THERAPIES & TRADITIONS · GUIDE
Child's Pose and Resting Poses: Purpose, Knee Comfort and Alternatives
Where child's pose and final relaxation sit in a yoga class, what little research exists on resting poses, and knee and pregnancy cautions with the alternatives sources mention.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Back to Yoga & MovementWhat research can and cannot say about resting poses
Child's pose and savasana (final relaxation, often called corpse pose) are two resting poses that appear in published yoga trial protocols. Resting poses are rarely studied on their own, because trials usually test a whole class or program. This page shows where these poses appear in trials, the few direct findings we could read, and cautions for knees and pregnancy. It does not teach the poses.
Proper evidence not found for measurements of what child's pose asks of the knees, hips or spine, or for trials of child's pose by itself. We searched PubMed for "child's pose", "balasana", "savasana", "shavasana", "corpse pose" and yoga knee loading.
Where resting poses sit in a class
Published trial protocols build rest into every session:
- A back-pain protocol for US Veterans lists child's pose among the postures of a 12-week hatha program. Each class includes a breathing exercise, a discussion of yoga principles, postures and a relaxation exercise (svasana). Optional chair modifications are described for child's pose in the teacher and participant manuals.[1]
- An earlier trial of yoga for chronic low back pain used classes with breathing exercises, 5 to 11 postures and guided deep relaxation.[2] A larger trial's classes began with relaxation and ended with relaxation, and used props such as a chair, strap and blocks.[3]
These trials measured whole programs, so they cannot tell us what the resting parts contributed.
What small studies found
- Savasana: 22 healthy young volunteers had heart rate and blood pressure recorded after several poses and during supine (lying on the back) recovery. The authors concluded that cardiovascular recovery was greater after doing poses than after lying in shavasana alone, a finding they read as better response when effort comes before relaxation.[4] This is a small, immediate physiological finding in healthy people, not a health outcome.
- Restorative yoga: a pilot trial randomized 26 underactive, overweight adults with metabolic syndrome to 15 sessions of 90 minutes over 10 weeks or a wait-list. It showed feasibility and a trend toward lower blood pressure (p = 0.07), and the authors called for a larger trial.[5] Insufficient evidence so far. See Restorative Yoga and Yin and Restorative Yoga Compared.
- Child's pose and heart rhythm: one 2025 case report describes a 27-year-old woman who used child's pose to end her own episodes of a fast heart rhythm (supraventricular tachycardia), confirmed in a clinical setting.[6] One patient cannot show it works for others. A racing heart, chest pain or fainting needs medical assessment; in the United States, call 911 for an emergency. Case report only.
Knee comfort
NCCIH says the most common yoga injuries are sprains and strains, most often in the knee or lower leg, and lists knee or hip injuries among conditions that may call for modified practice.[7] A systematic review of nine observational studies found a higher risk of meniscus (knee cartilage) injuries in yoga practitioners than in non-practitioners (odds ratio 1.72), though its abstract does not say which poses were involved.[8]
Proper evidence not found for a study comparing alternatives to child's pose for people with knee pain. We searched for yoga with knee injury, deep knee flexion and knee osteoarthritis. What the sources do show is that trial programs built in props and chair options.[1] Ask a clinician or qualified teacher what suits your knees. See Yoga Props and Chair Yoga.
Frequently asked questions
What is the purpose of child's pose?
The sources we read do not state one. Trial protocols include it among their postures alongside breathing and relaxation exercises.[1]
Do I have to do savasana?
The sources do not say it is required. Relaxation was part of the class structure in the trials we read.[3][2]
Child's pose hurts my knees. What now?
Knee problems are the most common site of yoga injuries and may call for modification.[7] The sources do not name a proven alternative. Ask a clinician or teacher, and see Pain During Yoga.
Is it fine to lie flat for relaxation while pregnant?
Sources advise avoiding long periods on your back, especially later in pregnancy.[7][9][10] Ask your care provider about a position for you.
Can child's pose treat a fast heartbeat?
Only a single case report exists.[6] Do not rely on a pose for palpitations; talk to a clinician.
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Pregnancy
Three health sources agree on one point that affects resting poses. NCCIH says to avoid activities, including yoga poses, that involve long periods of being still or lying on your back.[7] ACOG explains that lying on the back lets the uterus press on a large vein returning blood to the heart, which may briefly lower blood pressure.[9] The NHS says that in later pregnancy, lying flat on your back for more than a few minutes can cause dizziness.[10]
None of these pages names child's pose or savasana, and none names a replacement resting position. ACOG says prenatal classes often teach modified poses for a pregnant woman's shifting balance.[9] Ask your midwife or obstetrician, and tell your teacher you are pregnant.[10] ACOG lists vaginal bleeding, feeling dizzy or faint and chest pain as signs to stop exercising and call your ob-gyn.[9] See Prenatal Yoga and Yoga and Movement in Pregnancy: Cautions and Warning Signs.
| Question | What the sources found | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Does child's pose have its own benefits? | Not found beyond one case report[6] | Proper evidence not found |
| Does savasana lower heart rate and blood pressure? | Small study in 22 healthy young people[4] | Preliminary |
| Restorative poses for metabolic syndrome | Pilot trial of 26 adults[5] | Insufficient evidence |
| Lying on the back in pregnancy | Three sources advise limiting it[7][9][10] | Established advice |
References
- Saper RB et al., Trials 2016: Yoga versus education for Veterans with chronic low back pain, study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Read 2026-10-22.
- Sherman KJ et al., Arch Intern Med 2011: A randomized trial comparing yoga, stretching, and a self-care book for chronic low back pain. Read 2026-10-22.
- Saper RB et al., Ann Intern Med 2017: Yoga, physical therapy, or education for chronic low back pain, a randomized noninferiority trial. Read 2026-10-22.
- Bhavanani AB et al., Int J Yoga 2014: Comparative immediate effect of different yoga asanas on heart rate and blood pressure in healthy young volunteers. Read 2026-10-22.
- Cohen BE et al., Metab Syndr Relat Disord 2008: Restorative yoga in adults with metabolic syndrome, a randomized, controlled pilot trial. Read 2026-10-22.
- Zuhair M et al., Oxf Med Case Rep 2025: Yoga in the emergency room, termination of SVT with the Child's pose. Read 2026-10-22.
- NCCIH: Yoga: Effectiveness and Safety. Read 2026-10-22.
- Cramer H, Ostermann T, Dobos G, J Sci Med Sport 2018: Injuries and other adverse events associated with yoga practice, a systematic review of epidemiological studies. Read 2026-10-22.
- ACOG: Exercise During Pregnancy. Read 2026-10-22.
- NHS (UK): Exercise in pregnancy. Read 2026-10-22.