The term rotation in this article refers to the rotation of the thighbone (femur) in the acetabulum of the hip joint. These actions are important to keep your knees and hip joints healthy and in the long term to open the hip joints so that lengthy sitting in Padmasana and similar postures becomes possible.
These rotations need not be performed ad infinitum but only to the point of the thighbone reaching the “neutral” position. This is the position in which the previous opposite movement (i.e. the one that gets you into the posture) has been annulled.
Please read and understand this information against the backdrop of all other anatomical details given in my 2006 text Ashtanga Yoga Practice and Philosophy.
Downward Dog and Pada Hastasana
Internally rotate both thighbones
Utthita Trikonasana
Internally rotate thigh of front leg and externally rotate thigh of back leg
Parivrta Trikonasana
Internally rotate both thighbones
Utthita Parsvakonasana
Internally rotate thigh of front leg and externally rotate thigh of back leg
Parivrta Parsvakonasana
Externally rotate thigh of front leg and internally rotate thigh of back leg
Prasarita Padottanasana
Internally rotate both thighbones
Padmottanasana
Internally rotate both thighbones
Utthita Hasta Padangushtasana and side version
Internally rotate both thighbones
Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana
Internally rotate both thighbones
Utkatasana
Internally rotate both thighbones
Virabhadrasana A
Internally rotate both thighbones
Virabhadrasana B
Internally rotate thigh of front leg and externally rotate thigh of back leg
Pashimottanasana
Internally rotate both thighbones
Purvottanasana
Internally rotate both thighbones
In all of the following postures the thigh of the straight leg is always internally rotated
Ardha Baddha Padma Pashimottanasana
Internally rotate thigh of bent leg
Triang Mukha Ekapada Pashimottanasana
Externally rotate thigh of bent leg
Janushirshasana A
Internally rotate thigh of bent leg
Janushirshana B
Externally rotate thigh of bent leg
Janushirshasana C
Internally rotate thigh of bent leg
Marichyasana A
Externally rotate thigh of upright leg
Marichyasana B
Externally rotate thigh of upright leg and internally rotate thigh of leg in half-lotus
Marichyasana C
Externally rotate thigh of bent leg
Marichyasana D
Externally rotate thigh of upright leg and internally rotate thigh of leg in half-lotus
Kurmasana
Internally rotate both thighbones
Supta Kurmasana
Externally rotate both thighbones
Garbha Pindasana and Kukkutasana
Internally rotate both thighbones
Baddha Konasana
Internally rotate both thighbones
Upavishta Konasana
Internally rotate both thighbones
Supta Konasana
Internally rotate both thighbones
Supta Padangushtasana and side version
Internally rotate both thighbones
Ubhaya Padangusthana
Internally rotate both thighbones
Urdhva Mukha Pashimottanasana
Internally rotate both thighbones
Setu Bandhasana
Externally rotate both thighbones
Urdhva Dhanurasana
Internally rotate both thighbones