Back Pain Relief

There are a number of reasons why you might start feeling tension and pain in your lower back. Various lifestyle factors, such as stress, sitting for a long periods of time, overexerting your body, can impact …Yoga practice can have a positive effect on lower back problems.

The most common causes why we have back pain:

  • back pain come from overall tension and tightness in our body. Because everything in our body is so connected, you could be experienced in back pain but the root of our lower back pain can be from the tightness in the glutes or hamstrings. As we go deeper into our stretches, we relieve the pain of our lower back
  • The common cause is also bad posture. As we sit, stand, and move in ways that do not maintain the normal curves of the spinal column. Spinal muscles are overworked to hold the body upright, creating muscular tension and in the long run lower back pain.
  • spinal injuries. In this case, consult the doctor or therapist

The psoas muscle is the only muscle connecting the spine to the leg so it can have an influence on the low back pain.

You can prevent future back pain by practicing these simply poses every day.

KNEE TO CHEST

This is a simple pose relieving the tightness that can stress your lower back. Start lying on the back with your spine straight and legs extended. Relax your back. Slowly bring one knee in toward your chest and hold it in both hands. The opposite leg remains extended in contact with the floor. Hold for 20 – 30 seconds. You should feel a gentle stretch in the hamstrings of the bent leg and the psoas muscle of the straight leg.

KNEES-TO CHEST STRETCH

Lying on your back with the legs extended, bend your knees and slowly bring them closer to your chest. Place your hands on the front of your knees and gently pull your knees closer to your chest.

RECLINING PIGEON

Lying on your back with the knees bend, cross the right ankle on top of the left thigh and flex the right foot. Draw the left thigh toward the chest and reach the hands around the back of the thigh or around the shin. Hold 2 minutes and repeat on the other side.

CAT/COW

Cat and cow are movements that warm up your spinal muscles. This pose helps to relieve tension in the lower back.

Come onto your hands and knees, hips over the knees, shoulders over the wrists. Spread the fingers wide. As you inhale, open the chest, lift the head, drop the belly, move the tailbone back and up, and allow your back to arch. As you exhale, round the back, tuck the tailbone under, and bring the chin towards the chest, move the belly in. With each inhale, open up, and with each exhale round in. Repeat this movement several times, allowing the breath to lead the movement.

Extended Puppy Pose

From the tabletop position without moving your knees and hips, gently walk your hands forward. Keep your arms shoulder-width apart and hips above the knees. Relax the chest down toward the floor and rest the forehead on the floor.

DOWNWARD FACING DOG

Draw the navel in and up as you lift the hips up and back towards the sky, forming an upside down “V” shape with the body. Straighten the arms and the legs, stretching the heels down towards the ground and pressing the chest towards the thighs. Fingers spread wide, hands shoulders width apart. Float head between the biceps. You can bend the knees, if you experience tightness in the hamstrings or low back. Breath slowly and evenly, as your back muscles lengthen.

STANDING FORWARD BEND

Begin in a standing position, with the feet hip-width apart. Fold forward with a flat back, hinging from the hips (avoid bending at the waist). Grab opposite elbows with opposite hands. Relax the weight of the head and neck. If you find it comfortable, you can sway from side to side. To soften the intensity of the stretch, you can bend the knees.

MALASANA

Come into a deep squat position. Keep your hands touching together and bring your upper arms between your legs pressing into your inner thighs. Your spine is lifting upward.

HALF LORD OF THE FISHES POSE – ARDHA MATSYENDRASANA

Sit on the ground with your legs straight in front of the body. Inhale, bend the right leg and place the right foot outer side of the left knee. Bend the left leg and place left foot near the right buttock. Lengthen spine. Exhale, twist your torso to the right and bring the left arm outside of the right knee. the right leg should be pressing against the left arm. Take the right arm behind the back. You should not strain or force anything in this pose. Hold for 30 seconds. Inhale untwist the spine. Exhale straight legs and repeat other side.

BRIDGE POSE – SETU BANDHA SARVANGASANA

This pose is a pose for rehabilitation of numerous back problems. Lie flat on the back, bend the knees and bring the feet to the floor close to the buttocks, hips width apart. Keep your thighs and inner feet parallel and in line with hips. Pressing the feet and arms actively into the floor, first lift your tailbone, then lift your hips, then lower, middle back, and upper back upward toward the sky. Gently walk the shoulder blades closer to one another. Breathe fully and deeply. Hold for 20-30 seconds. There are several variations how to do this posture. You can interlace the fingers. If this pose is difficult for you, you can lift the hips only a few centimeters from the floor. Place a block or the hands under the sacrum for support.

SUPINE TWIST

This pose allows you stretch the lower back and restore the back muscles. Lie flat on your back and relax your shoulders. Bring right thigh over left leg. Stretch your right arm out and rotate head to the right. Place the left hand on the right knee and move into the twist. Hold the pose a minute or more and then change.

SPHINX POSE

This is a good pose for your lower back. Lie face down on a mat. Bend your arms and rest your forearms on the floor. The forearms and elbows are close to the body elbows directly under the shoulders. Lift your head, chest and shoulders from the floor. Press the pubic bone into the floor. Your head is held straight up.

COBRA POSE

This posture helps to ease aches in your lower back, especially those caused by sitting for a long time. Bring the hands under the shoulders , fingers facing forward. Press your hips against the floor and exhaling, lift your chest upward slowly, using your arms for support. Keep your legs straight pressing into the ground. To take pressure out of the low back, open the feet hip width and turn the toes slightly in. You should feel a gentle contraction in your lower back. For less intensity, remain in sphinx, which provides the same effects but in a gentler way.

CHILD’S POSE – BALASANA

This posture allows breath to move more easily into your lower back.

Draw the hips back to the heels and relax upper body over thighs, dropping the forehead towards the floor. The arms slide back by the sides of the body or over your head. There is an option to separate your knees to create more space for the torso. Neck muscles are completely relaxed to give a rest to nervous system. Relax the entire body to force of gravity. Focus on the breath. Notice how your lower back gently expanding upward with each inhalation and releasing with each exhalation. If needed, put a blanket or cushion under your forehead or under the ankles to relieve pressure.