthem The link is in the show
notes below and I would love foryou to join it so we can always
stay connected I've also added alink to episode number 65,
Learning Anatomy FeelsOverwhelming.
(14:33):
Start here.
But seriously, scroll back andhave a listen to other episodes
I have on pain and the nervoussystem.
You know that my goal is for youto love the yoga teaching life
and allow it to be fulfillingand rewarding.
And as always, it takes somework to get there.
If you love this episode, let meknow.
(14:54):
I've got a link in the shownotes for you to send me a quick
text message about your thoughtson this episode.
I won't know your phone number.
It's just an addition to theplatform that I use that allows
for this new and super easy wayfor you to communicate with me.
Once you click on it, it willtake you to your messages.
Don't delete the code.
(15:15):
That's how your message will getto me.
And I would love to know yourthoughts, subscribe to the
podcast.
So you're always in the knowwhen a new episode drops and
share it with another yogateacher who you think would love
to be in on these conversations.
Thank you for helping to spreadthe word about.
This podcast.
And if you've been taking notesin your journal, as you listen
(15:37):
to these episodes, I'm so gladyou are.
And I would love to hear aboutit.
All right.
That's it for now.
Bye.
Mhm.
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