How you prepare for and recuperate from surgery is an essential part of reclaiming your well-being. While the knee joint may be tender prior to surgery, there are ways to adapt the yoga practice to support range of motion and comfort prior to the procedure. Equally important is how you incorporate and progress with your new knee following surgery. Hermann will review the anatomy of the procedure while Garth will introduce the methodology of adapting classic asanas for impaired knees and progressive steps to recuperate after surgery.
Recommended props
1–2 sticky mats, 2 or more blankets, 1 towel, 2 belts, 2–3 blocks, 1 or more bolsters, 1 chair, access to wall space and, if possible, a trestle.
Prerequisites
Participants must have a minimum of two years of Iyengar Yoga practice. This seminar is appropriate for students and Certified Iyengar Yoga Teachers (CIYTs).
Knee Replacement Sequence Cards
Participants in this workshop will receive early access and discounted pricing on IYT’s newest set of three double-sided, 8.5″ × 14″ laminated sequence cards featuring therapeutic yoga practices to support knee health throughout the knee replacement journey.
Card 1: A sequence to promote the general health, stability, and mobility of the knees.
Card 2: A therapeutic sequence designed to prepare for knee replacement surgery.
Card 3: A recovery sequence to support healing and rehabilitation after knee replacement surgery.
Developed by IYT, each card includes clear photographs demonstrating the use of props, concise practice instructions, and suggested hold times for each asana.
The workshop will bring the IYT sequence cards to life by demonstrating the practices, explaining the therapeutic rationale behind each sequence, and offering guidance for adapting the practices safely for individual needs. The laminated cards then serve as a convenient reference for continued home practice.
Special Workshop Pricing
Healthy Knee Sequence Cards: $45
Knee Replacement Workshop: $65
Note that we do not supply separate invoices and that workshop registration is non-refundable.
CE Credits
Continuing education credit with IYNAUS is available and this is an IAYT Approved Professional Development (APD) course.
Hermann Traitteur
Dr. Hermann Traitteur grew up in Munich, Germany, where he began practicing Iyengar Yoga in the late 1980s. In 1990, he relocated to Berlin to pursue medical studies and subsequently worked as a an MD in an orthopedic practice. Alongside his medical education, he completed the Teacher Training Program at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco.
Dr. Traitteur obtained his CIYT Level 3 certification from the Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States (IYNAUS) and has continued to deepen his knowledge and practice through regular stays at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI) in Pune, India.
He is a co-founder and co-director of the Iyengar Yoga Institute of Berlin, where he teaches both general and medical classes. Since the late 1990s, Dr. Traitteur has served as a lecturer and assessor in Iyengar Yoga teacher training programs throughout Germany and Austria. In recent years, he has begun teaching internationally, offering both online and in-person seminars across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. His doctoral dissertation, published in 2012, investigated the effects of Iyengar Yoga on chronic neck pain. He is also the author of Yoga Asana Anatomy and his latest book, Yoga Asana Physiology, was published this year.
Garth McLean
Garth McLean is an internationally recognized senior Iyengar Yoga teacher (Level 3 (Int. Senior III), C-IAYT) and yoga therapist known for his work with individuals living with neurological conditions and movement-related challenges. His teaching emphasizes accessibility, inclusion, and adaptive practice, making the transformative benefits of Iyengar yoga available to students of all abilities.
Drawing on both his extensive professional expertise and personal experience, Garth brings valuable insight to this workshop following his successful rehabilitation from undergoing a total knee replacement in 2024.
He serves on the advisory boards and faculty of Iyengar Yoga Therapeutics, as well as AnuYoga, a nonprofit organization dedicated to integrating Iyengar Yoga as a therapeutic intervention within hospitals and rehabilitative healthcare settings.