Lower back pain is very common and you are likely to experience it at some point during your life. But just because back pain is common, it does not mean you have to live with it. Try yoga, the age-old practice that can relieve back soreness and also improves its functionality.
According to a report published in the ‘Annals of Internal Medicine’, yoga is an effective pain management practice and can reduce and eradicate the need for pain medication. Yoga is a natural way that helps improve your spine health from top to bottom. Yoga asanas for back pain release the tight muscles and alleviate the pain in your aching back, gifting you a happy and healthier life.
While yoga is good for occasional soreness or chronic aches, it is not a good idea when you have the problem of severe pain. It is recommended to consult your doctor before starting any new fitness regimen.
How Yoga Helps Relieve Back Pain?
There are some yoga stretches, which when performed in a correct manner, can help lower back pain. But how do these pain relief exercises help? It is because they:
- Strengthens our back: Correct posture is one of the fantastic ways to avoid back discomfort. Yoga strengthens our back muscles, thus allowing us to maintain a correct body posture, which keeps us away from back pain. When you have trouble sitting up straight, you need to add a few yoga asanas to strengthen your core muscles.
- More secured spine: Strong back muscles can assist maintain the joints of your spine free of constriction. Remember, that a stable spine is responsible to provide more support as it relieves part of the load.
Simple Yoga Stretches that Soothe Back Pain
Yoga experts say that you should be less concerned about flexibility and more about making yourself stable, while improving your breath quality when you rest. The following yoga poses will help take care of all parts of your body while focusing on your core and back muscles.
Extended Child’s Pose
This gentle forward fold relaxes and releases tension in your neck and back.
- How to do it: Start on all fours with your arms stretched in front. Now sit back so that your butt muscles come to rest, but should not touch your heels. Hold your body in this position for 5 to 10 breaths. Repeat 5- 6 times as needed to enjoy a good and soothing stretch.
- How it helps: Child’s pose lengthens the sides of your body. It provides traction on the spine and brings awareness to the midline of the body.
Reclined Supine Twist
This is a great stretch, especially for the lower back, and provides instant relief when your muscles are tight.
- How to do it: Lie flat on your back, and pull your knees to your chest. Now turn both legs to the left. Keep in mind that your right knee should lie on top of your left, as they are stacked. Do not force your knees down if you feel pain, instead use a pillow under your knee for support. Stay in this position for 1 to 2 minutes, and repeat on the other side.
- How it helps: This stretching exercise eases tension in the lower back as it helps open your hip joints and muscles.
Extended Triangle Pose
This classic standing posture is simple to perform and stretches your spine, hips, and groin while strengthening your shoulders, chest, and legs.
- How to do it: While standing keep your feet about 4 feet apart and lift your arms parallel to the floor. Now tilt forward and hinge at your right hip. Bring your hand to your leg or if possible onto the floor. Extend your left arm up, and hold this pose for up to 1 minute. Repeat on the opposite side.
- How it helps: It lengthens and strengthens the side body, arms, and legs. It is also good for keeping your back in proper condition and stretches the muscle fibers along your outer hip.
Cobra
However, people with mid back pain may not go very far in this yoga when they have just started, but this yoga posture is very good as it focuses on active back bending.
- How to do it: Lie face-down and rest your forehead on the ground. Place your hand on either side of your body, and draw your legs together. Using the strength of the back and not arms, lift your head and chest, while sliding shoulder blades down the back. Take 5 to 19 breaths and then gently release your body to the floor, turning your head to one side.
- How it helps: This yoga posture stretches your spine and strengthens it in due course of time.
Cat and Cow Pose
This pose loosens your back muscles and warms you up for further yoga sessions.
- How to do it: Starting on all four, move into the Cat pose by slowly pressing your spine up and arching your back. Hold and after a few seconds, move to Cow by scooping your spine in. Moving back and forth from cat to cow helps your spine to move into a neutral position. Repeat 10 times or as instructed by your yoga therapist.
- How it helps: This is a perfect pose for your achy and sore back, as it loosens your back muscles.
Conclusion
Your back is specially designed and supports your every movement. Keeping it in great shape will help you performing daily chores seamlessly and swiftly. Yoga, although simple to perform, it should be done under the supervision of a trained yoga expert. Patanjali Wellness Center can fulfill your yoga needs keeping you healthy and happy at all points of your lives.
