How can yoga help alleviate back pain. What are the most effective yoga poses for back pain relief. What are the additional benefits of practicing yoga for spine health.

Understanding the Connection Between Yoga and Back Pain Relief

Yoga, often associated with stress relief and relaxation, offers significant benefits for those suffering from back pain. This ancient practice combines physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation to promote overall well-being. When it comes to back pain, yoga’s focus on proper alignment, flexibility, and strength can be particularly beneficial.

But how exactly does yoga help with back pain? The answer lies in its multifaceted approach:

• Improves posture and alignment
• Increases flexibility in muscles and joints
• Strengthens core and back muscles
• Enhances body awareness
• Promotes relaxation and stress reduction

By addressing these aspects, yoga can contribute to both the prevention and management of back pain. However, it’s crucial to approach yoga practice with patience and proper guidance, especially when dealing with existing back issues.

The Science Behind Yoga’s Effectiveness for Back Pain

Research supports the use of yoga as a complementary therapy for back pain. A notable study on Iyengar yoga, a precise and alignment-focused style, demonstrated significant improvements in chronic low back pain patients. Participants who practiced Iyengar yoga for 90 minutes weekly, along with a 30-minute daily home practice, reported reduced pain levels after 16 weeks.

Why is yoga effective for back pain? Consider these scientific explanations:

1. Increased blood flow to muscles and tissues
2. Release of endorphins, natural pain-relievers
3. Reduced inflammation through stress reduction
4. Improved proprioception and body awareness
5. Enhanced flexibility and range of motion

These physiological changes contribute to both immediate relief and long-term management of back pain. However, it’s important to note that yoga should be practiced under proper guidance and in conjunction with medical advice for optimal results.

Essential Yoga Poses for Back Pain Relief

While yoga offers a vast array of poses, certain asanas are particularly beneficial for those suffering from back pain. Here are some key poses to incorporate into your practice:

1. Cat/Cow Stretch (Marjaryasana/Bitilasana)

This gentle flow between two poses helps improve spinal flexibility and strengthens the core. How to perform:

• Start on hands and knees, with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips
• Inhale, arch your back, and lift your chest and tailbone (Cow)
• Exhale, round your spine and tuck your chin to chest (Cat)
• Repeat 5-10 times, linking breath to movement

2. Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana)

This pose stretches the entire back body and can help relieve tension in the lower back. Steps to practice:

• Stand with feet hip-width apart
• Inhale, raise arms overhead
• Exhale, hinge at hips and fold forward
• Let head hang and relax neck
• Hold for 5 breaths, then slowly roll up to standing

3. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

Bridge pose strengthens the back muscles and opens the chest. Here’s how to do it:

• Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on floor
• Press into feet and lift hips off the ground
• Hold for 3 seconds, then slowly lower
• Repeat 3 times

4. Opposite Hands and Knees Balance

This pose helps strengthen the core and improve balance. Instructions:

• Start on hands and knees
• Extend right arm forward and left leg back
• Keep hips level and parallel to the floor
• Hold for 3 breaths, then switch sides
• Repeat 3 times on each side

The Importance of Proper Alignment in Yoga for Back Health

When practicing yoga for back pain relief, proper alignment is crucial. Incorrect alignment can not only negate the benefits of the practice but potentially exacerbate existing issues. How can you ensure proper alignment in your yoga practice?

• Work with a qualified yoga instructor who can provide personalized guidance
• Use props such as blocks, straps, and bolsters to support proper form
• Focus on body awareness and listen to your body’s signals
• Prioritize quality of movement over quantity or depth of poses
• Gradually progress to more challenging poses as your strength and flexibility improve

Remember, the goal of yoga is not to force your body into extreme positions, but to find a balance between effort and ease. Proper alignment allows for the optimal flow of energy through the body and maximizes the therapeutic benefits of each pose.

Integrating Breath Work and Meditation for Comprehensive Back Care

While physical postures are a crucial aspect of yoga for back pain relief, the practice’s holistic approach includes breath work (pranayama) and meditation. These elements can significantly enhance the overall effectiveness of your yoga practice for back health.

How does breath work contribute to back pain relief?

• Promotes relaxation and reduces muscle tension
• Increases oxygen flow to muscles and tissues
• Enhances body awareness and mindfulness
• Helps manage pain perception

Simple breathing exercises to incorporate into your practice:

1. Diaphragmatic breathing: Focus on deep belly breaths, expanding the abdomen on inhale and relaxing on exhale
2. Equal breathing: Inhale for a count of 4, exhale for a count of 4
3. Three-part breath: Inhale into the belly, ribcage, and upper chest; exhale in reverse order

Meditation can further enhance the benefits of yoga for back pain by reducing stress, improving pain tolerance, and promoting overall well-being. Even a few minutes of daily meditation can make a significant difference in your back health journey.

Customizing Your Yoga Practice for Specific Back Conditions

While yoga can be beneficial for various types of back pain, it’s important to tailor your practice to your specific condition. Different back issues may require different approaches or modifications to ensure safety and effectiveness.

Common back conditions and yoga considerations:

• Sciatica: Focus on gentle stretches and poses that create space in the spine
• Herniated disc: Avoid deep forward bends and twists; emphasize core strengthening
• Spinal stenosis: Prioritize poses that create space in the spine and improve posture
• Scoliosis: Work on asymmetrical poses and focus on lengthening the spine

It’s crucial to consult with a healthcare professional and a qualified yoga instructor to develop a practice that addresses your specific needs and limitations. They can help you modify poses, suggest alternatives, and ensure that your practice supports your overall treatment plan.

Beyond Pain Relief: Additional Benefits of Yoga for Spine Health

While pain relief is often the primary goal for those turning to yoga for back issues, the practice offers numerous additional benefits for overall spine health and well-being. These comprehensive benefits contribute to long-term back health and can improve quality of life.

What are some of the additional benefits of regular yoga practice for spine health?

• Improved posture and body awareness
• Enhanced core strength and stability
• Increased flexibility and range of motion
• Better balance and coordination
• Reduced risk of future back injuries
• Improved sleep quality
• Stress reduction and mental clarity
• Enhanced overall physical fitness

These benefits extend beyond the physical realm, contributing to improved mental and emotional well-being. The mind-body connection fostered through yoga can lead to a more positive relationship with your body and a greater sense of overall health.

Moreover, the skills and awareness developed through yoga practice can be applied to daily life, helping you maintain better posture, move more mindfully, and manage stress more effectively. This holistic approach to spine health can lead to long-lasting improvements and a reduced likelihood of recurring back issues.

Yoga as a Complementary Therapy

It’s important to note that while yoga can be highly effective for back pain and spine health, it should be viewed as a complementary therapy rather than a standalone treatment. For optimal results, yoga should be integrated into a comprehensive care plan that may include:

• Medical treatment as prescribed by healthcare professionals
• Physical therapy or chiropractic care
• Ergonomic adjustments in daily life
• Proper nutrition and hydration
• Adequate rest and sleep

By combining yoga with other appropriate treatments and lifestyle modifications, you can create a holistic approach to back health that addresses the root causes of pain and promotes overall well-being.

Getting Started with Yoga for Back Pain: Tips for Beginners

If you’re new to yoga or specifically exploring it for back pain relief, getting started can feel overwhelming. However, with the right approach, you can safely and effectively incorporate yoga into your back care routine.

Here are some essential tips for beginners:

1. Consult with your healthcare provider before starting a yoga practice, especially if you have existing back issues
2. Start with gentle, beginner-friendly classes or one-on-one sessions with a qualified instructor
3. Focus on proper alignment and form rather than achieving deep stretches or complex poses
4. Use props like blocks, straps, and bolsters to support your practice and maintain proper alignment
5. Listen to your body and respect its limitations; never push through pain
6. Consistency is key – aim for regular, shorter sessions rather than infrequent, longer ones
7. Incorporate a variety of poses that address different aspects of back health (stretching, strengthening, balance)
8. Practice mindfulness and breath awareness throughout your sessions

Remember, every body is unique, and what works for one person may not work for another. Be patient with yourself and allow time for your body to adapt to the practice. As you progress, you may find that you’re able to explore more challenging poses and longer sessions.

Creating a Home Practice

While attending classes can be beneficial, especially for beginners, developing a home practice can help you maintain consistency and tailor your yoga routine to your specific needs. To create an effective home practice for back pain relief:

• Set aside a dedicated space for your practice
• Invest in basic props (mat, blocks, strap)
• Start with a short, manageable routine (10-15 minutes)
• Focus on a few key poses that address your specific back issues
• Use online resources or yoga apps for guidance, but prioritize proper form over complexity
• Gradually increase the duration and complexity of your practice as you build strength and confidence

By incorporating these tips and developing a consistent practice, you can harness the power of yoga to support your back health and overall well-being. Remember to approach your practice with patience, mindfulness, and a focus on long-term progress rather than immediate results.

Precautions and Contraindications for Yoga and Back Pain

While yoga can be highly beneficial for back pain relief, it’s crucial to approach the practice with caution, especially if you have existing back issues or other health concerns. Understanding potential risks and knowing when to modify or avoid certain poses can help ensure a safe and effective practice.

General precautions to keep in mind:

• Always warm up before practicing more intense poses
• Avoid pushing into pain – discomfort is okay, but sharp or intense pain is a sign to back off
• Be cautious with deep forward bends, backbends, and twists, especially if you have disc issues
• Use props and modifications to maintain proper alignment and support
• Inform your instructor about any existing back conditions or limitations
• Avoid holding your breath during poses – maintain steady, controlled breathing

Certain back conditions may require specific modifications or contraindications:

1. Acute back pain: Focus on gentle movements and avoid intense stretches or weight-bearing poses
2. Herniated disc: Avoid deep forward bends and twists; modify poses to maintain a neutral spine
3. Spinal stenosis: Be cautious with backbends and poses that extend the spine
4. Spondylolisthesis: Avoid extreme forward bends and backbends; focus on core strengthening
5. Osteoporosis: Use caution with twists and forward bends; avoid extreme flexion of the spine

It’s essential to work with a qualified yoga instructor who can provide appropriate modifications and guidance based on your specific condition. Additionally, always consult with your healthcare provider before starting or significantly changing your yoga practice, especially if you have ongoing back issues or other health concerns.

Recognizing Warning Signs

While some discomfort during or after yoga practice can be normal, especially when starting out, it’s important to recognize signs that may indicate a need to adjust your practice or seek medical attention. Be aware of the following warning signs:

• Sharp, shooting pain during or after practice
• Numbness or tingling in the legs or feet
• Increased pain that persists for more than a day after practice
• Loss of bladder or bowel control
• Sudden weakness in the legs
• Severe headache or dizziness during or after practice

If you experience any of these symptoms, stop your practice immediately and consult with a healthcare professional. Remember, the goal of yoga for back pain relief is to support healing and improve function, not to cause additional stress or injury to the body.

By approaching yoga with mindfulness, respecting your body’s limits, and seeking appropriate guidance, you can safely harness the powerful benefits of yoga for back pain relief and overall spine health. Always prioritize safety and listen to your body throughout your yoga journey.

Yoga Poses for Back Pain

Yoga is a very popular and safe form of exercise. Many people think of yoga as just a good way to relieve stress and tension, but it can also help you reduce back pain and maintain a healthy spine. Yoga poses, called asanas, are important because they help stretch and strengthen important back muscles.

Although there’s more to yoga than the postures—breath control and meditation are just as essential as poses are in yoga—this article highlights the benefits of doing yoga poses, including how they can prevent back pain.

This article highlights the benefits of doing yoga poses, including how they can help prevent back pain. Photo Source: 123RF.com.

The Goal of Yoga Poses

The goal of yoga poses isn’t about bending and forcing your body into certain positions—that could actually cause more back pain. Instead, yoga poses teach you proper alignment, such as how to maintain good posture. You may also become more flexible and be better able to maintain your balance.

When you do yoga poses—you can do them standing, sitting, and lying down—you should feel comfortable in them. But before getting to the more advanced poses, you have to practice the easier versions of the poses.

Think about it: If you’ve never trained for a marathon before, you wouldn’t just force your body into running 26.2 miles, would you? Why would you want to force your body into certain yoga poses if your body’s not ready for them?

Yoga Poses for Back Pain

Even the simple poses described below can help you reap the benefits of yoga. However, these poses and the number of times you do them every day are general guidelines for how to maintain a healthy spine. Talk to your doctor before incorporating these yoga poses into your routine.

Cat/Cow Stretch

• Start on all fours—on your hands and knees. Your hands and arms should be shoulder-distance apart and your knees should be hip-distance apart.
• Inhale, and then as you exhale, slowly start to draw your navel toward your spine and gently tuck your tailbone.
• As you inhale again, repeat the pose. Be sure to link your breath to your movement.
• Repeat the cat/cow stretch 5 to 10 times once a day.

Yoga Cat Pose. Photo Source: 123RF.com. Standing Forward Fold

• Start in a standing position with your feet hip-distance apart.
• As you inhale, raise both of your arms out to the side and then up so they’re above your head. Palms should be facing each other but not touching.
• As you exhale, slowly start to bend at the waist, and gently lower your arms out to the side and then down toward the ground if your hands can reach it. If not, then rest your hands on your shins.
• Let your head drop, and relax the neck. Notice your breath in the pose: Your breath should be steady and smooth. Hold this pose for 5 breaths.
• To come out of the pose, bend your knees slightly. Put your hands on your hips, and slowly start to come up, vertebra by vertebra. Let your head be the last to come up.
• Repeat standing forward fold 3 to 5 times once a day.

Bridge Pose

• Start by lying on your back with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent. Your feet should be hip-distance apart.
• With your arms straight by the sides of your body and your palms on the ground, slowly start to lift your hips off the floor. Hold this for 3 seconds.
• Slowly roll back down to the floor, vertebra by vertebra.
• Repeat the bridge pose 3 times once a day.

Yoga Bridge Pose. Photo Source: 123RF.com.In addition, with back pain, your abdominal muscles may be weak, so while it’s important to choose yoga poses that lengthen and strengthen your spine, you should also do poses that develop strong abdominals, such as opposite hands and knees balance.

Opposite Hands and Knees Balance

• Start off on your hands and knees. Without moving anything else, raise the right arm and left leg up about as high as your hips. Your hips, right arm, and left leg should be parallel to the floor. Keep the right arm and left leg straight.
• Your right hand should face the floor, and the toes of the left foot should face the floor. Hold this pose for 3 breaths. Then release. Repeat by raising your left arm and right leg.
• Repeat this pose 3 times on both sides once a day.

Other Benefits of Yoga Poses

Yoga poses can also help you build strength and flexibility, which can ultimately help alleviate your back pain. In fact, a study on the effect of Iyengar yoga (a type of yoga) therapy for chronic low back pain showed that patients experienced less back pain after doing Iyengar yoga for at least an hour and a half every week for 16 weeks and an at-home practice for 30 minutes 5 days a week.¹

Keep in mind that after doing yoga, you may feel a little sore the next day, but that’s normal. Soreness should go away within a few days. Doing yoga poses should never cause pain, numbness, or tingling. If you feel any of these symptoms, stop immediately and call your doctor.

Bringing Yoga to You

Many yoga classes are offered at gyms, yoga studios, and community colleges. There are also many yoga DVDs available—some even give detailed instructions on poses that can decrease back pain.

View the SpineUniverse Slideshow: 5 Simple Yoga Poses for Back Pain

You can also work with a private yoga instructor. He or she can give you individualized attention and coach you through certain yoga poses that can build back and core strength.

Because it’s a type of physical activity, talk to your doctor about doing yoga. For maximum back pain relief, you may need to combine yoga with other back pain treatments, such as medication or another form of exercise.

The safe way to do yoga for back pain

The popular mind-body practice can be one of the best ways to soothe an aching low back, as long as you are careful.

Image: © FatCamera/Getty Images

Yoga is a gentle practice that is ideal for maintaining back strength and flexibility. It’s also one of the more effective tools for helping reduce low back pain, the most common source of pain and disability among older adults.

“Yoga helps strengthen and stretch back muscles that might be tight, which improves mobility,” says Dr. Lauren Elson, medical editor of the Harvard Special Health Report An Introduction to Yoga (www.health.harvard.edu/yo).

Unfortunately, yoga injuries among older adults are on the rise. A study published in the November 2016 Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine found that between 2001 and 2014, yoga injury rates increased eightfold among people ages 65 and older, with the most common injuries affecting the back, such as strains and sprains.

So, the question is this: how can you protect your already-aching back from a therapy that has the power to soothe it?

The benefits of yoga

Yoga involves a series of poses, also called postures, and emphasizes breathing techniques. The postures teach you to stretch and strengthen your muscles, which helps reduce muscular tension, build flexibility and strength, and improve balance and bone strength.

For low back pain, yoga can be especially helpful to the muscles that support the back and spine, such as the paraspinal muscles that help you bend your spine, the multifidus muscles that stabilize your vertebrae, and the transverse abdominis in the abdomen, which also helps stabilize your spine.

The benefits of yoga go beyond muscles. The slow movements and the continuous focus on proper breathing can improve the emotional aspect of back pain by helping to lower stress and alleviate anxiety and depression.

What goes wrong

At its core, yoga is still a form of physical movement, and as with any other type of exercise, injuries can occur, especially involving the back. The main problems often happen when people don’t follow proper form and speed, and they quickly “drop” into a yoga pose without gradually “lengthening” into it, according to Dr. Elson.

This is similar to jerking your body while lifting a dumbbell and doing fast reps instead of making a slow, controlled movement, or running on a treadmill at top speed without steadily increasing the tempo. The result is a greater chance of injury.

In yoga, you should use your muscles to first create a solid foundation for movement and then follow proper form that slowly lengthens and stretches your body. For example, when you perform a seated spinal twist, which can be quite therapeutic for low back pain, the point is not to rotate as fast and far as possible.

“Instead, you should first activate your core muscles and feel as though the spine is lengthening. Then twist slowly until you feel resistance, and hold for as long as it’s comfortable,” says Dr. Elson.

Make the right moves

Talk to your doctor about whether it’s okay to begin a yoga program if you suffer from low back pain. Dr. Elson suggests avoiding yoga if you have certain back problems, such as a spinal fracture or a herniated (slipped) disc.

Once you have the green light, you can protect your back by telling your yoga instructor beforehand about specific pain and limitations. He or she can give you protective modifications for certain poses or help guide you through a pose to ensure you do it correctly without stressing your back. Another option is to look for yoga studios or community centers that offer classes specifically designed for back pain relief.

Remember that the bends and twists and stretches of yoga are often what your low back needs to get healthier, so don’t be afraid to give it a try. “By mindfully practicing yoga, people can safely stretch and strengthen tight and aching back muscles,” says Dr. Elson.

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Yoga for people with back pain – Harvard Health Blog

Whenever my lower back gets tight (which happens more often than not after being glued to my work chair for hours on end), I sit on the floor and slowly move into my favorite yoga pose: half lord of the fishes, also known as a seated spinal twist. Just a twist to the left and right never fails to restore my sore back.

Yoga is one of the more effective tools for helping soothe low back pain. The practice helps to stretch and strengthen muscles that support the back and spine, such as the paraspinal muscles that help you bend your spine, the multifidus muscles that stabilize your vertebrae, and the transverse abdominis in the abdomen, which also helps stabilize your spine.

But unfortunately, yoga is also the source of many back-related injuries, especially among older adults. A study published in the November 2016 Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine found that between 2001 and 2014, injury rates increased eightfold among people ages 65 and older, with the most common injuries affecting the back, such as strains and sprains. So, the question is this: how can you protect an aching back from a therapy that has the power to soothe it?

Proper form is especially important for people with back pain

The main issue with yoga-related back injuries is that people don’t follow proper form and speed, says Dr. Lauren Elson, instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School. “They quickly ‘drop’ into a yoga pose without gradually ‘lengthening’ into it.”

This is similar to jerking your body while lifting a dumbbell and doing fast reps instead of making a slow, controlled movement, or running on a treadmill at top speed without steadily increasing the tempo. The result is a greater chance of injury.

In yoga, you should use your muscles to first create a solid foundation for movement, and then follow proper form that slowly lengthens and stretches your body. For example, when I perform my seated twist, I have to remember that the point of the pose is not to rotate as fast and far as possible. Instead, I need to activate my core muscles and feel as though my spine is lengthening. Then I can twist slowly until I feel resistance, and hold for as long as it’s comfortable and the tension melts away.

Starting yoga if you have back pain

Talk to your doctor first about whether it’s okay to begin a yoga program if you suffer from low back pain. Dr. Elson suggests staying away from yoga if you have certain back problems, such as a spinal fracture or a herniated (slipped) disc.

Once you have the green light, you can protect your back by telling your yoga instructor beforehand about specific pain and limitations. He or she can give you protective modifications for certain poses, or help guide you through a pose to ensure you do it correctly without stressing your back. Another option is to look for yoga studios or community centers that offer classes specifically designed for back pain relief.

Remember that the stretching and lengthening yoga movements are often what your low back needs to feel better, so don’t be afraid to give it a try. “By mindfully practicing yoga, people can safely improve their mobility and strength while stretching tight and aching back muscles,” says Dr. Elson.

7 Yoga Poses to Soothe Lower Back Pain

Achy back? Give yoga a go. Numerous studies have shown the power of the ancient practice, which emphasizes stretching, strength, and flexibility, to relieve back soreness and improve function.

According to research published in July 2017 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, yoga may even help reduce the need for pain medication. At the start of the three-month study, in which one group was assigned to physical therapy for their back pain, a second to yoga, and a third to reading about pain management strategies, 70 percent of the subjects were taking medication. By the end, however, while the number of people taking medication in the reading group stayed the same, only 50 percent of the yoga and physical therapy subjects were still taking it.

While yoga isn’t a good idea if you have severe pain, those with occasional soreness or chronic aches may greatly benefit from certain postures that can help lengthen your spine, stretch and strengthen your muscles, and return your back to its proper alignment, says Jennifer Bayliss, a fitness expert in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Yoga’s focus on balance and steadiness encourages your body to develop defenses against the causes of back pain, which include weak abdominal and pelvic muscles, as well lack of flexibility in the hips. When you strengthen these muscles, you improve your posture, which reduces the load on your back, and thus reduces the aches you feel. In addition, stretching can increase flexibility by increasing blood flow to tight muscles.

Researchers are also starting to discover how yoga’s effects on the brain may contribute to decreased pain. In a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health and published in May 2015 in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, scientists found that there were significant differences between the brains of those with chronic pain and the brains of regular yoga practitioners. Those with chronic pain had less of the kind of brain tissue in the regions that help us tolerate pain, but those who did yoga had more — which suggests that yoga may be not just physically but neurologically protective.

It’s always a good idea to ask your doctor before starting a new fitness regimen, especially if you’re prone to pain. Once you get the green light, try these seven soothing poses for back pain. You can do these poses in any order. Gradually increase the intensity by holding them for longer amounts of time. And you might even reap the other health perks of yoga, which include lowered heart rate, lowered blood pressure, improved sleep, and reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety.

How Yoga Helps the Back and Spine

Yoga has dramatically gained popularity in the United States over the past few decades. Originally a spiritual practice that was employed by Hindus, yoga now is recognized for its myriad health benefits. There are many types of yoga, from gentle yoga poses combined with meditation to more physically active poses intended to strengthen muscles. For people with back pain, yoga can be a fantastic way to strengthen muscles and improve spine health.

Yoga Improves Posture

Many problems with the back and spine originate from poor posture. In turn, having back or spine issues can make your posture even worse, exacerbating the problem. Performing yoga is a great way to improve your posture. For example, many common yoga poses (e.g., Downward-Facing Dog, Bridge Pose), activate the abdominal and back muscles. This helps you maintain an erect spine when sitting or standing.

Yoga Promotes Muscle Strength

Many back problems arise from weakness in the back muscles relative to other parts of the body, which can put extra tension on the spine. Holding poses in yoga helps to strengthen your back muscles, which may reduce your back pain. When holding yoga poses, focus intently on keeping your back straight and in good alignment. This ensures that you work your back muscles optimally.

Yoga Reduces Tension and Stretches Muscles

One of the major sources of back pain is excessive tension in muscles of the back and shoulders. During a yoga session, you will hold poses for 15 to 60 seconds. This gives your muscles time to stretch, increasing flexibility. Even within a yoga session, you may notice that your back muscles feel more relaxed and flexible at the end of the session than at the beginning.

Yoga Promotes Body Awareness

Our spine specialists know that one of the best ways to prevent injury to your back is to improve your body awareness. Performing yoga encourages you to think about your body and its movements. This gives you a greater sense of what types of movements may cause you pain or injury versus movements that improve flexibility and strength. Increasing this body awareness can be a great way to prevent further back and spine problems.

Yoga is a healing technique that can improve posture, promote healthy spine alignment and strengthen core muscles. If you continue to experience back pain after performing yoga exercises for strength, it may be time to visit a physical therapist or orthopedic surgeon for treatment recommendations such as back surgery. Contact Southeast Orthopedic Specialists today to learn how we can help.

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6 Yoga Poses That Will Help You Avoid Back Injury

There are many ways to cause back injury, especially in the lower back. Back injuries and pain can have a myriad of causes, such as a weak core due to lack of exercise, sitting for long periods with poor posture, even strain from too much exercise. However, with yoga, you can exercise and strengthen your core, alleviate pain from a back injury, improve posture, and more. The only drawback? Yoga has the potential to damage your back, defeating the purpose of practicing it in the first place. Fortunately, with this guide, you’ll know which poses are best for your back and which should be avoided so you can practice without back injury.   

Tips for Protecting Yourself from Back Injury

Before getting into which yoga poses are good and bad for the safety of your back, it’s important to understand why yoga can cause back injury, and how to avoid that. Yoga can be a very efficient tool for soothing back pain because it stretches and strengthens muscles that provide support to the back and spine, but only if practiced properly. 

Move Slowly and Steadily

People who are new to yoga and older adults are particularly prone to developing a yoga-related back injury. This is because most injuries that result from yoga are a result of improper form and moving too quickly when stretching. The key is to slowly ease and lengthen into poses rather than simply dropping into them. Quickly dropping into a pose is like getting on a treadmill and starting your run at the highest setting instead of pacing yourself and gradually increasing your speed.

Set a Foundation

Stretches should begin with using your muscles as a foundation for your movement. From here, you can begin to slowly lengthen and stretch your body, using proper form. Dr. Lauren Elson, an instructor at Harvard Medical School states, “When I perform my sweated twist, I have to remember that the point of the pose is not to rotate as fast and far as possible. Instead, I need to activate my core muscles and feel as though my spine is lengthening. Then I can twist slowly until I feel resistance, and hold for as long as it’s comfortable and then tension melts away.”

Other Tips

Remember that pain in a stretch is your body’s way of letting you know that something is wrong. If this happens, slowly ease up on the stretch to avoid causing a back injury. 

Of course, you’ll want to speak with your doctor before adding yoga to your exercise regimen, especially if you currently have back pain. You will also want to avoid yoga if you’re suffering from a spinal fracture, herniated disc, or other serious back issues.

Making your yoga instructor aware of your specific pain and limitations will also help in protecting your back from injury. Once aware of your specific pain, your instructor will likely either provide you with modifications for certain poses or provide you with guidance to help avoid placing stress on your back. There are even yoga studios and classes that focus specifically on relieving back pain. 

Yoga Poses to Avoid

The following poses are considered to be particularly difficult. If you are new to yoga or just trying to avoid risky stretches, you’ll want to stay away from these, especially if you are practicing without someone to guide you through them.

Forward Folds

In both seated and standing forward fold poses, it’s common to end up curving the back while collapsing the front part of your body. This usually happens in an attempt to pull oneself as close to the toes as possible, because rounding the spine adds length. The problem is that rounding the spine like this can end up putting strain on the muscles or even tearing a ligament or rupturing a disc, in extreme cases. Apart from increasing your risk of injury, curving your back in this position also stops you from getting the full benefit of the stretch throughout your body, such as in your hamstrings.

However, if you plan on attempting this pose, the following tips may help you stay safe.

• Avoid tilting from your spine and instead, tilt from your pelvis. Sit up with your feet straight out in front of you, keeping your spine straight and tall. Then pull away your glutes to find your sit bones, and ground yourself. Make sure the crown of your head falls in line with your tailbone.
• From this position, move your chest toward your thighs while keeping your spine straight. You should be able to feel the tilt coming from your pelvis, and the trunk of your body should move like the arm of a lever. 
• Stop once you reach the point where you can no longer move lower without curving your spine.
• Remember to pull your shoulder blades back down the spine in order to keep your chest open during this pose.

Backbends

Backbend poses are the most common cause of yoga-related back injury, because these poses are the most difficult to stay safe in. Further, poses such as Bridge, Wheel, and Cobra require flexion of the spine, which is known to cause harmful stress. In addition to this, the curvature of the spine that this pose requires can cause the vertebrae or nerves to become pinched, muscles spasms, and back soreness, particularly in the lower spine. This will include poses such as the camel pose. It’s recommended that you avoid this pose if you have a spinal disc issue.

Tips for staying as possible while practicing backbends include the following.

• Similar to forward folds, movement in backbends should come from your pelvis. However, the difference is that instead of focusing on moving your tailbone back, you’ll need to move the center of your pelvis forward.
• While doing this, make sure you’re pulling the pelvic floor upward, toward your belly button. If you don’t do this, you risk moving your pelvis outward without proper support. This will also help engage your core, specifically the transverse abdominals.
• Continue lifting through your chest as you continue the stretch, especially as you feel your spine curving back. Lifting your chest will make sure that there is space between the vertebrae, avoiding pinching.

Twists

Twists are usually gentle poses meant to stretch and relax the spine, but there are many things you must keep in mind in order to get the most out of these poses and avoid hurting yourself. The lunge twist is a common twist pose that can cause injury. Although there are ways to practice twists that can avoid back injury, if you suffer from a bulging disc, you’ll probably want to avoid poses that involve twisting. These poses can place pressure on the spinal discs and if you don’t use proper form, you can end up muscling into the pose instead of allowing your abdominals to drive the movement.

In order to protect your back during a twist, you’ll want to keep the following in mind.

• Keep your spine straight for the duration of the twist. It can be tempting to curve your spine, but you’ll need to keep it straight to both avoid injury and get the full benefit of the pose. Draw your spine up straight and tall and maintain that straightness while twisting.
• Make sure you keep shoulders and back down, rather than pulling them up toward your ears. You’ll also want to keep the crown of your head in line with your tailbone, like in the forward bend.
• You may also want to keep your hips in mind to make sure that your pelvis is balanced. Both hipbones should be in the same plane, without either moving in front of or above the other. This will keep your spine stable and avoid pulling any muscles or ligaments.

During any yoga pose, you will likely feel tempted to look in the mirror or at your instructor or the rest of the class, but doing so puts excessive tension in the neck. Taking your head out of alignment with the rest of your spine will put unnecessary stress on the cervical spine, so it’s important to focus on keeping your head in line with the rest of your spine.

Back Safe Yoga Poses

These poses are considered to be very safe for the back, posing very little risk of injury. 

Child’s Pose

The child’s pose elongates and aligns the spine, decompressing it and removing pressure in order to provide a good stretch. In order to properly practice this pose, do follow these steps.

• While kneeling on your mat, keep your knees hip width apart with your feet together behind you. Inhale deeply, and as you exhale this breath, settle your torso over your thighs.
• Move your ribs away from your tailbone and move the crown of your head away from your shoulders in order to lengthen your neck and spine. 
• Then rest your forehead on the ground while extending your arms out in front of you.
• Hold this pose for 1-3 minutes.

Cat/Cow Pose

The cat/cow pose provides extension of the spine, promoting mobility and relieving tension in the lower back. This pose will also allow you to familiarize yourself with the neutral position of your spine, which will be helpful when practicing other poses and will also improve your posture.

• Begin this pose on all fours, keeping your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees.
• Slowly inhale, and while exhaling, round your spine and move your head down toward the floor (this is the “cat” part of this pose).
• Inhale again and lift your head, chest, and tailbone toward the ceiling while arching your back (this is the “cow” part of this pose).
• Hold this pose for 1-3 minutes.

Downward Facing Dog

Downward facing dog is a great pose for stretching out your hamstrings and calves, which can relieve lower back pain. You can also modify this pose for comfort by slightly bending your knees if your hamstrings and calves are especially tight. 

• In the child’s pose position, keep your hands on the floor, sit up on your knees, lift your buttocks and press back into the downward facing dog pose.
• Spread your fingers wide and straighten your legs while slowly dropping your heels down toward the ground.
• Let your head relax between your arms, and aim your gaze either through your legs or up toward your belly button.
• Hold this pose for 1-3 minutes.

Locust Pose

The locust pose will strengthen your back and core muscles and has the lowest risk of injury of any backbend pose. 

• Begin by lying flat on your stomach and interlacing your fingers above your sacrum, at the end of your spine.
• Straighten your legs and engage them by lifting them as well as your chest, off the floor.
• Then press your belly button into the mat and aim your gaze directly in front of you in order to keep your neck curved naturally.
• Move your shoulder blades together, drawing them away from your ears.
• Avoid squeezing your butt too tight, as this will prevent the pose from strengthening your core muscles.
• Avoid lifting your gaze too high as well. This will shorten the back of your neck and compress your cervical spine.

Upward Facing Dog

Upward facing dog is a basic yoga pose with the purpose of expanding the chest and opening the lungs in order to strengthen the muscles in your spine, arms, and shoulders.

• Begin on your stomach and place your palms on either side of your ribcage.
• Press down evenly throughout each finger and your palm.
• Your shoulders should be directly above your wrists.
• Then, lift your body so that only your palms and the tops of your feet remain on the mat.
• You’ll want to make sure that you engage your legs as much as possible in order to avoid compressing your lumbar spine.
• Keep your shoulder blades together so that your chest will remain open.
• Relax your buttocks and engage your thighs, and make sure to gaze directly in front of yourself so that your head remains in alignment with the rest of your spine, avoiding any compression.
• You will also want to ensure that your wrists are directly beneath your shoulders and that your weight is evenly distributed throughout your palms, or else you may experience a wrist injury.

Floor Bow

The purpose of the floor bow is to open your chest and stretch the front of your body. This pose can also help in relieving minor back pain while at the same time strengthening your back muscles, improving your posture.

• For this pose, start on your stomach and grasp the outside of each ankle.
• Kick out your legs and lift your hands while slowly lengthening your chest toward the ceiling.
• Then draw your knees and feet toward each other until they are hip distance apart, and draw your ankles in, keeping your feet engaged.
• Be careful not to allow your legs to spread too far apart, as this will cause compression of your lower back.
• You will also want to make sure you’re actively kicking into your hands in order to avoid injuring your knees.

While yoga is generally considered a regenerative and relaxing activity, you’ll need to make sure you’re using good form and engaging your body properly in order to avoid causing a back injury. If you have back pain, we recommend that you speak with your doctor before you begin practicing yoga, but even once you get the okay, remember to follow these tips and avoid risky poses. Take the necessary precautions and get the most out of your yoga practice!

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8 Yoga Poses to Relieve Lower Back Pain

The lower back is a sensitive spot for many people. While there can be a ton of causes of lower back pain, a weak core and poor posture from sitting all day (and consequently shortening the hip muscles that then pull on the lower back) are two really common contributing factors to lower back aches and discomfort. It’s always important to figure out what’s causing pain so you can address it and prevent it from happening again. But in most situations, doing some gentle yoga can help relieve tightness and give your lower back some relief.

“Yoga is great for working on flexibility and core stability, correcting posture, and breathing—all of which are necessary for a healthy back,” Sasha Cyrelson, P. T., D.P.T., O.C.S., clinical director at Professional Physical Therapy in Sicklerville, New Jersey, tells SELF. She adds that yoga is safe to do daily. It’s important, though, to make sure you’re in tune with your body and stop doing anything that makes your discomfort worse. “Never stretch into a position of pain. Pain is how our bodies tell us something is wrong. If it actually hurts, ease up on the stretch.”

If you have any history of lower back injuries, problems with your discs, or experience pain that lasts more than 72 hours without improving, Cyrelson suggests seeing a physical therapist before doing any exercises. If you have an issue that requires medical attention, it’s best to address it before it becomes worse.

If your lower back pain is more of a general achiness or discomfort, it’s worth trying some yoga stretches to address any tightness and alignment issues. We asked New York City-based yoga instructor Shanna Tyler to suggest and demo some of her favorite yoga stretches for lower back pain relief. She recommends doing the stretches below as a flow, holding each pose for anywhere from one to three minutes. “As long as it feels good, then do it all,” she says.

Here are the stretches she recommends:

And here’s how to do each one:

90,000 Will yoga help with back pain?

Until now, medicine does not know a miracle remedy that would help get rid of back pain. But every fourth inhabitant of the planet suffers from this. But if you go to non-traditional methods of treatment, then you can immediately pay attention to yoga. It is she who will give us an effective and safe recovery of the spine.

Today, a huge number of people with enviable persistence experience back pain.Pain relievers, all kinds of ointments, and even surgery cannot guarantee complete healing. Nevertheless, many doctors can attest to the fact that yoga can do something that traditional medicine cannot. The most important thing is patience and attention to your feelings. I will tell you about a step-by-step system of actions and how yoga is useful for back pain.

The first thing to do is to find the cause of the pain . Make sure your back pain is not a “side effect” of a life-threatening illness.Causes such as cancer or, for example, aortic aneurysm can also cause back pain, but they are much less common. The most common reason is sciatic nerve inflammation, but let’s not guess on the coffee grounds and undergo a medical examination. It is also necessary in order to be one hundred percent sure that yoga classes will not be able to cause harm. This is especially important for those who are already over fifty, who have a fever, or you suddenly began to lose weight suddenly.

Caution and more caution. Too active yoga practice in the rehabilitation period after injuries can lead to negative consequences. One has only to overestimate one’s strength – and the condition will worsen, and the pain will intensify. And this will greatly slow down the healing process. It is necessary to observe the principle of the golden mean, since bed rest, according to experts, is more likely to harm than help. First, do those breathing exercises and asanas that are easiest for you.

Consult an experienced instructor. For good results in the treatment of back pain, it is necessary to consult a specialist in the field of yoga therapy. A qualified yoga teacher will not only teach you how to perform the necessary exercises, but will also create for you an individual training schedule that will most closely match your physical condition and level of fitness. Observing how you will perform asanas and how your body responds to this, it will be able to make adjustments to your practice in time and thereby help protect yourself from possible complications.

Make friends with yoga. Do not practice asanas that will exacerbate pain. If you have a problem with the lumbar region, try to avoid forward bending exercises, especially twists, such as Janu Shirshasana (Head to Knees pose). Be very careful with the transitions from one pose to another – at this time, attention weakens. Asanas should flow smoothly into one another.

Remember the psychological cause of the disease. Of course, you shouldn’t blame all your health problems on frustration, resentment, stress and anger.But they play an important, one might say – key role in healing. Pay attention to your state of mind, do not allow negative emotions – they will become an obstacle on your path to health.

Meditations, pranayama and of course regular yoga practice will help you in this. Believe it or not, yoga is truly capable of healing your back pain. It is even possible that now you are reading these lines with a grain of salt, and in a few months you will be able to subscribe to every word.

Similar

Yoga for Low Back Pain Relief

While the whole world is struggling with the coronavirus pandemic, many of us have to adapt to a new way of life, and above all to work from home. Without commuting, lunchtime walks, and exercise, low activity levels can be a big problem for your back. Although there are many causes for back pain – such as poor sleep, illness, and stress – pain can also be caused by prolonged sitting in one position with minimal movement.

There is no “right” way to sit at your computer, tablet or book other than the one that is most comfortable for you. Some may work at a desk and sit upright, while others prefer to lie in bed for maximum comfort and relaxation. But do not forget that it is necessary to change positions, because the back is “designed” to bend, like any part of your body, it cannot stay in one position all day. Doctors recommend taking short breaks every 30-60 minutes during work.During this time, you can, for example, make yourself a face mask or brew a cup of delicious tea.

So, if you are suffering from lower back discomfort while working from home, these exercises will help you get rid of the pain and relax.

Downward dog . For this exercise, create an inverted V shape with your arms and legs on the floor. Then bend your knees slightly and stretch upward to create more space for the spine to lengthen and stretch the hamstrings more safely.

Half-dog pose. You need to get down on your knees and bend forward, also stretch your arms forward and lower your head. This pose will relieve tension in your arms and shoulders.

Cat-cow pose. This is an excellent exercise for improving blood circulation in the spine and relieving tension in the lower back. This exercise requires your hands and knees to be on the floor. As you inhale, allow your belly to soften, arch your back, and lift your head and tailbone.This part is called the “cow”. As you exhale, round your spine, pulling your abs towards your spine and at the same time pulling your chin towards your chest. This part is called the “cat”. Repeat this exercise slowly 10 times and watch your breathing.

Child’s pose. First you need to kneel down and then sit on your heels. Now bend forward and try to touch the floor with your forehead, spread your knees a little wider from each other. Keep your hands on the floor, palms up, in relation to your head behind you.Bring your hips back towards your heels (don’t worry if they don’t touch, keep pulling them back and down). Stretch your arms out in front of you and tilt your head toward the floor. If you can’t, you can rest your head on a thick book. Stay in this position with your eyes closed for at least 10 long breaths.

Supine twist. Lying on your back, bring your right knee to your chest with your left hand. Pull your knee toward you and then to the left.Make sure your right shoulder is on the floor. Place your right hand 90 degrees in relation to your body, try to relax. Hold for 10 deep breaths, and then repeat this exercise on the opposite side of the body.

Source: harpersbazaar.com/uk/

Text: Elena Polupanova

do {Yoga} while (back hurts) / Habr

Introduction

This is an ordinary story about the most ordinary IT-schnick, which, nevertheless, may be of interest to people of various professions.This article is not about how I achieved success in a particular IT discipline, be it programming, administration or design. My story is about how I ditched my back in 10 years of working in IT, and how I then cured it.

The purpose of my text is not to popularize yoga as a way of life, thinking or philosophy, this is just my personal experience, which, I hope, can be very useful to someone. I also want to note that the article does not call on you to self-medicate or to reject traditional medicine, but calls for self-organization and a more attentive attitude towards yourself, that is, NOT ignoring the problems and their roots.

Before writing the text, I studied the publications of my colleagues in the workshop, for example, this one, and I do not want to repeat myself, but, in my opinion, my article has a slightly different direction, although it talks about the same subject. Plus, I hope that someone can hook or, scientifically speaking, motivate, the emotional background on the rise of which I am writing this article. What is described below is perhaps the most significant achievement of mine at this stage in my life. I just now realized this and I just can’t help but tell others about it.

How it all began and how it ended

So, it all started a long time ago and is pretty commonplace, like most of my compatriots. Namely: 10 years of a sedentary life at school = problems with posture, + 7 years of a sedentary life at the university = problems with posture (apparently, problems with the spine have already begun) + 10 years of sedentary work in IT = problems with posture (already quite serious spinal problems). I periodically did some kind of physical exercise like playing football, snowboarding or occasional taekwando hikes, but, as far as I now think, this is more negative than positively reflected on my back condition.

Having come a long way from a sore to a healthy back (or at least one that does not hurt and does not make itself felt), I realized that there are enough sports that you should not do at all until you have a good muscle corset around the spine. These sports by themselves do not create this corset, but they can cause considerable harm. I do not presume to state this with 100% certainty, since I am not a doctor, but I still think that I am not far from the truth.

As a result, by the age of 30, my back was something like a seedy Zhiguli that no one had ever serviced – it seemed to drive, but was about to fall apart.

From time to time, something wedged me in the lower back and neck (or rather under the shoulder blade), from sitting for a long time in one place it started to burn or prick something in the lumbar region, and sometimes even gave it to the leg when walking, but not so much to panic or think that I might have a hernia and it’s time to finally go to the doctor. Well, you yourself know everything here, how it is usual with us in Russia – I won’t go to the doctor while I can still go, well, then it seems like it’s too late to go 🙂 … friends chipped in and gave me an ATV (!), small, so Chinese, but still an ATV.Meet him in the photo below. I mocked myself and this miracle of technology in every possible way for three months, and then safely burned the clutch and went to repair it. This is where the real problems began: to repair the clutch, you need to remove the engine and take it to the place of repair. The engine weighs just over 20 kg, and the repair site is on the 2nd floor of my country house. It seems that it does not sound very scary, but two or three times pulling this unit was enough for me to get jammed and distorted so that I understood: “it seems everything”.I remember that the upper part of my body was always about 10-15 degrees tilted relative to the lower one (pelvis + legs), and I really could not walk in any other way. My wife (she is my doctor) pierced all sorts of miraculous solutions such as vitamins and anti-inflammatory, but this did not bring any particular effect – I really could not straighten up for the 2nd week.

I had to pull myself together and go to surrender to the doctors, and the first thing I did was to do an MRI, which is what I advise you. Having done an MRI and its description with a doctor, you can save a lot of time and money, and, possibly, health, since you will not engage in those types of treatment that either do not suit you or are generally contraindicated.

MRI showed a rather sad picture – osteochondrosis, one protrusion and one hernia in the lumbar spine – in fact, she, dear, is shown in the photo below. The neurosurgeon’s consultation was quite quick and clear – “the operation, you, a young man, is not shown, live like this, do exercises and all the best to you!”. I remember my thoughts then, from gloomy to gloomy ones like “well, the worst thing is that the hernia will rub my nerve, I will not feel my leg, it will be amputated for me, this is not the end of the world, after all, you can live with one leg… ”. The reader is able to imagine the state of a person who considered himself more or less healthy and suddenly learns about irreversible or slow-moving changes inside his body.

Fortunately for me, my wife was then 7 months pregnant, so there was very little time left for such a blues, I quickly pulled myself together and began to think constructively – what can be done in order to correct the situation. I considered the following options and their pros and cons:

• classic operation – hernia resection.Plus one and quite obvious at that time: no hernia – no problem, in fact, everything turned out to be not so simple. The disadvantages are also obvious – all the risks associated with the operation, plus no guarantee that the situation will not get worse or stay the same.
• “magic” operation – implantation of a titanium disc (!), Injection of healthy stem cells into the disc, etc. Pros – a magic pill that turns you into a superman. Cons – I don’t believe in magic, or almost don’t.
• shamanic methods – conspiracies, medicinal herbs, so what am I talking about …
• oriental massage methods: massage, acupuncture, manual therapy. Plus one – all this is not radical and, according to many, can be very effective. Minus is a very incomprehensible and mysterious thing and again, according to many, it can both help and harm.
• pool is generally a cool thing, very nice and useful, and the pool was adopted and tested a year before the events I described, but the trouble is the pool, if, of course, you do not do it professionally, or at least 5 days in a week, nothing will cure you, that is, it will not fix what has already been broken.Yes, the pool is unrealistically useful and even more enjoyable. But if you already have a hernia, I don’t believe that the pool will really help you, at least it didn’t help me and even a bunch of people with whom I talked on this topic.
• gym is also a good thing, but there is a trick, more precisely, a subtlety. In the gym, it’s much easier to permanently break your back than to fix it. I doubt that it is generally possible to work out with a hernia in the spine in the gym, but if you do, then only under the supervision of a super-professional trainer who is aware of what he is doing.
• yoga was a mysterious thing at that time for me, but quite interesting. I will not describe all the pros and cons of yoga or try to give a super-precise and comprehensive definition of this concept, I think others have done it for me long ago and much better.

I will cite the arguments “for” that directed me along this path:

1. Yoga is a teaching that is already more than 5000 years old (just think about this figure) and it not only does not die, but on the contrary develops to this day.This means that “there is definitely something in it”
2. There are quite a few directions, depths and artifacts in yoga (let’s call it that), and the choice is always yours. I formulated it for myself something like this: yoga is like a door to other dimensions, which you can only open a little and look there, you can stick your head in there and consider everything in detail, you can completely enter this door, but leave it open anyway, but you can enter and slam the door behind you – this is how people do who refuse all the “amenities” of the modern world (meat, alcohol, parties, etc.)go to India, and we only read about them later in books or articles in Geo magazine. In short – you yourself choose how and how much you associate yourself with yoga, and no one here dictates anything to you – if you want physical exercise – do it, if you don’t want to be a vegan – don’t be, but if you want to give up alcohol – give up, it’s your business and only yours.
3. to start doing yoga is very simple and clear how – just go to any (well, almost any) yoga club and do it, no special preparation is needed for this
4. according to my first information, which I learned then, yoga can fix a lot of things, but you can also harm, but much more difficult than, for example, a gym or snowboard.
5. my friend was doing yoga then (she had similar back problems), and it was she who told me about her then
6. Well, the last argument, but not unimportant – on yoga you will always meet crowds of beautiful and very beautiful girls, who at least you can watch for free, joke 🙂

So, I started doing yoga, it was about 5 years ago. I chose Iyengar yoga, I gave such a definition of this direction for myself: this is yoga for those who have health problems, it is simple, understandable, it is difficult for it to break something, while it is no less deep than everything else in yoga.

Here I must tell you about my first teachers – Lena and Marina. I am insanely grateful to them for everything that they gave me. These are amazing people who, in my opinion, give the world around them much more than they receive from it, at least this feeling is created in their yoga classes. They rush about the hall like mad, correcting all kinds of mistakes of students and explaining all the subtleties of this or that movement or asana, and they adjust to the level of understanding of their student, without trying to burden him with what he still cannot understand now.The best metaphor I could think of for them is parents who have an infinite number of already grown children – in the yoga hall, they (I’m talking about teachers) really are parents who patiently and accurately guide their every step 20-30-50 , and sometimes 70-year-old children who have just entered or have already gone a little along the path of yoga. I hope I did not overload you, I can only draw one conclusion from all of the above – choose a yoga teacher carefully, especially at the beginning of your journey.If you do not feel sacred awe and complete trust in the person who tells and shows you something, then perhaps you should change the teacher.

So, I started practicing and felt the first result after about 3-4 months. There was one event that really inspired me on a new path, and about which I cannot but tell. As expected, my wife ended up in the maternity ward. I was with her, since we had a joint childbirth (this is such a modern way to be closer to each other, who does not know).In general, this is such a four-hour entertainment, when you always stand or sit in not very comfortable positions, helping your wife physically and psychologically – there is absolutely nowhere and no time to lie down to give your back a rest for at least 5 minutes. Three months ago, when I was “stuck”, I was even scared to imagine that I would spend 4 hours without rest, but now, after three months of yoga practice, my back endured these hardships with dignity, which I was quite impressed and inspired by.

Further – it is better, after six months of regular classes (2 times a week with a teacher in the Iyengar yoga group), I really felt much better: nothing else pinched me, all the unpleasant processes while sitting at work also disappeared.I was able to return to my favorite snowboard, on which I had not been able to ride for a couple of years, although I still “felt” my back while rolling. A year later, I completely forgot that I had some back problems and began to feel myself about 18 years old. After another 2 years, I became insolent and relaxed so much that twice a year I almost ditched my back again, at first getting up incorrectly on a wakeboard behind the boat (the completely crazy power of the gasoline engine practically bent me in half, because I was pushing the board into the water instead of getting on the water, in general, I did everything wrong and unsafe).The second time I was engaged in some kind of construction work and began to knead cement in a slope, and again I was “jammed”. I was quite upset, I thought that I had again lost everything that I had achieved in 3 years of training and returned to the “starting point”, but a couple of weeks of intensive training returned everything to its previous state.

This, by the way, led me to the idea that regularity in classes is perhaps even more important than their intensity. Now I am working on doing yoga at least a little, but every day I develop a corresponding habit in myself.Continuing the topic of regularity, I started practicing 2 times a week and this, I repeat, was enough for me to really feel much lighter in six months, now I go to yoga once a week and regularly do 20-30 minutes at home.

Conclusions

• go get an MRI of the back, especially if something hurts – take your time and money, diagnostics in the modern world is extremely simple and informative
• if there is a health problem – start solving it right now, it will be more difficult further, more expensive
• choose the method that suits you, yoga suits me personally
• Do not be afraid of yoga, it is not always “ultra-vegan, all complex and incomprehensible spiritual nonsense, etc.etc. ”, for many, yoga can be just an advanced form of exercise or physical therapy
• Do not treat this problem as a problem – it is very important. If you ignore or do not understand this point, then with a probability of 80%, having enough energy, you will correct the “problem”, it will cease to worry you, and after that you will again return to the same state of the problem. A trivial example: my back hurt – I removed the hernia – I keep the same lifestyle – a year later a new hernia has grown – etc.Change your approach to the case / issue / problem – realize that this is the only constructive approach. An example is to realize and accept the importance of charging at least 3 times a week for the rest of your days, no matter how scary it sounds.
• pool is a cool thing, but in my opinion (this is a value judgment, of course :)) it will not help you heal your back, it will only make you feel good or help you keep yourself in shape. Unless of course you are going to become a professional swimmer.
• And “May the Force be with you” – Master Yo g da

P.S.

I, as a person with five years of yoga experience, now walk down the street (wherever I am) and notice the posture and just the position / condition of the back in other people (in girls, especially, of course), and I am simply horrified – I feel sorry for people, and for the future of mankind (at least Russia) is really scary. A particularly striking problem for girls for obvious reasons (for whom these reasons are not obvious – think about it)

By eye, 8 out of 10 whom I see have back problems, many of them have huge problems (one might say a hump grows in the area of ​​the shoulder blades) …I really want to approach everyone and tell this whole story so that the person at least realizes that “there is a problem”, but due to my social phobia shyness and the paradigm of decency, of course, I do not do this (perhaps in vain). This is just the “curse of a sitting person” of the 20th and 21st centuries. If you have any specific questions for me – write, I will be happy to answer them and tell you everything! I hope my article helps someone to change. If you cannot change yourself, then how are you going to change the world for the better ?!

P.P.S.

Many thanks to my good friend and an excellent person with deep knowledge of the correct Russian language Marina Katolikova for editing my article.

A couple of links at last:

Yoga – “Yoga for back pain – these simple asanas can be mastered by EVERYONE, even those who are almost 50, like me! Photos with me of all asanas and a detailed description of each. We strengthen the abs, tighten the buttocks, fight cellulite, heal the WHOLE body. Contraindications. ”

As a doctor, I quite often come across the fact that my patients, both very young and older, complain of back pain.Yes, and this cup did not pass me (((

The reasons are very diverse, but the essence is the same: how to make sure that back pain does not bother me? You can regularly take massage courses twice a year. But massage will not strengthen your muscles, which are a corset for the spine, but only relieve tension and muscle spasm and improve blood circulation. This, of course, is also great. But weakened muscles will not hold the spine well, and back pain will bother more and more often.

Way out – special exercises , which not only relieve muscle tension and spasms, improve blood circulation, but also strengthen them, increase the flexibility of the spine, and correct posture.Then the back will not bother you.

Experienced physiotherapists (this is a doctor who, among other things, is engaged in special physiotherapy exercises) know that the most effective exercises are taken from yoga, or rather, from its direction, which is designed to improve the body through exercises – hatha -yoga.

I want to share these exercises with those who, perhaps, are no longer 18, but 28 with a ponytail, and the size of the ponytail does not matter.After all, we know that there are no 38-year-old women, but there are 18-year-old girls with 20 years of experience)))

***

CONTENTS

Start. This is about how I got to the life of this yoga.

General rules. How, when and how much.

Contraindications. Who is not allowed, and who is not.

Marjariasana Bitilasana ( Pose of a cat – cow ) – the whole body, back, buttocks, abdomen, internal organs, hemorrhoids

Shashankasana (Pose of the moon, or hare) – back, internal organs

Pavanmuktasana (Pose of the release of winds) – back, intestines, constipation, hemorrhoids

Utthita Parsvakonasana (Pose of the lateral angle) , variation – waist, abdomen, hips

Upishavt Sitting angle, face down) – back, hips, internal organs

Setu bandhasana (Half bridge) – back, buttocks, hips, hemorrhoids

Diagonal stretch on all fours – back, buttocks, thighs calves

Jathara Parivartanasana (Abdominal Twisting Pose) – lower back, internal organs

900 03

Tadasana with arms in Namaste (Mountain Pose with arms in greeting) – chest, arms, shoulder joints

Pashchimottanasana (Folded leaf pose) – back, internal organs

Uttanpadasana (Knife) – press

Shavasana (Dead man’s pose, but for the living, variation) – back, internal organs

Bicycle (variation) – whole press

Dandasana (plank pose) on forearms – whole body

***

Beginning.How I got to the life of this yoga.

I met yoga exercises (light versions) for a long time. And although I repent, it is often too lazy to perform the whole range of exercises, I try to adhere to the required minimum, because without this, the back immediately makes itself felt.

It all started with the fact that 15 years ago I injured my back while sledding (amortization injury of the lumbar spine). Orthopedic belt (then it was a linen sheet), manual therapy, massages … The lower back hurt for a year.Then I felt good, but sometimes, about once a year, pains appeared in the lower back, in the sacral region, then in the cervical region. I went to a chiropractor, and everything went away.

But one day there was pain in the neck and thoracic spine. After 2 sessions of manual therapy, it did not get any easier, and there was absolutely no money for further treatment. And then a lucky chance introduced me to a colleague, an excellent specialist in physiotherapy exercises and a wonderful person.She taught me exercises, most of which were taken from yoga, which I first performed in the gym under her guidance, and then at home. The whole set of exercises took half an hour every day. And after 7 days the pain was gone! And it cost me completely free.

If you exercise regularly – excess weight goes away, the stomach and buttocks are tightened, the manifestations of cellulite are reduced. But I gave up exercise, as is often the case.

Then, when about a year later, back pain appeared, again my dear colleague taught me exercises that relieved the pain in a few days.I must say right away that I applied for help as soon as pain appeared, on the same day, or the next day. If I passed with pain for several weeks or months, as some do, I think the problem would not have been resolved so quickly.

And then I studied this issue on my own, over time I added a few more exercises to my piggy bank.

Now I try to do at least 3-5 exercises for the spine in the morning. If a complex for losing weight is sometimes too lazy to perform, then I don’t want to joke with my back.Anyone who has had a back or lower back pain at least once in his life will understand me.

And if there is an acute pain … Here’s how recently: I sat on the floor for a long time in a very uncomfortable position, then rose abruptly – and felt an acute pain in the lower back, radiating to the thigh. I went to another room, unrolled my karemat on the floor, which I use as a yoga mat, did a few exercises to stretch the spasmodic muscles and unblock the infringement – and the pain went away completely. If on this day you do not twitch to make any sudden movements, sit crookedly on a chair, crossing your legs, and the like, the pain will not return.

In case of acute pain, beginners can only perform asanas (postures) to relax the muscles on their own – for example, Shavasana (Dead Man’s Pose).

When acute pain has passed, most often after 10-14 days, you can start exercises to strengthen and make your back muscles, abs and so that the pain does not return.

***

GENERAL RULES.

– It is best to take the first lessons under the guidance of a good instructor.In yoga there are postures (they are called asanas) and exercises that can lead, if performed ineptly, to serious injuries!

Therefore, I will not specifically describe here strong deflections, complex twists, or poses that can cause injury. By the way, this can be a good guideline when choosing a yoga instructor: if the instructor shows a beginner the plow position (Halasana), which, if performed ineptly and with an unprepared spine, can lead to serious injury to the cervical spine (I am not even talking about the shoulder-blade stand – “Sarvangasana”, which is sometimes called “birch”) – then you need to tear claws run away from such a “master” as far as possible.

– Focus on your feelings! Nothing should be sore during exercise! If you feel pain while performing an exercise, then you are either doing it incorrectly, or this exercise is now contraindicated for you. Perhaps a feeling of discomfort, very slight soreness, but as soon as you feel pain – that’s it, stop there, do the exercise not to the end, but in a light version.

– Do not exercise on a soft surface (bed, sofa), or on too hard (bare floor, or covered with a thin carpet).The ideal option is a yoga mat or cushion (link at the bottom of the review).

– At first, it is more convenient to practice, controlling the correctness of the asanas, looking in the mirror. I don’t have a wardrobe with a mirrored door, so I just removed the mirror from the wall in the hallway (it was not difficult) and set it against the wall. Then you will do everything right on the machine.

– Do not exercise after meals, wait 2-3 hours. Or do it in the morning if that’s more convenient for you.

– if you can, breathe through your nose, and, if possible, with your stomach, and not with your chest. Please note that it is often written that the exercise is performed on exhalation, or there are other remarks about breathing. This may seem like a small thing, but IT’S IMPORTANT! Without this, the effectiveness of the impact is reduced.

– do all asanas SLOWLY!

– start with exercises that are performed while standing, then move on to exercises on all fours, then sitting, then lying down.End with a relaxation exercise (Shavasana)

– Keep the room fresh (ventilate the room before exercising)

– Try not to overwork. You do not need to strive to master all the poses at once. For a start, 15-20 minutes is enough.

***

CONTRAINDICATIONS.

Yoga is contraindicated for:

– acute diseases (pneumonia, acute otitis media, acute pancreatitis, acute cholecystitis, etc.)

– blood diseases, oncology, heart failure

– with acute pain in the spine, joints, internal organs

– during headache, migraine

– during menstruation

– during acute infectious diseases (flu, tonsillitis, food poisoning, chickenpox, etc.).

For pregnant women, you can choose a set of exercises, but this requires a strictly individual approach.

These are general contraindications.If some exercise has its own, additional, contraindications, I indicate this separately in the description of the asana.

***

So, let’s get started?

Please don’t be too harsh judges.

Yes, I could use a thinner waist and a tummy in cubes tighten up and hips are slimmer

And I do not tie in a knot – my favorite exercises are quite simple, these are light versions of asanas.

But I have extenuating circumstances: I am no longer 18, and not even 28, but scary to say – almost 50 (without 2 years), and I have never played sports.

Therefore:

– I want to show the EASIEST, but VERY EFFECTIVE exercises that are suitable for EVERYONE, because most often they are needed not by those who have an ideal figure, but by those who have the very opposite – these asanas can be performed without special preparation, you do not need to practice yoga for years.

Do not forget: we perform all exercises SLOWLY, not relaxed, but do not overstrain the muscles or overstretch them.

***

Marjariasana – Bitilasana (cat – cow pose).

This asana acts on the entire spine , from the cervical spine to the lumbosacral. With its correct implementation , the blood circulation of the internal organs improves, the buttocks are tightened, due to the improvement of blood circulation, the manifestations of cellulite are reduced.

It is also an excellent prevention of exacerbation of hemorrhoids (but this exercise alone cannot be used for hemorrhoids, how to get rid of hemorrhoids – read “How to cure hemorrhoids without drugs”, link at the end of this review)

This asana is one of my favorite, because it is actually acts on the entire body.And I really want to be flexible like a kitty

Starting position.

Cat Pose . Get on all fours so that your arms, torso and legs form the letter P, that is, your arms and legs should be at right angles to your torso, and not move apart or move out.

Legs should be together. Exhaling air slowly, bend your back like an angry cat, pull your stomach as far as possible under the ribs, tilt your head as if you wanted to reach your navel with your nose, tighten your buttocks, pull in your anus (as if you were trying to hold back gases).Hold this for a few seconds.

Cow Pose . Next, inhaling slowly, return to the starting position and arch your back slightly, relax your stomach, straighten your neck and stretch slightly.

Don’t wring your neck back or bend over too much (you’re a beginner). If you are often bothered by lower back pain, do not do this part of the exercise – return from the cat pose to the starting position, and that’s enough.

Repeat this asana 3 times.Over time, you can increase the number of repetitions to 5-6 (I only do three times so that I have strength for other exercises).

***

Shashankasana (pose of the moon, or hare) . In Sanskrit it is a play on words: “shashank” is the moon, and also “shash” is a hare, “ankh” is paws

This asana is also one of my favorites, as it is quite easy and at the same time very useful. Again, it affects the entire spine. Shashankasana is very helpful for lower back pain.This asana stretches the muscles of the back, relieving the pinching of the nerve roots (sciatica). It is very effective in osteochondrosis, reduces the pressure on the intervertebral discs, due to which they take the correct position.

When breathing with the stomach in the final position, the blood circulation of the internal organs, including the intestines, improves.

Sit in Vajasan pose. To do this, you need to kneel down, and then sit on your heels. Put your hands on your knees, straighten your back.

While inhaling, slowly raise your straight arms above your head:

Exhaling, slowly lean forward lower and lower until you put your bent arms on the floor, and put your head between your hands, touching the floor with your forehead.The forehead and elbows should be in line.

If you can’t put your elbows and head on the floor, bend over as much as you can.

Sitting in this position, try to relax your whole body. Breathe slowly into your stomach; you should feel the stomach touching your hips as you inhale. Stay in this position for a few minutes (count to 100).

Then slowly return to Vajrasana (starting position).

Perform this asana once.

***

Pavanmuktasana (wind release pose)

In Sanskrit, “pavan” – wind, “mukta” – release, asana – posture. This is also one of the simplest and most useful asanas.

It was so named because it gently massages the abdominal organs, especially the intestines, and promotes the passage of gas (so try to be alone at this moment. Helps the release of stagnant bile from the gallbladder.Helps fight constipation. It is useful for the prevention of exacerbations of hemorrhoids.

In addition, this asana is also very useful for of the entire spine, especially for the lumbosacral region of the spine, improves blood circulation in the hip and knee joints, therefore it is very useful for arthrosis.

The ideal time to do this asana is in the morning after waking up. We woke up, went to the toilet – and on the mat))

Execution:

– lie on your back

– exhaling, pull your RIGHT knee to your stomach and chest, helping yourself with your hands, while trying not to take your other leg off the floor, but with your head reach for knee:

Ideally, you should touch your knee with your nose.Do not lift your lower back off the floor.

– hold this for a few seconds, and then, while inhaling, return to the starting position.

Repeat with the other leg.

Repeat the same, bringing both knees to the stomach and chest:

Repeat the entire cycle 3 times.

Important! This asana should be started only with the RIGHT foot. The fact is that our large intestine in the abdomen is folded like a hose in a basin, but not somehow, but clockwise.If you start this asana with the right foot, there is a massage ON THE ROUTE of the intestines, this stimulates its emptying from gases and stagnant stools. And if you start the asana with the left leg, there will be a massage against the bowel movement. It’s as if you did so that the contents of the toilet did not pour into the drain, but went in the opposite direction

If you cannot do this asana in the morning on an empty stomach, you can do it at any other time, but at least 4 times should pass after eating. hours (drink does not count).

If you are concerned about constipation, this asana will help under the following conditions: in the morning after waking up, go to the toilet, if necessary, then drink 1 glass of warm (always warm!) Water and immediately after that perform Pavanmuktasana at least 3 times. With severe chronic constipation – up to 10 times.

Contraindications: exacerbation of inflammatory processes (abdominal pain, cystitis, joint pain, acute hemorrhoids)

***

Utthita Parswakonasana, lateral angle pose (variation)

Strengthens the muscles of the lateral surface of the trunk, removes fat deposits in the waist area.Just what I need!

Get on your knees. As you exhale, stretch your left leg to the side, place it on your toe, resting your right hand on the floor.

Raise your left arm and extend it over your head, pull it until you feel a stretch in the waist from the side. Hold this for a few seconds. As you inhale, return to the kneeling position.

Important! The knee, toe and palm on which we are leaning should be on the same line. Do not bend your elbows.

Do not lean forward or fall back.The extended leg and arm should form one straight line with the body.

The exercise should be performed 3 times in each direction.

***

Adho Mukha Upavishtha Konasana (Face Down Sitting Angle Pose).

Like all asanas in this complex, this is a simplified version that everyone, well, or almost everyone can do.

This asana is ideal for those who want to have toned legs.During this exercise, among others, one of the most difficult areas is being worked out – the internal muscles of the thigh. Calves are tightened. By improving blood circulation, the appearance of cellulite is reduced. In addition, the blood circulation in the perineum and the pelvic organs is improved, therefore it is believed that this asana promotes sexuality.

Sit on the floor and spread your straight legs to the sides as wide as possible. You should feel the tension on your inner thighs. Pull the socks towards you. If at first it is difficult for you to take the correct body position, rest your back against a wall (bed, chair).

Place your hands in front of you and exhale, slowly moving your hands (“walk with your hands” on the floor)

until you bend as low as you can, but don’t overstretch your lower back. Feel the tension in your hips, calves, and lower back. Lower your head down:

Hold in this position with support on outstretched arms for a few seconds. While inhaling, moving your arms in the opposite direction, return to the starting position.

The exercise must be performed 3 times.

Contraindications: pain in the lumbosacral spine.

***

Setu bandha Sarvangasana (half bridge).

This asana affects the lumbosacral region of the spine, the anterior and lateral surface of the thighs (cellulite), hip and knee joints, tightens the buttocks, improves blood circulation in the pelvic organs, therefore it is used for constipation and hemorrhoids, inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs.

Lie on your back. Bend your legs at the knees and place them on the floor. Try to reach your heels with your hands, if it doesn’t work out, reach as far as it will go. Do not spread your legs wide – the effect of the exercise will be less. There should be a distance of about one foot between the legs. As you exhale, slowly raise your pelvis, bend your back, squeeze your buttocks, and pull in the anus. Keep your feet on the floor. Hold for 3-5 seconds.

Inhale, lower yourself slowly, relax.

Repeat 3-5 times.

***

Diagonal stretch on all fours.

I didn’t find this pose in yoga, maybe it’s not from yoga either. It was shown to me by a colleague, a physiotherapist. And it is very useful (tested on myself) for the whole back.

This exercise has a positive effect on the entire spine, especially the lumbosacral region. Tightens the buttocks, back of the thighs, calves, improves blood circulation in this area, thereby reducing the appearance of cellulite.

Get on all fours as you would for a cat pose (with your arms, torso, and legs forming a U). As you exhale, extend your left arm – right leg (at the level of the torso, so that the arm and leg are parallel to the floor). Pull the sock towards ourselves. We stretch, as if we were pushing something with our hand and pushing it away with our foot.

Breathe calmly and evenly.

Head in line with the back line. Don’t throw your head back! And don’t bend your lower back.

Hold this position for a few seconds.At first I could hardly keep my balance in this position. If this is the case for you, do not worry, in time everything will work out. Hold on for 1-2 seconds is good. The time will gradually increase.

Return to starting position. The same, only change the arm-leg . Repeat the cycle 3-6 times.

***

Jathara Parivartanasana (twisting of the abdomen), variation.

This asana is useful for the total spine, especially for the lumbar spine.Improves blood circulation in the abdominal organs, in the hip joints.

Lie on your back, spread your arms to the sides, and bend your legs at the knees and place them on the floor (legs should be together).

As you exhale, slowly turn your knees to the right, laying them on the floor, and turn your head to the left. If you can’t reach the floor with your knees, then do as much as you can, but remember – nothing should hurt! Do not lift your shoulders and ass off the floor. Hold for 3 seconds.

Inhale, turn to starting position. Then the same thing, only in the other direction (knees to the left, and head to the right).

Do the whole cycle 3 times.

***

Tadasana with arms in Namaste (mountain pose with arms in greeting).

This asana is useful for the entire spine and improves posture. Especially useful for women, as it helps to maintain the shape of the breasts.Strengthens the abdominal muscles. Improves blood circulation in the shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints.

Stand in Tadasana (mountain pose). To do this, you need to stand up straight, put your feet together (if it is so difficult for you to maintain balance, they can be placed one foot wide, but do not spread your socks to the sides). Keep your back straight, head straight. Pull in your stomach. Hands along the torso.

As you exhale, fold your arms into the Namaste position (in India this is a greeting) and strain by pushing your hands towards each other.

Feel the muscles in your arms, chest and abdomen tighten. The elbows should be parallel to the floor.

Hold this for a few seconds, lower your arms while inhaling.

Repeat 3 times.

From habit, hands in this asana may initially tremble like in an alcoholic , do not be afraid, it will pass.

***

Pashchimottanasana (folded leaf pose)

“Pashchima” in Sanskrit means west, Uttan is extension.Literal meaning: extension of the western side of the body. This asana is also called the folded leaf pose, because in it the body lies on its feet, like a folded sheet in half.

This is one of the most useful asanas. I love it very much, as it affects the entire spine, but it is especially useful for the lower back. If it is performed regularly, the pinching of the nerve roots in the lumbar region is relieved, pain goes away. This asana is also useful for the abdominal organs: intestines, bladder, uterus, improves the activity of the kidneys and adrenal glands, liver, pancreas, and gonads.

It is with this asana that I relieve myself a sudden pain in the lower back (and after that I do Shavasana for relaxation). But I do not advise you to do this without experience.

Sit on the floor with your legs extended, they should be together. Place your feet on the floor. Place your hands on your hips. As you exhale, slowly sliding your hands over your legs, bend as low as you can. ( Ideally, you should touch your knees with your forehead, and grab your big toes with your fingers, while not bending your knees ).

But this is a light version of the asana, which, nevertheless, is very useful. Therefore, grab your heels, if you can’t – your ankles, you can’t your ankles – grab your legs under your knees as close to your feet as possible and stretch your head towards your knees. Pull your toes towards you. Place your elbows on the floor.

You should feel a strong tension under your knees.

Hold as long as you can, breathe calmly. Then, while inhaling, sliding your hands along your legs in the opposite direction, return to the starting position.

Do not overexert yourself. Bend over without jerking. From habit, the legs in the knees will still slightly rise above the floor – this is not scary.

This asana must be performed once. Advanced yogis linger in this position for several minutes (up to 5 minutes), but if you perform based on your capabilities, the asana will bring you more benefit.

Contraindications: herniated discs, inguinal hernia, sacral pain, pain in the hip joints,
asthma.

***

Uttanpadasana (Scissors).

This asana strengthens the abs, has a good effect on the abdominal organs.

Lie on your back, put your hands under the buttocks so as not to overload the lower back. The legs are straight, the lower back is pressed to the floor.

As you exhale, raise your legs, spread them to the side and swing, winding one leg after the other, like blades in a scissor.

Do not raise your legs high: the higher the legs, the less impact on the abs.

Important: do not lift your lower back off the floor!

Contraindications: frequent pain in the lumbar spine.

***

Shavasana (dead man’s pose), variation on the chair.

This asana can be performed for acute back pain as an emergency aid. It helps to relax muscles and relieve stress on the spine. It also promotes the outflow of stagnant blood in the veins of the legs, therefore it is useful for varicose veins.

If you are doing a complex of asanas, this asana should be the last one.

Lie on the floor with your feet on the seat of a chair. Do not bend your lower back! For convenience, you can put a roller under your neck (I rolled it out of a jacket).

Try to completely relax your whole body. Breathe calmly and evenly. Lie like this for 5 minutes. Before that, you can turn on quiet relaxing music.

Then remove your legs from the chair, turn on your side, sit down, sit for 10 -20 seconds and slowly get up.

Contraindications: high blood pressure.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** * ** ***

When back pain no longer bothers you, you can do the exercises “Bicycle” (variation) and “Plank” for weight loss, for the press, to strengthen the back muscles.

Bicycle (variation).

In this version of the “bike” all abdominal muscles, including obliques, are worked out very effectively.

Improves blood circulation in the abdominal organs.It also improves blood circulation in the thighs and buttocks (we fight cellulite).

Lie on your back, bend your legs at the knees, hands behind your head, interlock your fingers. Do not pull your head with your hands and do not strain your neck!

Raise your head, shoulders and upper torso, but keep your lower back flat on the floor.

Move your feet as you would when riding a bicycle. At the same time, bending the right leg, with the left elbow we reach the knee, turning towards the bent leg:

Next, we straighten the right leg, bend the left one, turning to the left, with the right elbow we reach the knee:

And so on we ride a bicycle twist our legs, alternately turning towards the bent leg and touching it with the opposite elbow.

Continue the exercise until a burning sensation in the abdominal muscles is felt and a little more. Break for 10-20 seconds and second approach, third, fourth – as long as you can. When to stop? Then, when it is difficult to perform the exercise, the muscles of the press burns like fire.

Important! The lower the legs are above the floor, the more efficiently the abs are worked out. Also, this exercise is weakly effective if done quickly. So take your time.

And don’t forget: you can’t bend your lower back!

***

Dandasana (plank posture) on the forearms.

Danda – stick, or plank; asana – posture.

This asana affects the whole body, strengthens all the muscles of the back, abdominal muscles, tightens and strengthens the buttocks and leg muscles.

The main thing in this asana is the correct position of the body.

Lie on your stomach. As you exhale, lean on your elbows and forearms, then on your toes, go to the support lying. Try to stretch the body in one line. Do not bend your lower back up and do not bend down! The shoulder blades should not stick out.Do not bend your knees. Tighten your belly.

In this position, you need to hold out for up to 2 minutes.

At first, it’s good if you manage to hold the correct position for 10 seconds)) At first, there may be a tremor of the body from tension – this is normal, at first from habit I shook like an aspen leaf Next time hold out for 15 seconds, then 20 and so gradually up to 1 minute … Rest for 10 seconds and do another set for up to 1 minute.

***

If you do at least three exercises every day of your choice, there will be tangible benefits.In addition to the beneficial effect on the muscles and the spine, the blood supply to the internal organs improves, and, accordingly, their work, over time, even the immunity is strengthened.

Be healthy and beautiful!

My other reviews that may be of interest to you:

– How to cure hemorrhoids without drugs? How to relieve an exacerbation? Yoga exercises in the acute stage and for the prevention of exacerbations.

– How to lose weight if you are under 50, slow metabolism and you take medications that make you fat? On the system minus 60! Photo BEFORE and AFTER in a swimsuit.What if the process has stopped? Disruptions, nuances. How to maintain the result.

– Izhevsk karemat – for yoga and other exercises, for hiking, to the beach and fishing, in the mountains and … on the balcony))

– Roller Lyapko – for back pain , for anti-cellulite and cosmetic massage, for migraines, etc.

– Eco-Gel for washing. and cleaning from baby laundry soap with your own hands. Can be washed by hand, in automatic and conventional washing machines.Non-toxic, hypoallergenic – a review with a detailed recipe and step-by-step photos.

– Computer diagnostics of the body. Doctor’s opinion: how I was a computer diagnostician.

– Eggshell as an ideal source of organic calcium .. Recipe + step by step photo. Comparison with the most famous calcium tablets.

* * *

ALL my reviews are here

I would be glad to comments and answer all your questions!

10 yoga asanas for back and healthy spine »Mindvalley University

Live »yoga

Mindvalley • July 8, 2018 2:26

If you suffer from back pain caused by a sedentary lifestyle and stress, the right yoga complex will help you solve this problem.Yoga is not only for your body, including getting rid of back pain, but also for your mind, that is, getting rid of the stress that causes muscle pain.

There is a set of poses that do not require any special preparation from you and will help to stretch and tighten the whole body. Practicing yoga, even for a few minutes every day, can help you understand your body and its needs, including where you store tension. With just ten exercises, you can relieve spine, back and neck pain forever.

Bitilasana (cat, cow pose)

This is not only one of the most effective and simple asanas for beginners, but also a basic yoga pose in general. Get on all fours, arch your lower back like a cat, and then arch your back like showing a hump. By repeating these gentle backbends, you stretch and massage your spine, torso, arms, and neck, and massage the organs and muscles of your abdomen.

During the exercise involved:

• Muscle, straightening the spine (in anatomy from Latin – Musculus erector spinae)
• Rectus abdominis muscle (press)
• Triceps
• Serratus anterior (or superficial chest muscle)
• Buttocks

Sequence of execution:

• Get down on all fours.
• Keep your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Distribute your body weight so that it is the same on all points of the arms and legs.
• Inhale as you bend down. The gaze is directed upward.
• Exhale, arching the spine. Pull in your stomach.
• Watch the sensations in your body as you perform this movement.
• Do not focus on your thoughts and release tension in the body.
• Continue driving for at least 1 minute.

Downward-facing dog

This pose is also one of the basic elements of yoga, it will relieve back pain and will prevent sciatica. Helps balance the body and improves endurance.

Working Muscles:

• Tendons
• Deltoid muscle
• Gluteus
• Triceps
• Quadriceps femoris

Execution order:

• Get down on all fours.
• Place your hands under your wrists and your knees under your hips.
• Push back with your hands, lift your heels off the ground and lift your knees.
• Lift your buttocks up.
• Maintain a slight bend at the knees, lengthen the spine and tailbone.
• Keep your heels in a torn position.
• Place your hands firmly on the floor.
• Distribute your weight evenly between both sides of your body, paying attention to the position of your hips and shoulders.
• Keep your head in line with your forearms or chin slightly tucked back.
• Hold this pose for 1 minute.

Elongated Triangle Pose

This yoga asana is especially good for the back and neck as it stretches the muscles in them. It also stretches the muscles of the spine, groin, hips, while strengthening the shoulders, legs, chest. It effectively helps reduce stress and anxiety.

Working muscles:

• Back muscles
• Internal oblique muscle of the abdomen
• Gluteus maximus and medius
• Tendons
• Quadriceps femoris

Instructions for execution:

• Place your feet wider than shoulder width apart.
• Bend over to one side, place your hand on the corresponding leg. Extend your other hand up.
• Look up, forward, or lower your gaze.
• Practice this asana for one minute.
• And the same number on the other side.

Ardha Bhujangasana (or Sphinx Pose)

This gentle yoga asana is ideal for pain in the back of the body – it stretches the chest, shoulders and abdomen.

What runs at runtime:

• Muscle, erector spine
• Gluteus
• Chest
• Trapezoid
• Back muscles

Sequence of execution:

• Lie on your stomach on the floor, straighten your legs.
• Lift the case, rest your hands on the floor. Keep your elbows under your shoulders and press your palms to the floor.
• You should go up through the spine, and start the descent through the crown – do not fall down at once.
• Look ahead. Don’t think about anything, focus on the movements.
• Hold for about five minutes.

Cobra Pose

This “bridge” is almost identical to the Sphinx pose and is also an integral part of home yoga classes for the back.In addition, it stretches the muscles of the abdomen, chest and shoulders. The asana also strengthens the spine and prevents sciatica.

During this time:

• Tendons
• Gluteus
• Deltoid muscle of shoulder
• Triceps
• Serratus anterior chest muscle

Execution order:

• Lie on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders, fingers pointing forward.
• Place your hands firmly on your body.Don’t let your elbows go to the side.
• Using an arm lift, slowly raise your head, chest, and shoulders.
• You can climb to any height that is comfortable for you.
• Maintain a slight bend at the elbows.
• You can tilt your head back to stretch even further.
• As you exhale, lower yourself.
• Relax your neck.
• Slowly move your hips from side to side to release tension from the muscles.

Locust position

Asana works the lower body, helps relieve lower back pain and general depression.Strengthens the back of the torso, arms and legs. This pose promotes healthy digestion and relieves constipation and flatulence.

Muscles worked:

• Trapezius muscles
• Muscles of the spine
• Buttocks
• Triceps

Progress:

• Lie on your stomach with your legs extended.
• Gradually raise your body — head, chest, and arms — to a comfortable level.
• You can bring your hands together from behind and cross your fingers behind your back.
• To strengthen the pose, lift your legs.
• Look straight or slightly upward, lengthening the back of the neck.
• Duration up to one minute.
• Relax before the next set.

Bridge

Yes, the bridge, well known to you from children’s dance and gymnastics circles, came from yoga, it is on its basis that most yoga poses are performed to improve the health of the back and neck.

The following body parts work here:

• Abdominal muscles
• Buttocks
• Spine
• Tendons

Progress:

• Press your back against the mat, bend your knees.Place your heels parallel to your hips.
• Put your hands down.
• Start pushing your tailbone up.
• Continue pushing until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
• Hands can be placed under the hips for support.
• Hold the pose for one minute.
• Slowly return your back to the mat.
• Relax your entire body and take a couple of deep breaths.

Matsyendrasana (Fish God Pose)

This twisting pose repairs your spine while relieving back pain.It stretches the hips, shoulders and neck. This pose can help relieve fatigue and stimulate your internal organs to perform better.

Involved here:

• Rhomboid muscle between the shoulder blades
• Chest muscles
• Muscles of the spine
• Chest
• Loin

Execution:

• Sit with one leg bent under you
• Place the other on top of the thigh
• With the opposite hand, touch the knee of the leg on the other leg
• Turn the head in the opposite direction
• Maintain this asana for one minute.
• Repeat on the other side of the body.

Knee turns

Pivots with raised hips help to develop the activity of the muscles of the spine and back. Practicing this pose can relieve pain and stiffness.

Involved in the work:

• Spine
• Abdominal muscles
• Trapezoid
• Chest

Progress:

• Lying on your back, pull your knees to your chest, arms out to the sides.
• Lower your legs to either side of your body with your knees together.
• A pillow is allowed for convenience: place it under or between your knees.
• You can also apply gentle pressure to your knees.
• Breathe deeply.
• Asana is performed for at least 30 seconds.
• Repeat on the other side.

Child Pose

This pose is the perfect way to release tension from the back of the body as the spine lengthens and stretches.The same effect will be felt in the muscles of the thighs and ankles. This is the best tool for dealing with stress.

Work in this position:

• Buttocks
• Rotator cuffs
• Tendons
• Vertebrae

Execution:

• Sit on your heels with your knees together.
• You can also use a head or leg pad here.
• Make a bow, forehead on the floor.
• Stretch your arms out or lower them, palms up.
• Release yourself from the tightness in your back.
• Hold the position for up to five minutes.

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Our news | Cochrane Russia

90,000 Yoga for the spine: how to get rid of back pain

In our age of computer technology, a huge number of people spend most of their work and free time behind a monitor screen. In order to save time to work, we usually get to work not on foot, but by our own car or public transport. Unfortunately, such a sedentary lifestyle is harmful to our health.More and more people are complaining of back pain. Fortunately, Spine Yoga can help get rid of this problem.

The spine is the main support of our body, the basis of health. That is why it is very important to monitor his condition, perform exercises for prevention, and if necessary, for the treatment of osteochondrosis. Yoga for the health of people is very important, because it approaches problem solving in a complex way: yoga exercises (asanas) help to normalize the functioning of all organs and systems of the body, and proper yogic breathing gives calmness and tranquility, a sense of harmony and balance.

Treatment of the spine with yoga has two main principles:

– Stretching.

– Strengthening the muscle corset.

4 simple asanas to help relieve back pain:

• Talasana (palm posture, strong stretching): helps to stretch the spinal column, eliminates torsion, pinching of the spinal nerves.
• Shashankasana (hare pose, lunar pose): helps to stretch the spine, remove stoop; effective for displacement of intervertebral discs.
• Purvottanasana (West Pose, Inverted Plank Pose): helps with back pain caused by a sedentary lifestyle, intensively affects the spine; corrects posture.
• Ardha Navasana (Half Boat Pose): Stretches the vertebrae, strengthens the muscles of the whole body.

In addition to the above effects, these positions can relieve you of gastrointestinal problems, improve blood circulation and oxygen supply to tissues, add vigor and strength, tighten your abdominal muscles and make your figure irresistible. Pain in the spine during yoga will help reduce the use of a special roller – bolster. And, of course, do not forget that yoga classes should be regular, and during the performance of asanas, all movements should be soft and smooth, without jerks.

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