Contraindications to yoga practice

Exacerbations / Infections / Injuries

• Acute infectious diseases, including acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI) with elevated body temperature, as well as purulent or necrotic processes.

• Any acute condition or exacerbation of chronic illnesses.

• Severe physical debilitation (asthenia) following physical trauma, surgery, or recent serious illness.

• Postoperative period of any kind.

• Unresolved or unstable injuries.

 

Mental Health

• Organic (including symptomatic) mental disorders.

• Mental disorders and behavioral disturbances related to the use of psychoactive substances.

• Schizophrenia, schizotypal disorders, and delusional disorders.

• Mood (affective) disorders.• Personality and behavioral disorders in adulthood.

• Intellectual disability (developmental delay).

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Diseases of the Nervous System

• Inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system (CNS).

• Systemic atrophies primarily affecting the CNS (e.g., certain degenerative conditions).

• Extrapyramidal and other movement disorders.

• Other degenerative diseases of the nervous system according to ICD-10 (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, localized brain atrophy).

• Demyelinating diseases of the CNS.

• Epilepsy.

• Transitory ischemic attacks (variable transient cerebral ischemic episodes).

• Syndromes of the anterior, middle, or posterior cerebral arteries.

• Polyneuropathies and other lesions of the peripheral nervous system.

• Diseases of the neuromuscular junction and muscles (e.g., myasthenia, myopathies, muscular dystrophy).

• Cerebral palsy and other paralytic syndromes.

• Other nervous system disorders (e.g., hydrocephalus, multisystem degeneration, etc.).

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Diseases of the Eyes and Eyelids

• Acute or subacute inflammatory conditions and ocular injuries.

• Lens dislocation.

• Vascular occlusions of the retina.

• Glaucoma with uncontrolled intraocular pressure.

• Degenerative myopia.

• Risk of retinal detachment or history of retinal detachment surgery.

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Diseases of the Ear and Mastoid Process

• Hearing loss of vascular origin (labyrinthine ischemia or hemorrhage), inflammation of the eustachian tube.

• Postoperative period involving the eustachian tube (e.g., otosclerosis). Inverted (upside-down) poses are contraindicated in such cases.

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Diseases of the Circulatory System: Rheumatic Heart Disease

• Rheumatic heart disease with any degree of active inflammation, accompanied by moderate to severe (Grade 2–3) valvular lesions.

• Inactive rheumatic heart disease with Grade 1 valvular lesions, on bicillin prophylaxis with rheumatologist consultation, is not a contraindication.

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Other Cardiac Conditions

• Post-myocardial cardiosclerosis with cavity dilation (enlargement of heart chambers).

• Chronic rheumatic pericarditis.

• Arterial hypertension (Grades 2–3) with uncontrolled blood pressure.

• Hypertension (Grades 1–2) with good blood pressure control and cardiologist supervision is not a contraindication.

• Angina (starting from Functional Class 3); Angina Class 2 with hemodynamically significant coronary artery stenosis (per coronary angiography).

• Angina Class 1–2 without hemodynamically significant lesions is not a contraindication.

• Previous myocardial infarction (post-infarction cardiosclerosis).

• Ischemic heart disease (IHD) with heart failure Class 2A or higher.

• Aneurysms of the aorta, coronary artery, or pulmonary artery.

• Pulmonary hypertension with a pressure gradient > 40 mmHg (either as a primary condition or secondary to cardiovascular disease).

• Pulmonary insufficiency Stages 2–3.

• Heart failure (HF) Class IIa or higher (per Strazhesko-Vasilenko), NYHA Functional Class II.

• Arteriovenous fistula of the pulmonary vessels.

• Pericarditis.

• Endocarditis.

• Cardiomyopathy (dilated, obstructive, hypertrophic, or due to metabolic disorders).

• Endomyocardial (eosinophilic) disease.

• Endocardial fibroelastosis.​

 

Rhythm and Conduction Disorders

• Atrioventricular (AV) block of 2nd or 3rd degree.

• Three-bundle branch block.

• Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome without arrhythmias is not a contraindication.

• Recurrent ventricular arrhythmia.

• Paroxysmal arrhythmias (supraventricular or ventricular tachycardia).

• Sick sinus syndrome (SSS).

• Heart failure.

• Acquired septal defect in the heart.​

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Cerebrovascular Diseases

• Subarachnoid hemorrhage.

• Occlusion and stenosis of precerebral arteries.

• Dissection of cerebral arteries.

• Cerebral atherosclerosis.

• Progressive vascular leukoencephalopathy.

• Hypertensive encephalopathy.

• Moyamoya disease.

• Non-purulent thrombosis of the intracranial venous system.

• Cerebral arteritis not classified elsewhere.

• Obliterating thrombangitis (Buerger’s disease).

• Muscular and connective tissue dysplasia of arteries.

• Budd-Chiari syndrome.

• Postphlebitic syndrome Grade 3.

• Compression of veins (superior vena cava syndrome).

• Venous insufficiency Grades 2–3.

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Blood Diseases

• Erythrocytopenia (significant red blood cell deficiency).

• Leukopenia (significant white blood cell deficiency).

• Thrombocytopenic purpura.

• Hemophilia.​

 

Endocrine System Disorders

• Diabetes mellitus with neuropathy or retinopathy.

• Diabetes mellitus with nephropathy (chronic kidney disease stages 2–3, microalbuminuria > 300 mg/day).​

 

Diseases of the Digestive System

• Crohn’s disease.

• Rectal prolapse.

• Hemorrhoids in the acute phase, especially with bleeding.

• Hepatic insufficiency in the decompensated stage (Grades 2–3).

• Cirrhosis of the liver.​

 

Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System

• Aortic arch syndrome (Takayasu arteritis) with complications.

• Spinal canal stenosis (relative or critical).

• Cervical intervertebral disc lesions with myelopathy.

• Myositis ossificans (traumatic or progressive).

• Palmar fascial fibromatosis (Dupuytren’s contracture).

• Osteoporosis with pathological fractures.

• Algoneurodystrophy (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome).

• Paget’s disease of bone (deforming osteitis).

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Genitourinary System

• Chronic kidney diseases with chronic renal failure Grades 2–3.

• Renal osteodystrophy.

• Varicocele (enlarged veins of the spermatic cord).

• Prolapse or hernia of the ovary or fallopian tube.​

 

Respiratory System

• Paralysis of the vocal cords and larynx.

• Laryngeal stenosis.

• Pleurisy and other pleural conditions (e.g., pneumothorax, fibrothorax, hemothorax).

• Respiratory failure Stages 2–3.

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Oncology

• Malignant neoplasms of any origin.

 

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Important Note: This list aims to provide general guidance. The final decision regarding fitness for yoga practice should be made in collaboration with an appropriate healthcare specialist. If you have any pre-existing condition, or if you are unsure whether any of these conditions might apply to you, please consult your physician or another qualified medical professional before beginning or continuing yoga.