Yoga dragon pose leads to broken thighbone, inability to walk and lawsuit

China ― While attempting a hip-opening pose during yoga, an instructor accidentally broke her student’s thighbone leaving her unable to walk.

A woman named Wang attended her first private yoga lesson in eastern China by an instructor named Li.

Ms Wang was told to attempt the dragon pose, wherein one foot is placed forward in a deep lunge to open the hips.

After giving instructions, Ms Li told her first-timer student that her left leg was not positioned properly.

“She was pushing down on my thigh, and pressed too hard. Suddenly, I just felt severe pain and could not move at all,” said Ms Wang, reported Xinan Evening News.

The pressure resulted in Ms Wang breaking her leg and requiring medical attention.

According to South China Morning Post, she was conveyed to the hospital, and doctors’ diagnosis indicated she had a fracture on her femur requiring surgery.

Ms Wang was warded for 16 days yet still could not walk after being discharged.

It was reported that the yoga studio had paid Ms Wang 50,000 yuan (S$10,533) but refused to compensate her further for future treatment.

Ms Wang plans to sue the studio as she deems their response insufficient.

“I paid 6,000 yuan (S$1,263) from my own pocket for the medical treatment because the hospital charged 56,000 yuan (S$11,797), and the yoga studio only covered 50,000 yuan,” she said.

“What’s more, there will be other costs for rehabilitation in the future, and my work will be affected due to this injury. I want reasonable compensation.”

Incidents involving injury during yoga has increased, said orthopaedists in China.

“Many patients said that they felt it was hard to bear their weight when doing some yoga poses but would try to carry on. This way of practising, challenging the limit of human bodies, often causes bad results for their health,” said Pan Jun, a doctor from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University’s orthopaedics department.

Beginner yogis are advised to respect their bodies’ limitations, starting slowly and progressing steadily under a qualified instructor. /TISG

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