# Menstruating women should not do yoga? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 1, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstruating-women-should-not-do-yoga/328972 "2005-11-01T20:51:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/85e7bf/32.png) [@Velma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velma)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstruating-women-should-not-do-yoga/328972/1 "2005-11-01T20:51:51Z")
I have a yoga DVD that I just bought that I have been working out with for about a month. Last time I noticed in the slew of disclaimers at the beginning it mentioned “women who are menstruating should not perform inverted poses or vigorous standing poses.” Is there a real medical reason for this or are they just covering themselves (from what?) I have been doing the whole workout and not having any problems, but is there some danger that I am missing here? I have been racking my brain trying to come up with the horrors of inverted poses while on my period, but nothing is coming to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstruating-women-should-not-do-yoga/328972/2 "2005-11-01T21:17:30Z")
Leakage? ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstruating-women-should-not-do-yoga/328972/3 "2005-11-01T21:43:57Z")
[From Yoga Journal](http://www.yogajournal.com/newtoyoga/831_1.cfm). At one time, it was thought that doing inverted poses during menstruation could cause endometriosis, but that has been disproven. ---
**Author:** ![Velma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/85e7bf/32.png) [@Velma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velma)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstruating-women-should-not-do-yoga/328972/4 "2005-11-01T21:55:28Z")
Thanks. I wondered if it was a medical issue or a philosophical one, as I am not afraid of interrupting the energy flow or whatever, but a physical issue I would want to know about. I am a little suprised this DVD mentioned it since it is a recent release though, if the idea has been disproven. And I still wonder about the ‘vigorous standing poses’ ban, unless that just has to do with some women having less energy then? ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstruating-women-should-not-do-yoga/328972/5 "2005-11-01T21:56:01Z")
[A previous thread on this very issue.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=272229) ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstruating-women-should-not-do-yoga/328972/6 "2005-11-01T22:03:58Z")
And a semi-related thread with some links to good info. [Periods in Space: TMI](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=248250) ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstruating-women-should-not-do-yoga/328972/7 "2005-11-01T22:44:34Z")
I thought it was called “femstruation” nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstruating-women-should-not-do-yoga/328972/8 "2005-11-01T22:46:30Z")
Oh, and: > [@Velma](#): > > I am a little suprised this DVD mentioned it since it is a recent release though, if the idea has been disproven. This is yoga we’re talking about, right? The disproof of something has never stopped a yoga practitioner from claiming it before.