All About the Padahastasana (पादहस्तासन) Yoga Pose

That's all about the Padahastasana (पादहस्तासन) yoga pose. It is called Hand Under Foot Pose and is an asana. It is a standing, inverted posture in which the arms are extended down to hold the feet.

All About the Padahastasana or Hand Under Foot Pose

The name comes from the Sanskrit words pada (पाद; Pada) meaning "foot", hasta (हस्ता; Hasta) meaning "hand", and asana (आसन; Asana) meaning "posture" or "pose."

How to Perform: Step by Step

1. Start in the standing forward bend pose. You should be able to easily and comfortably touch the floor with your fingers.
2. Bend your knees deep enough to keep your abdominal ribs and chest on your thighs. Take your hands under your feet, palms facing up. Place your toes on the crease of your wrist.
3. Let your head be heavy. On an inhale, hollow out your armpits, pulling your upper arm bones forward as you raise your sit bones to the sky. On an exhale, slowly work your legs straight and fold in deeply, bending your elbows out to the sides.
4. Stay here for 1 minute, then release your hands and return to the standing forward bend pose.

These steps are to be performed in (all about) the Padahastasana, or hand-under-foot pose.

Precautions for Pose

Precautions to take when performing the hand-foot pose:

1. Avoid this pose if you are suffering from a severe back problem. Complete twisting of the stomach should be avoided.
2. People suffering from heart disease and high blood pressure should avoid practicing this mudra.
3. It is better than a less challenging posture like the Uttanasana (standing forward bend) to be mastered before attempting the hand-foot pose.
4. The hand-to-foot pose should also be avoided if you suffer from spinal disorders like slipped discs.
5. Needless to say, doing this mudra in this situation will only make the situation worse.

It's also important that you practice the hand-legged pose under the guidance of an experienced yoga pose instructor to ensure that every position is properly aligned.

Beginner’s Tip

A good beginner’s tip for foot pose is to start with the knees bent and the hands kept with the palms facing up under your feet. The toes should be touching the wrist.

You can then straighten your legs as far as you can by lifting the hamstrings and buttocks. The feet or legs should be perpendicular to the ground.

Benefits of Hand Under Foot Pose

The 'Hand to Foot' Pose offers multifaceted benefits to specific areas and bodily functions. Primarily, it promotes digestion by stimulating the abdominal organs and enhancing the secretion of digestive juices.

The compression in the abdominal region activates the spleen and liver, optimizing their efficiency and providing relief for individuals grappling with gastric or bloating issues.

Additionally, the pose serves as a valuable wrist stretch, particularly beneficial for practitioners of poses like Downward-Facing Dog and Cobra Pose that involve wrist pressure.

This mitigates the risk of wrist irritation and injury. Moreover, the pose contributes to overall well-being by reducing heart rate, alleviating physical and mental exhaustion, and offering relief from stomach aches.

Particularly beneficial for women, it addresses the back and abdominal pain associated with menstruation.

Finally, the 'Hand to Foot' pose invigorates the nervous system, contributing to a holistic enhancement of both physical and mental health.

Therapeutic Applications

Therapeutic applications of hand-to-foot pose (all about the Padahastasana yoga pose) include the following:

• Removes inertia or tamas
• Reduces fatigue

Variations of the Pose

Variations of the hand-under-foot pose can be performed by individuals who cannot perform this pose. Because of physical limitations or by those who want to master and increase the difficulty level of this pose.

1. The first variation is the same as the usual position, except that you hold onto the back part of your ankles.
2. You could bring your fingers under your feet until your toes touch your wrists.
3. You could keep your arms crossed behind your legs and hold onto the front part of your ankles with the opposite hands.
4. You could also hold your elbows behind your legs.

It often happens that people give up on the medical system because of a failure to treat their condition.

Conclusion

First, know all about the Padahastasana yoga pose, then try yoga poses and find them helpful. People have gotten relief from diseases like nervous tension, asthma, arthritis, and diabetes.

However, it is important to remember that yoga is not meant to replace medical practice but only to complement it. It is advisable to always seek the advice of a doctor before attempting any pose.

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