How can you relieve lower back pain? What stretches are most effective? Get the answers to these questions and more in this comprehensive guide.

Addressing the Epidemic of Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain is an incredibly common condition that affects up to 80% of people at some point in their lives. While the exact causes can vary, musculoskeletal damage and issues with the lumbar spine are often the root of the problem. Fortunately, there are a number of effective stretches and exercises that can help soothe and prevent lower back pain. In this article, we’ll explore 8 of the most powerful stretches to provide relief.

The Knee-to-Chest Stretch: Elongating the Lower Back

One of the most beneficial stretches for lower back pain is the knee-to-chest. To perform this move, lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Use your hands to gently pull one knee at a time up towards your chest, holding for 30-60 seconds. This helps lengthen the lower back muscles and release tension. For an added challenge, you can simultaneously pull both knees to your chest for 15-20 seconds.

Trunk Rotation: Relieving Tension Through Core Engagement

The trunk rotation stretch targets the core muscles that support the lower back. Start by lying on your back with knees bent up towards your chest. Keeping your knees together, gently roll them over to one side, holding for 15-20 seconds. Repeat on the other side, completing 5-10 rotations per side. This helps increase flexibility and ease pressure on the lower back.

The Cat-Cow: Enhancing Spinal Mobility

The Cat-Cow is a yoga-inspired sequence that improves range of motion in the spine. Get on your hands and knees, then alternate between arching your back (cat pose) and letting your belly drop (cow pose), holding each for 5-10 seconds. Performing 15-20 reps of this movement can reduce lower back discomfort and tightness. For convenience, you can even do a seated version at your desk.

Targeting Tight Hamstrings: The Seated Hamstring Stretch

Tight hamstrings are often a contributing factor to lower back pain. The seated hamstring stretch helps alleviate this by lengthening the muscles at the back of the thighs. Sit on the floor with one leg extended, looping a towel around the foot. Gently hinge forward at the hips to feel a stretch in the hamstring, holding for 30 seconds before switching sides.

Other Effective Stretches for Lower Back Relief

In addition to the stretches outlined above, there are several other movements that can provide lower back pain relief:

• Child’s Pose: Start on your hands and knees, then sit your hips back towards your heels while keeping your forehead on the floor. Hold for 30-60 seconds.
• Pigeon Pose: From all fours, bring one knee forward and across your body, keeping the other leg straight behind you. Fold your torso over the front leg to feel a stretch in the glutes and hips.
• Supine Twist: Lie on your back with arms outstretched, then slowly let your knees fall to one side while keeping your shoulders on the floor. Hold for 15-20 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

Incorporating Stretches into Your Routine

Regardless of the specific stretches you choose, the key is to make them a consistent part of your daily routine. Even just 5-10 minutes of targeted lower back stretching can make a significant difference in reducing pain and preventing future issues. Consider incorporating these movements into your warm-up, cool-down, or as a stand-alone activity throughout the day.

Remember, while stretching is highly beneficial, it’s also important to address the underlying causes of your lower back pain. This may involve strengthening core muscles, improving posture, or making adjustments to your daily activities and workstation. Consult with a healthcare professional if your pain persists or worsens.

Conclusion

Lower back pain is a widespread problem, but there are many effective ways to find relief. By incorporating targeted stretches like the knee-to-chest, trunk rotation, and Cat-Cow into your routine, you can alleviate tension, increase flexibility, and prevent future episodes of lower back discomfort. Stay consistent with your stretching, and don’t hesitate to seek additional support if needed.

8 Stretches to Relieve Lower Back Pain: Knee-to-Chest, More

You can relieve your lower back pain with yoga poses and other exercises, including the knee-to-chest stretch and Cat-Cow.

Lower back pain can be debilitating and painful.

Staying physically active is perhaps the most effective and cost-efficient way to soothe or prevent it.

Here are 8 simple stretches to relieve lower back pain.

Up to 80% of people experience lower back pain at one time or another (1, 2).

Changes in the lumbar, or lower back, structure due to musculoskeletal damage are considered the main cause. However, the origins of lower back pain can vary (3).

Your musculoskeletal system comprises muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissues that provide form, support, and stability. They also enable movement.

Other muscles that play an important role in maintaining the normal curvature of your spinal column are the hamstrings (located at the back of your thighs) and hip flexors. Tightness in these muscles may cause lower back pain.

Minor lower back pain normally gets better on its own within a few days or weeks. Lower back pain is considered chronic when it persists for more than 3 months (4).

In either case, staying physically active and regularly stretching can help reduce lower back pain or prevent it from returning (5, 6, 7, 8).

This article provides eight stretches for lower back pain, all of which you can do in the comfort of your home with minimal or no equipment.

Summary

Lower back pain is an incredibly common condition that can be relieved or prevented with regular exercise and stretching.

The knee-to-chest stretch can help lengthen your lower back, relieving tension and pain.

To perform the knee-to-chest stretch:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
2. Using both hands, grab hold of your right lower leg and interlace your fingers, or clasp your wrists just under the knee.
3. While keeping your left foot flat on the floor, gently pull your right knee to your chest until you feel a slight stretch in your lower back.
4. Hold your right knee against your chest for 30–60 seconds, making sure to relax your legs, hips, and lower back.
5. Release your right knee and return to the starting position.
6. Repeat steps 2–4 with your left leg.
7. Repeat 3 times for each leg.

To make this stretch more difficult, simultaneously bring your knees to your chest for 15–20 seconds. Do this 3 times, with each rep separated by 30 seconds of rest.

Summary

Perform the knee-to-chest stretch by lying on your back and pulling and then holding one or both knees to your chest.

The trunk rotation can help relieve tension in your lower back. It also works your core muscles, including your abdominals, back muscles, and the muscles around your pelvis.

To perform the trunk rotation:

1. Lie on your back and bring your knees up toward your chest, so your body is positioned as if you’re sitting in a chair.
2. Fully extend your arms out to the sides, with your palms facedown on the floor.
3. Keeping your knees together and hands on the floor, gently roll both bent knees over to your right side and hold for 15–20 seconds.
4. Return to the starting position and repeat step 3 on your left side, again holding for 15–20 seconds.
5. Repeat 5–10 times on each side.

Summary

Perform the trunk rotation by keeping your knees together up toward your chest, gently rolling your knees to one side, and holding the position.

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The Cat-Cow helps increase flexibility and ease tension in your lower back and core muscles.

To perform the Cat-Cow:

1. Get onto your hands and knees with your knees hip-width apart. This is your starting position.
2. Arch your back by pulling your belly button up toward your spine, letting your head drop forward. This is the cat portion of the stretch.
3. Hold for 5–10 seconds. You should feel a gentle stretch in your lower back.
4. Return to the starting position.
5. Raise your head and let your pelvis fall forward, curving your back down toward the floor. This is the cow portion of the stretch.
6. Hold for 5–10 seconds, then return to the starting position.
7. Repeat the Cat-Cow 15–20 times.

You can also perform this move in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your hands on your knees. This modification is a perfect way to sneak in a few stretches at work.

Summary

Perform the Cat-Cow by arching your back for the cat pose, then letting your pelvis fall forward for the cow pose.

Tight hamstrings are thought to be a common contributor to lower back pain and injuries. This movement stretches the hamstring muscles to relieve tightness and release tension in your spine.

To perform the seated hamstring stretch:

1. Sit on the floor with one leg straight out in front of you.
2. Hook a standard bath towel around the bottom of your foot at the heel.
3. Gently bend forward at your hips, bringing your belly down to your thighs.
4. Keeping your back straight, grab the towel to help you bring your belly closer to your legs.
5. Stretch until you feel mild tension in your lower back and the back of your leg.
6. Hold for 10 seconds, rest for 30 seconds, and repeat 3 times.

You can increase or decrease the tension of this stretch by grabbing the towel closer to or farther away from your feet.

As you become more flexible over time, you can increase how long you hold the stretch or reduce the time between reps.

Summary

Perform the seated hamstring stretch by sitting on the floor with one of your legs extended, hooking a towel around the bottom of your heel, and using the towel to gently pull yourself forward.

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The pelvic tilt is a simple yet effective way to release tight back muscles and maintain their flexibility.

To perform the pelvic tilt:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat. Your hands can be near the base of your head (as if you’re about to perform a situp), or you can have your arms by your sides. The natural curvature of your spine will lift your lower back slightly off the floor.
2. Gently arch your lower back and push your stomach out, stabilizing your core.
3. Hold for 5–10 seconds, then relax.
4. Push your pelvis up slightly toward the ceiling while tightening your abdominal and buttock muscles. In doing so, you should feel your lower back pressing into the floor. (Your pelvis should not leave the floor.)
5. Hold for 5–10 seconds, then relax.
6. Start with 10–15 reps daily, building up to 25–30 reps.

Summary

Perform the pelvic tilt by flattening your back against the floor, tightening your abdominal and buttock muscles, and pushing your pelvis toward the ceiling.

The flexion rotation helps stretch your lower back and buttocks.

To perform the flexion rotation:

1. Lie on your right side with both legs straight.
2. Bend your left leg, hooking your foot behind your right knee.
3. Grasp your left knee with your right arm.
4. Place your left hand behind your neck.
5. Slowly rotate your upper body backward by touching your left shoulder blade to the floor. You should feel a mild stretch in your lower back.
6. Repeat the rotation 10 times, holding each stretch for 1–3 seconds before slowly moving out of the rotation.
7. Repeat steps 1–6 on your left side.

Summary

Perform the flexion rotation by bending one leg, hooking your foot around your other knee, and slowly rotating your upper body backward by touching your shoulder blade to the floor.

You’ll use a foam roller or firm cushion to perform the supported bridge. This move helps decompress your lower back through supported elevation.

To perform the supported bridge:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Lift your hips and place a foam roller or firm cushion underneath them.
3. Completely relax your body into the support of the floor and the foam roller or firm cushion.
4. Hold for 30–60 seconds and repeat 3–5 times, resting for 30–60 seconds between sets.

Summary

Perform the supported bridge by positioning a foam roller or firm cushion underneath your hips and then relaxing your entire body.

Like the supported bridge, the belly flop also decompresses your lower back through supported elevation. This time, you’ll use a rolled towel or blanket.

To perform the belly flop:

1. Roll up a towel or blanket lengthwise, and place it horizontally in front of you.
2. Lie front-side down over the towel or blanket so that your hip bones are pressing into it.
3. Completely relax your body. You can turn your head to either side.
4. Stay in this position for 1–2 minutes and repeat 1–3 times, resting for 30–60 seconds between sets.

Summary

Perform the belly flop by placing a rolled-up towel or blanket under your hip bones, lying front-side down, and relaxing your entire body.

Lower back pain affects many people.

Regular physical activity and stretching are proven ways to help reduce lower back pain and prevent it from returning.

Stretches incorporating muscles like the abdominals and hamstrings can help ease the tightness in your lower back. The trunk rotation, pelvic tilt, and supported bridge are just a few moves you can try to soothe lingering pain.

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3 Ways Yoga Can Help With Back Pain

There are many reasons you may be experiencing back pain. Whether it is caused by an injury, a

herniated disc, or any other condition, a yoga workout can provide relief for even the most uncomfortable and stubborn pain.

Back pain affects 70–90%  of Americans at some point in their lives, and for some, the pain is chronic.

Many people do not seek treatment for their back pain, often because they think it will go away with time or because they want to avoid seeing a doctor. If you are looking for a natural pain remedy for the discomfort in your back that doesn’t involve seeing a medical professional, yoga may be the perfect exercise for you. Learn more about the different ways that yoga can reduce persistent back pain.

Yoga Helps with Posture and Upper-Body Strength

One of the core aspects of yoga is stretching, with many poses that are meant to increase movement, improve flexibility, and reduce discomfort. One of the ways it achieves those goals is through the strengthening of the upper body.

Although yoga is considered a low-intensity exercise, continued practice can train muscles in the back and core to be stronger over time. This is beneficial for those who suffer from chronic back pain. When the muscles in your back are weak, they cannot maintain a set position for long without becoming overexerted and returning to a pose that feels more comfortable, such as a hunched or leaned-over position.

Continued yoga practice can improve your posture, build upper body strength and reduce back pain by meticulously strengthening and lengthening muscles throughout the body. When your posture is straight, it puts less strain on the rest of your spine, neck, and back, making yoga a valuable tool for anyone living with chronic discomfort.

Improved Spinal Mobility from Yoga

Yoga can help support the spine and improve its alignment while also promoting flexibility. One of the most helpful styles of yoga for persistent back pain is Kundalini yoga, which focuses primarily on the spine and back. More advanced yoga poses may not be in your repertoire as a beginner, but you can still find relief through some of the most basic poses and stretches.

Daily yoga stretching in the morning can help the spine by relieving tension that gathered while sleeping as some people can toss and turn at night and wake up with pain in their back the next day. By incorporating frequent yoga poses into your daily routine, you can give your body better mobility and improve your spinal discomfort.

Trying Yoga to Help Lower Back Pain

Yoga can be especially effective at alleviating lower back pain. By holding various poses, specific muscle groups throughout the back become stronger. Many yoga poses offer a gentle approach to strengthening both the back and abdominal muscles—both of which are essential to a healthy spine. When your back and abdominal muscles are strong, it helps you maintain proper posture and movement, reducing back pain. 

In addition to strengthening, yoga also stretches your muscles, reducing overall tension. By holding individual poses from 30-60 seconds, it allows some muscles to flex while others achieve a deep stretch, increasing flexibility and mobility in your muscles and joints. If you are experiencing back pain, stretching is essential, as it is an effective tool for reducing or even eliminating pain.

Yoga Provides Total Body Relaxation

Another benefit of practicing yoga is how relaxing it can be. One great lesson you can take away from yoga is that relaxing is not just a mental state—it can affect your entire body, especially your back. Muscles and joints feel much less tense after even a brief yoga practice because most poses encourage the body to stretch and release built-up tension.

Yoga focuses on deep breathing techniques that are used to calm your mind. These breathing exercises help keep stress levels low and manageable. The best part is that these techniques can be used any time, anywhere, even when you aren’t on your yoga mat. Breathing exercises have been shown to reduce stress in the entire body, especially tension in the back, and you can do them right from your desk.

Important Things to Consider When Exploring Yoga for Lower Back Pain

While yoga is an extremely effective tool for alleviating lower back pain, it’s still a form of exercise, meaning injuries can still occur. Most commonly, injuries occur when people move through poses too quickly, failing to activate their core muscles and rather “dropping” into a pose. This leads to improper form and can increase the risk of injury. 

As with other forms of exercise, when doing yoga, it’s always best to make slow, controlled movements rather than racing through a sequence.   Specifically, if you are new to the practice, it’s important to take things slow, as you probably don’t have the foundation of strength needed to execute the poses at 100%. 

When doing yoga, it’s best to activate your muscles to create a solid foundation. Then, you can lengthen into a pose following proper form to achieve a healthy stretch. A good rule of thumb is to always activate your core muscles, as this will prevent you from compensating in other muscle groups. 

If you are new to yoga or are especially stiff, it’s a good idea to ask the teacher for ways to modify the pose to meet the current state of your body. There are a variety of props used in yoga classes, such as blocks, bolsters, straps, etc that allow people to modify asanas to be in the pose in a healthy way for their body. It’s best to approach the teacher before the class to tell them about your injury or the pain you are experiencing. This way, they can advise you on the safest ways to hold poses for your body.  

Additionally, if you are exploring yoga as a mechanism for healing back pain, it may be best to start with slower-paced practices, such as yin and restorative, as opposed to faster-paced options, such as vinyasa.

Find Long-Term Back Pain Relief with NJ Spine and Orthopedic

Regular yoga practice helps improve core body strength, flexibility, and posture—all of which can help ease back pain. However, there are times when home remedies and exercise aren’t enough to completely solve chronic back pain. Skilled specialists like those at New Jersey Spine and Orthopedic can help patients discover a variety of treatment options that will allow them to find a renewed lease on life.

When you’re ready to work with a team of reputable doctors who can help significantly reduce your pain, call (866) 272-9271 or reach out to us online to schedule a consultation.

Yoga for back pain – Article

Are you suffering from aching back pain? Back pain, especially low back pain, is one of the most common injuries that everyone suffers from, from the young, the athletes who once suffered a severe injury, to the elderly who live with chronic low back pain for years. The good news is that you don’t have to suffer anymore, as there are many ways to get rid of this problem without spending a lot of money on rehab, medication or surgery. In this article, we will look at six simple yoga poses that will do wonders for your back.

CHILD POSE

From the outside, it may seem that this is one of the most relaxing poses in yoga, but it also actively stretches and stretches the back. The pose is also beneficial for those who suffer from insomnia or suffer from pains that prevent them from falling asleep at night. To perform this pose, get on all fours and slowly move towards your heels with your arms outstretched in front of you. The main thing is to keep the buttocks directly above the heels without touching them. Hold this pose for five to ten breaths.

POSE OF THE DOVE

Pigeon pose does not focus on stretching the back, but on hip flexion and rotation. The reason the position helps with back pain is because tight hips can be the cause of lower back pain. When you do the pigeon pose, you keep your hips flexible and thereby limit the back pain you experience. Hold this pose for five to ten breaths before switching legs to stretch evenly on both sides.

BOW POSE

This is one of the more advanced yoga poses and should not be done by those who experience severe back pain. However, if you want to strengthen your back to prevent future injury, correct your posture, and relieve minor pain and tension in your back, bow pose is your best bet. To begin, lie face down on the mat. Keep your arms at your sides and get ready to grab your ankles with your hands. Once your ankles are secure, lift your head, chest, and legs off the mat. While holding this pose, slowly lower yourself onto the mat. As you continue to practice this pose regularly, increase the amount of time. This is a great pose for preventing a bent back, correcting bad posture, and stretching and strengthening your upper back and shoulders.

DOWN FACE DOG

One of the most common yoga poses and most effective for back pain is the downward facing dog. Yoga instructors constantly use it throughout the class. This pose offers an endless array of health benefits and is definitely worth a try for those who suffer especially from lower back pain. To perform this pose, extend your arms in front of you with your legs and feet directly behind you. Push off the mat to form a V-shape. You will feel a stretch in your calf and your whole body will stretch. The downward facing dog is especially useful for stretching the spine and strengthening the lower back, core, and hamstrings.

POSE CAT/COW

This is one of the easiest and most effective yoga poses to do for back pain. It is also a great warm-up to try before any other exercise, as it develops back flexibility and relaxes muscles and relieves tension. We start with cow pose. We kneel, palms are under the shoulders. In this position, we bend the lower back as if someone sat on your back. Raise your head up, as if trying to see something on the ceiling. Further, the pose of the cat – on exhalation, the pelvis moves in the opposite direction, the back arches upwards, the chin rests on the chest.

Yoga for the back and spine: exercises for beginners at home

YOGA “HEALTHY BACK” s important principles of combination: stretching, tension, proper twisting and relaxation of the muscles along the spine. It is from competent combinations of exercises that the effectiveness of exercises depends, remember this.

CONTENTS

• How yoga affects the human body
• Useful video about relieving back tension in 10 minutes
• Tips for beginners at home
• Yoga for back pain: contraindications
• Yoga complexes for back pain
• Description of back asanas
• Downward facing dog pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
• Sphinx Pose (Ardha Bhujangasana)
• Child Pose (Balasana)
• Cat Pose (Bidalasana) or Marjariasana
• Upward facing dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)
• Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
• Locust Pose (Shalabhasana)
• Table Pose (Sahaja Purvottanasana)
• Plank Pose (Chaturanga Dandasana)
• Extended Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana)
• Bridge Pose (Urdhva Dhanurasana)
• Boat Pose (Navasana)
• Lying twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)

• Exercises and asanas for the cervical and thoracic spine
• Yoga exercises for the lower back
• Yoga for strengthening and stretching the muscles of the back

Healthy back is the foundation, the basis for the harmonious functioning of the body. For a full life and health of the body, it is necessary to pay special attention to the spine: after all, with painful sensations in the back, it is almost impossible to focus on something else.

Yoga is an excellent tool for maintaining a healthy back and spine. A complex of yoga exercises and regular training helps to strengthen and stretch the muscles of the back and neck, allowing a person to feel flexible, plastic, strong and healthy.

Performing asanas, combined with deep, calm breathing, gently allows you to increase the mobility of the entire spine, relieve excessive pressure from the intervertebral discs. Regular yoga practice contributes to the normalization of metabolic, hormonal processes, allows you to get rid of back pain and give a uniform load on the musculoskeletal system. At the same time, it is important to remember that in the development of asanas, gradualness and smoothness are necessary, then the practice will only benefit.

How yoga affects the human body

Practicing hatha yoga heals a person on several levels at once

1. Effect on the body level those who usually go unnoticed. During the practice of yoga, muscle groups are activated that also affect the internal organs, making them a gentle massage. This happens due to non-standard positions in asanas. The abdominal muscles are strengthened. For beginners, it is very important to attend classes with a teacher in order to get a feel for which zones should be included when adjusting poses. In addition, yoga exercises improve the circulation of blood and other fluids.

   2. The effect of exercises (asanas) on the back

   • Stretch, straighten the spine, increase its flexibility and mobility
   • Improve blood circulation in the intervertebral spaces and paravertebral regions recover faster.
   • Strengthens the back and neck, prevents the occurrence of back diseases
   • Relaxes muscles that are in hypertonicity, gently stretches the ligaments
   • Improves posture, reduces curvature
   • Relieves stress, improves mood
   • Eases back pain or removes it completely

   Also, yoga prevents the appearance of diseases such as osteochondrosis and scoliosis.

   3. Effect on the psycho-emotional state

   It is no secret that the state of the body directly affects our perception of the surrounding reality. Asanas affect the physical component of a person, which means that they also affect the psycho-emotional aspect. After practice, we can feel more calm, balanced, not suppress, but keep our emotions under control. At the same time, we are cleared of “mental garbage”, making room for creativity. Competent practice of asanas also deepens the process of meditation. This allows us to increase the efficiency of the tasks that we set for ourselves.

   4 . Hormonal influence

   A large number of yoga asanas act on the endocrine glands, restoring hormonal balance. This occurs due to a decrease or increase in the intensity of blood flow, which stimulates (or vice versa, makes more passive) the endocrine glands.

   5. Impact on the human energy structure

   Asanas is not only work with physics, it is also work with the energies circulating in our body. It is the spinal column that plays a key role in this process. A competent approach to the implementation of yoga techniques allows you to manage internal energy, delving into the study of your true nature.

   Useful video about relieving back tension in 10 minutes

   Recommendations for beginners at home

   First of all, it is important to adhere to the principle of non-violence towards yourself. If you have back pain, you need to be especially attentive to the sensations, because too intense exercises can injure your back even more and increase stress. Show love to yourself.

   Basic rules and guidelines:

   1. At the beginning, do simple, basic workouts for beginners
   2. Practice regularly, spend at least 15-20 minutes per day
   3. Watch your breathing: breathe calmly and deeply
   4. Before each practice, you must perform a warm-up complex: warm up neck, head, arms, shoulders; thighs, hip joints, feet, heels; back – lumbar, chest, abdomen. After that, you can begin to perform exercises
   5. Avoid sharp pain, perform movements smoothly
   6. Between asanas, stop to rest: take a few breaths, relax in the “child’s pose”. Hold each pose for 15 to 30 seconds.
   7. If you are engaged in active types of training such as tabata, running, etc. then yoga will be a very good addition to your classes, which will help you effectively relieve muscle spasms, relax deeper. Later we will make a separate video with exercises for the cervical and thoracic regions.

   Yogic gymnastics can be therapeutic if the positions are correctly performed. If a person is overly zealous or overexerted, you can injure yourself. Be careful!

   Above, we have already touched on the positive effects of yoga on the back, but I would like to delve a little deeper into understanding this issue. In the modern world, a person is increasingly leading a sedentary lifestyle: in the office, in the car, at home on the couch. Because of this, the spinal column suffers, because it lacks physical activity, the muscle tissue atrophies, becomes weak, and the spine becomes rounded, unnatural. Thus, a curved spine affects the functions of internal organs, there is an imbalance in all body systems.

   Interesting fact: in the prone position, the load on the spine of an adult is about 50 kg, standing – about 100 kg, sitting without support – 150 kg, and if you sit, hunched over – all 230 kg! From this we can conclude that when leveling, strengthening, stretching and twisting, there is a complex effective effect on the entire body: not only sensations in the back improve, but also in the digestive system, and in the work of the lower extremities.

   To get rid of back pain, you need to “build a frame”: strengthen the press and deep muscles around the spine. With the help of simple exercises and yoga asanas, you can create a really reliable support for the whole body.

   Yoga for back pain: contraindications

   I would like to point out in more detail that although hatha yoga can be a very useful practice, there are certain contraindications in which classes should be delayed. To avoid any injuries, These conditions include:

   • All kinds of damage to internal organs in the acute phase
   • Mental disorders: schizophrenia, depression, psychosis
   • Traumatic brain injuries
   • Diseases of the joints of an infectious nature
   • Hernia of the spine, displacement of the vertebrae (yoga therapy classes are possible). Before starting classes, you need to identify the cause of the pain and then engage in under the guidance of a competent experienced specialist. The picture shows the most common cause of back pain is usually a protrusion or hernia.
   • Fever
   • Pregnancy (may attend special classes for pregnant women – perinatal yoga)
   • Acute back pain

   These general contraindications are important to consider if you want to practice hatha yoga. Especially for beginners who suffer from back pain. In such conditions, it can be traumatic to be in asanas, so we strongly recommend that you start training only after treatment.

   By the way, many people are convinced that a person’s age can also be a contraindication, but in fact, with a well-organized practice with an experienced teacher, this is not an obstacle. On the contrary, such yoga will help to gradually strengthen the upper and lower regions of the spine at the same time, and remain calm and healthy.

   Yoga complexes for back pain

   Description of asanas for the back

   Downward facing dog pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

   Sequence :

   1. Get down on all fours. Distribute weight evenly between hands and knees
   2. Make sure arms are shoulder-width apart and pelvis is directly over knees
   3. Place feet on toes and without bending knees, pushing pelvis back and up. Feel your palms pushing off the floor
   4. Bend your knees to maximize the length of your spine from your tailbone to the top of your head. If your heels come off the support at the same time, it’s okay.
   5. The neck is relaxed and the head is calmly directed down.
   6. As you develop in the asana, it will become easier for you to lower your heels to the mat. But take your time with this, because the most important thing is to feel the stretching of the spine and back muscles
   7. Stay in the position for several breaths. Then, when ready, you need to gently come out of Adho Mukha Svanasana, bending your knees and transferring the weight to your heels, then go to the “child’s pose” and rest

   “Long stay in this asana relieves fatigue and returns lost energy. This posture gives the legs lightness and speed, relieves pain in the heels, relieves heel spurs. It strengthens the ankles, gives the legs harmony. Regular practice of this asana softens the area of ​​the shoulder blades and also helps with arthritis of the shoulder joint. The back muscles are strengthened, the heart rate slows down, the body is stretched, the brain cells are rejuvenated,” is a quote from the book “Yoga Deepika” by B.K.S. Iyengar.

   Sphinx Pose (Ardha Bhujangasana)

   Exercise

   1. Lie on your stomach with your feet together
   2. Bending your arms, place your elbows directly under your shoulders with your fingers forward
   3. Try to keep your forearms close to your body
   4. Inhale as you push your chest up and forward, drop your shoulders down, connect your shoulder blades together
   5. Head tends up, eyes look forward. We do not recommend throwing your head back in this position.
   6. Stay in this position for 1-2 minutes, observe how you feel.
   7. After completing this exercise, it is recommended to take Balasana. Positive changes occur due to simultaneous stretching and good support on the forearms and palms. In this position, you can work out the thoracic region well without harm to the lower back.

      Child Pose (Balasana)

      Algorithm

      1. Sit on your heels, keep your feet together hips, lay your head on the floor with your forehead. Do not lift your pelvis from your heels
      2. Arms extended in front of you or along the body
      3. Feel the stretch of your back from the coccyx to the top of your head
      4. Hold this position for several breaths

      Being in this asana has a beneficial effect on the abdominal organs, stretches the back , relieves tension from the intervertebral discs, Balasana tones the pelvic organs and is useful for disorders of the reproductive system. This pose very gently stretches the muscles of the hips, knees, and lengthens the ankles.

      Cat Pose (Bidalasana) or Marjariasana

      Steps

      1. Get on all fours
      2. Place pelvis directly under knees, shoulders directly under palms

      90 057 Inhale, backbend, raise your sitting bones and chest to the ceiling

      3. Exhale round your back
      4. Repeat 10-15 times, combining all movements with breathing

      This position strengthens the muscular frame, trains the abdominals and increases the flexibility of the spine. At the same time, the chest is gently opened, and if back pain is present, this asana helps to reduce pain. In addition, the exercise provides a gentle massage of the abdominal and pelvic regions, restores reproductive functions.

      Upward facing dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)

      Step by step

      1. Lie on your stomach. Legs are straight and toned, hands are directly under the shoulders
      2. Inhaling, raise the body and head up, and pull the shoulders back
      3. Lift your knees off the floor and lock in position for 30-60 seconds tensed, kneecaps pulled in on inclines
      4. Hold this position for several breath cycles

      Upward-facing dog rejuvenates the spine, promotes its plasticity and flexibility. The pose strengthens the muscle tissues of the back, arms and legs, promotes the opening of the chest, increases blood circulation in the pelvic area, and improves the functions of internal organs. Also, the pose activates the lungs and the cardiovascular system. You can read more about the effects of the exercise on our website.

      Cobra pose (Bhujangasana)

      Rules

      1. Lie on the stomach, connect the feet together, take your palms on the floor
      2. , slowly lift the body up, slightly pushing your hands from the rug slightly. Keep your elbows bent
      3. Hold for a few inhales and exhales, then slowly lower yourself into the arch, stretching your chest toward the ceiling even more
      4. If possible, straighten your arms fully and pull them up behind the top of your head, avoid discomfort
      5. Freeze in this position. Take a few breaths and exhale, then slowly come out of the fixation stage

      Asana has a very powerful effect on the human body. First of all, it is very good for normalizing the functioning of the kidneys and the reproductive system. It helps to activate the work of the endocrine glands, helps to increase the volume of the lungs, stimulates the activity of the thyroid and parathyroid glands, strengthens the abdominal muscles and, importantly, helps to normalize the activity of the digestive tract. In addition, bhujangasana energizes and gives confidence and strength.

      Locust Pose (Shalabhasana)

      Performing

      1. Lie on your stomach
      2. Inhale and lift your torso and legs off the floor
      3. Arms can be directed along housings locked together or pull them forward
      4. chest forward and up
      5. Legs extended at the knees, feet with soles towards the ceiling
      6. The abdomen is the only support in this position: the chest, ribs, pelvis and legs are torn off from the support, the back muscles are involved in the position
      7. If you feel excessive tension in the lower back, place your palms on the mat and hold your hands slightly

      It is believed that this exercise can strengthen the muscles of the whole body. The gluteus maximus muscles are also well worked out in this exercise, the condition of our spine depends on it, if they are weak, this can cause displacement of the intervertebral discs. Regular practice of shalabhasana increases the mobility of the spine, strengthens it along its entire length, opens the shoulders, restores the lungs, has a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract, and stimulates the functions of the liver and pancreas. It also relieves stress from the nervous system.

      Table Pose (Sahaja Purvottanasana)

      Sequence

      1. Sit on the mat in dandasana position, back straight, hamstrings extended
      2. Place palms slightly away from finger pelvis mi forward
      3. Bend your knees and place your feet on the mat so so that the knees are directly under the heels
      4. Raise the pelvis so that the body is parallel to the floor, the feet do not leave the support
      5. The head can look forward or be tilted back
      6. Shoulders directly under the palms and knees directly under the heels
      7. Hold the position for a few breaths. Make sure that the pelvis does not fall down

      This exercise is recommended to strengthen the arms, correct posture, especially when sitting for a long time. Strengthens the abdominal muscles, tones the neck, stimulates the internal organs of the abdominal cavity.

      Plank Pose (Chaturanga Dandasana)

      Learn more about

      1. Get into a downward dog position
      2. Push your body forward and distribute your body weight evenly between your hands and feet
      3. Keep your body parallel to the floor
      4. Pull in your shoulder blades and then widen them away from your spine
      5. Widen your collarbones by pulling them away from the chest. Do not squeeze the back of the neck
      6. Hold the position for 30 seconds or 1 minute

      Regular practice of Plank Pose strengthens the shoulders, arms, back, abs, and entire body. Causes stimulation of internal organs, improves blood circulation, restores the nervous system. After performing chaturanga, it is recommended to relax, rest, feel a state of calm and lack of fuss.

      Extended Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana)

      Technique

      1. Stand up straight with feet wide enough apart to be in line, hamstrings extended

      900 57 Turn the right foot to the right and the left foot to the 45 degrees to the right

      2. Spread straight arms to the side, bend over and stretch with the whole body behind the right arm, while the pelvis “looks” forward and does not turn behind the right leg
      3. Place the palm of the same name on the right shin (knees extended), lift the straight left arm up towards the ceiling
      4. Look up behind the left hand. If you feel comfortable in this position, place the palm of your right hand on the floor in front of the inside of your right foot
      5. Stay in this position for several breaths, then do the same movements in the opposite direction

      from stiffness in the legs and hips. In addition, it corrects minor deformities of the legs and allows the muscles to develop evenly. Trikonasana relieves back pain, relieves tension in the neck, strengthens the ankles and opens the chest.0050 – quote from the book “Yoga Deepika” B.K.S. 0057 Bend your legs so that your shins are perpendicular to the floor, and bring your heels to the back of your thighs. Grasp your ankles with your hands and pull your feet closer to your body

   8. Raise your pelvis, placing more weight on your shoulders and feet

   This exercise tones your spine. It maintains the flexibility and vitality of the body and gives vitality and lightness. Strengthens the bladder and uterus. Maintains the reproductive and urinary organs in excellent condition. By strengthening the abdominal muscles in this way, a hernia can be prevented. This posture reduces the feeling of heaviness of the chest, which is especially felt during menopause; it also reduces fat deposits around the waist.

   Boat Pose (Navasana)

   Sequence

   • Sit in Dandasana, point both arms forward, parallel to the floor.