Utthita Parsvakonasana (extended side angle pose)

Utthita Parsvakonasana (extended side angle pose)

To do this pose:

Come to a downward facing dog. Extend one leg up behind you and take a step forward with it between your two hands, grounding that foot with your toes facing forward. Ground through your back foot with your toes pointing to the side, or the long edge of your mat. Cartwheel your arms up overhead, reaching the same arm as the front leg forward and the same arm as the back leg back, bending through your front knee into a Warrior II position. Release your front elbow to rest on your front thigh or, if you’re more bendy, reach those fingertips down to the floor, continuing to bend deeply into the front leg. Reach your back arm up over head either reaching for the ceiling or up and over toward the front of the room, making a straight line from the tips of your fingers to the bottom of your foot. Repeat on the other side.

How this pose is especially beneficial for nurses: 

• As with Triangle pose, which is very similar, this pose improves stamina, balance, and stability. It helps you feel stronger and more stable in your body even when doing heavy lifting work. 
• It stretches and tones the side abdominals. This is a truly side opening position but also requires some engagement to keep yourself up right. The more you lengthen and strengthen muscles, especially the core, the less likely you are to get an injury, like a low back injury! 
• It has been shown to be therapeutic for constipation, infertility, sciatica, menstrual discomfort, and low backache, which are such common complaints for not only nurses, but everyone!