Madison Burgess
A neurologist has issued a stark warning for yoga fans, as three popular poses could actually be putting you at risk.
With everything going on in the world, it's no surprise that more and more people are taking up yoga as a way not only to keep fit, but also to relax and switch their brains off for a bit.
Although it's an ancient practice that's been around for thousands of years, the demand for it is not going anywhere anytime soon.
Approximately 300 million people practice yoga worldwide and it's multi-billion-dollar industry.
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However, as with any form of exercise, there are risks that come with it, and it's important to practice safely and not overdo it.
Neurologist Dr Jeremy M. Liff told the New York Post that three specific poses can actually increase your risk of having a stroke. New fear unlocked, anyone?
He told the publication: "Ironically, certain types of yoga can be helpful in aiding motor recovery following stroke. However, other yoga poses can potentially cause strokes by injuring the arteries that run from the neck to the brain."
What the neurologist is talking about is a cervical arterial dissection, which is a tear in a carotid or vertebral artery wall in the neck.
Cleveland Clinic explains that this specific injury is a common cause of strokes in younger and middle-aged adults.
To break it down, with a carotid artery dissection, the inner lining of the blood vessel tears and at the site of the tear, blood can clot.
If the blood clot breaks loose, it can then travel to your brain, block off blood vessels and limit blood flow, resulting in an ischemic stroke.
Cervical arterial dissection is most commonly caused by an injury to your head or neck, for example, from something traumatic like a car accident, however, non-traumatic dissections can occur in other ways due to straining or heavy lifting in some people.
This is where yoga comes in. Certain poses that involve extreme extension of the neck or placing weight and pressure on the head can be dangerous, particularly for older people and anyone who suffers from cervical spine disease, Liff told the publication.
Here are three poses to watch out for.
The wheel pose, also known as upward-facing bow, is where you push up from the ground with your feet hip-width apart, knees parallel, and palms on the ground.
Essentially, you look like an upside-down 'U' shape.
It's an intense backbend that strengthens arms, legs, abdomen, and spine.
However, a case report from 1973 showed that a 28-year-old woman suffered a 'narrowing of her left vertebral artery' and a stroke after doing this pose due to the 'hyperextension' of her neck.
Second on the list is a much more advanced yoga pose - the hollowback handstand.
This is a variation on a traditional handstand that includes a deep arch in the spine, with your chest open and pelvis tilted forward.
Fitness influencer Rebecca Leigh, from Maryland, US, suffered a stroke after attempting to perform this pose in 2019.
After trying the move, she experienced blurry vision and lost control of her arm. Then, a few days later, she noticed her eye was drooping and her pupils were different sizes.
She was rushed to the emergency room, where it was revealed she had a stroke after tearing her right carotid artery, which reportedly sent a blood clot to her brain and caused the stroke.
Finally, be careful when giving the fish pose a go, also known as the matsyasana.
It involves lying on your back, arching your chest, and stretching the spine.
However, in 2002, physical therapist Susan Eaton told NBC News that she tore her left carotid artery and suffered a stroke after trying an advanced version of the move in a yoga class.
She experienced intense head, neck and jaw pain throughout the next three days and on the fourth night after doing the pose, she woke up in the middle of the night to flashing lights and a popping sound in her head.
The right side of her body went limp, and she slipped out of bed, which prompted her to drag her body to the phone to call 911.
Her doctors reportedly agreed that the likely cause of the tear was yoga.