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Good afternoon, yoga friends. Today, we will explore how to handle problems with the knees, hips, ankle joints, and feet. You are heartily invited to practice with us. First, let's learn the correct standing position. The weight of your body should be distributed across three specific points on each foot: 1. The base of the big toe. 2. The base of the fifth (small) toe. 3. The outer edge of the heel. When these three points are grounded correctly, your knee naturally aligns in the right position. If weight shifts to the inner foot, the knee collapses inward. In this stressed position, with the patella facing inward, the ligaments and meniscus are strained. It is crucial that when bearing weight, the knee points in the same direction as the foot—specifically, between the big toe and the second toe. Any deviation inward or outward imbalances the muscles and endangers the menisci and ligaments. Let's practice this alignment in āsanas. Please stand up. Place your feet slightly apart, turned a little outward. Put your hands on your hips. Ensure your knees point in the same direction as your big and second toes. Become aware of the three weight-bearing points on your feet. Now, take a deep inhale. While exhaling, slightly bend your right knee, shifting weight onto the right leg. Feel the engagement in the thigh and calf muscles. Inhale to return to center. Repeat this movement a few times, then switch to the left side. Next, increase the movement. Inhale fully, then exhale as you bend the right knee deeply, shifting most of your weight to the right side until the left foot only touches the floor with the toes. Ensure the knee tracks correctly and your body stays straight. The feeling should not be of sinking into the floor, but of growing upward from a supportive base. Repeat on the left side. Now, refine the balance. Shift weight to the right side and lift your right heel, so you are standing only on the bases of your big and fifth toes. Feel the calf muscles activate. The movement is upward, not downward. Gradually transfer all weight to one leg, lifting the other completely off the floor. Maintain a straight body and ensure the knee points correctly. Feel the engagement in your spine and lumbar muscles. Return to center. We will now practice a variation of Trikoṇāsana for stabilization. Stand with legs far apart. Turn your right foot out. The knee must follow the same direction. Inhale to lengthen the spine, then exhale to shift weight to the center. Turn your body forward, then turn your left foot out. Clasp your hands behind your back. Inhale, then exhale as you bend the left knee, ensuring correct alignment. Gently bring your forehead toward the knee. Inhale to rise, return weight to the center, and face forward. Repeat twice on each side, moving with the rhythm of your breath. Now, let's practice standing on one leg. Stand with feet closer together. Feel the three points on both soles. Slightly bend both knees. Shift weight to the right leg, keeping the body straight. Bend the left knee and draw it toward the chest, keeping the back straight. Feel the tension in the calf and thigh. Slowly return the foot to the floor and center your weight. Repeat on the left side, drawing the right knee up. Keep the shoulder blades drawn together and avoid hyperextending the knee. These examples effectively improve the stability of the knees and feet. Now, we will do āsanas to improve knee flexibility—the ability to freely extend and flex the joint. Please sit with legs straight, back erect, feeling the subtle upward pull from the crown of the head. Interlock your fingers under your right knee. Inhale deeply. On the exhale, bend the knee toward your chest, bringing the forehead toward the knee. Inhale to stretch the leg straight and lengthen the spine. Repeat, then practice with the left leg. To enhance the stretch when the leg is straight, flex the foot upward. This āsana is also excellent for hip flexibility. You can also practice it lying on your back. Lie down. Take a full yogic breath. Exhale, bend the right knee, and interlock fingers under it. Inhale to stretch the leg straight, feeling a stretch along the back of the leg, especially the often-tight calf muscles. Exhale to bend the knee again. Try to keep the opposite leg on the floor, pressing that knee down to strengthen the muscles. Alternate legs. As you stretch, flex the foot; as you bend, point it. This mobilizes all the joints of the leg. This prepares you well for "bicycling," which is excellent for the knees, hips, and ankles, improves blood circulation, supports vein health, and strengthens the abdominal muscles. Inhale as you lift the foot, bend the knee, and stretch the leg upward. Exhale as you slowly lower the leg. The movement actively engages the hip, knee, and ankle. Gently press the lower back into the floor and engage the abdominal muscles. This movement without weight bearing greatly supports the blood circulation and metabolism within the joint, nourishing the synovial fluid. You can also cycle backwards. If you have lumbar spine issues, you can bend the opposite knee for support. There was a question: Can these movements be done with an artificial knee joint? The answer is yes. We will continue with Aśvasañcalāsana, which is good for knee stability and flexibility. From a kneeling position with a straight back and arms stretched forward (fingers interlocked), inhale as you move your body backward, straightening the knees. Exhale as you bend the knees and come forward. When straightening, the knees should not sink; the calf and thigh should be in one line. You will feel strength in the abdominal and back muscles. Now, an āsana to relax the whole body and improve knee circulation. Lie on your stomach. Place your arms forward beside your head and rest your chin on your hands, relaxing the spine and back. Slowly bend and stretch your right and left knees alternately. In this position, with the hips extended, the thigh muscles stretch as you bend the knee and relax as you straighten it. This differs from the earlier supine position. We can intensify this movement. Lying on your stomach with arms beside your head, inhale to lift the head and upper chest slightly. Simultaneously, bend your knees, bringing your heels toward your head. Exhale to lower and stretch out. This strengthening variant should not be performed if you have pain in the lumbar spine. We will finish with two standing āsanas. First, I remind you of the importance of the three foundational points on the feet for a harmonized load on the knees. For the next posture, stand with legs apart, feet turned out according to your hip flexibility. Keep your back completely straight and interlock your fingers. Inhale, then exhale as you bend both knees. It is immensely important that the knees point in the same direction as your feet—between the big and second toes—and that you feel the support of the three points on your feet. Inhale to rise. Repeat three times, each time trying to sink a little lower. Imagine your head and back are against a wall, sliding down it to keep the torso upright. The degree of foot turnout depends entirely on your hip flexibility to prevent the knees from angling inward harmfully. Our final āsana today is Pārta Āsana. It stretches and strengthens the whole body and teaches balance on the bases of the toes. Stand, take a deep inhale. Exhale and interlock your fingers, turning the palms downward. Inhale as you stretch your arms overhead, protecting the lower back. Rise onto your toes. Exhale as you bend the elbows, bringing the hands toward the head, and lower your heels toward the floor. Inhale to stretch up again, exhale to bend. Repeat once more, then relax. This concludes our session. Thank you all for practicing with us. Our next webcast will be this evening at eight o'clock. Until then, thank you for watching and practicing.