Editing Lotus position (section)

==Effects==

Lotus is one of the yoga poses that most commonly causes injury.<ref name="AcottCramer2013">{{cite journal |last1=Acott |first1=Ted S. |last2=Cramer |first2=Holger |last3=Krucoff |first3=Carol |last4=Dobos |first4=Gustav |title=Adverse Events Associated with Yoga: A Systematic Review of Published Case Reports and Case Series |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=8 |issue=10 |year=2013 |pages=e75515 |issn=1932-6203 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0075515|pmid=24146758 |pmc=3797727 |bibcode=2013PLoSO...875515C |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="PenmanStevens2012">{{cite journal |last1=Penman |first1=Stephen |last2=Stevens |first2=Philip |last3=Cohen |first3=Marc |last4=Jackson |first4=Sue |title=Yoga in Australia: Results of a national survey |journal=International Journal of Yoga |volume=5 |issue=2 |year=2012 |pages=92–101 |issn=0973-6131 |doi=10.4103/0973-6131.98217|pmid=22869991 |pmc=3410203 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Attempts to force the legs into lotus pose can [[knee injury|injure the knees]] by squeezing and damaging the [[medial meniscus]] cartilage; this is painful and takes a long time to heal. The [[hip joint]]s must rotate outwards approximately 115 degrees to permit full lotus. Students who cannot achieve this much hip rotation may try to compensate by bending the knee joint sideways, risking injury. Rather than bending the knee, the thighs can be encouraged to rotate outwards (using hand pressure or a strap).<ref name="Cole 2019">{{cite web |last1=Cole |first1=Roger |title=How to Protect the Knees in Lotus and Related Postures |url=https://www.yogajournal.com/teach/protect-the-knees-in-lotus-and-related-postures |publisher=[[Yoga Journal]] |date=5 February 2019 |orig-year=2007}}</ref> 

The [[Modern yoga gurus|yoga guru]] [[B. K. S. Iyengar]] notes that people unused to sitting on the floor will initially feel "excruciating" pain in the knees, but that this subsides with practice, until the pose becomes relaxing, both restful and alert and hence ideal for [[pranayama]].{{sfn|Iyengar|1991|p=131}}

Twentieth century advocates of some schools of yoga, such as Iyengar, made [[Yoga as therapy#Biomedical claims|claims for the effects of yoga]] on specific organs, without adducing any evidence.{{sfn|Newcombe|2019|pp=203-227, Chapter "Yoga as Therapy"}}{{sfn|Jain|2015|pp=82–83}} 
Iyengar claimed that Padmasana encourages blood circulation in the abdomen and lumbar region, toning the spine and abdominal organs.{{sfn|Iyengar|1991|pp=131-132}}