Reduce Back Pain with Yoga
Have you heard about yoga poses for back pain? Not only can yoga help you lose weight, but it can also help your back. Check out these 4 simple moves that can alleviate pain and help you live a healthier life!
4 Yoga Poses for Back Pain
Yoga, a 5,000-years-old ancient Indian practice, has long been revered as a pathway to spiritual, mental, and physical balance. As it traveled across continents and around the world, it has served millions of people over the course of five millennia in a variety of ways.
Recently, it has become a part of the healing process for numerous medical conditions, including low back pain.
Low back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide, and the most common reason for missing work. Low back pain is primarily caused by poor posture, a pinched nerve, or overall strain.
Yoga provides a two-fold solution to low back pain: symptom relief and function restoration (through realigning the body’s mechanics).
With that said, here are four yoga moves to help get you moving again:
Downward-Facing Dog
This is a classic yoga position. This pose predominantly targets the back extensors—the large muscles that make up your low back—by lengthening and strengthening them. It also decompresses certain regions of the spine and helps to improve blood circulation.
Here’s how to do it (click here for image):
- Begin on your hands and knees with your hands slightly in front of your shoulders
- Lift your knees off the floor and your hips upward toward the ceiling
- Relax your neck muscles and look toward your thighs
- Hold the position for five to 10 breaths
- Gently release to your starting position
- Repeat the pose three to five times daily
Locust Pose
This pose also lengthens and strengthens muscles in the back to help correct posture and reduce back pain, including low back pain resulting from sciatica (pinched nerve).
Here’s how to do it (click here for image):
- Lie on your abdomen in a straight line, with your toes pointing toward the back
- Keep your arms relaxed alongside your body, and your palms facing upwards
- Exhale and slowly lift your legs straight up as far as possible (do not bend your knees)
- Stay for 30 seconds to one minute in this position, then release with an exhalation
- Take a few breaths, and repeat once or twice more
Half Lord of the Fishes Pose
Though slightly silly in name, this is one of the best poses for treating a variety of spine and back issues on a basic level. It extensively works out the muscles surrounding the spine and corrects distorted vertebrae to restore proper blood circulation.
Here’s how to do it (see right):
- Sit with your spine straight
- Stretch your legs out in front of you
- Fold your right leg over your left leg so that your right foot is resting above your left knee
- Interlock your right ankle against your left knee
- Twist your torso to the right
- Hold your toe with your left hand, and exhale slowly for three to four seconds
- Switch sides, and follow the same steps
Child’s Pose
This pose helps to elongate and align the spine, taking pressure off the muscles and relieving tension.
Here’s how to do it (see above):
- Kneel down, and sit back on your bottom or heels
- Leave your arms loose by your sides or stretch them out straight
- Exhale, and slowly lean forward until your forehead touches the floor, and your torso rests on your thighs
- Hold this position for five to 10 deep breaths
- Slowly return to the starting position
- Repeat 10 to 15 times more for soothing effects
Wrap-Up
Repeating these yoga moves a couple of times a week will help you return to full activity, ache-free life!
If you’re still feeling pain visit your local doctor or contact College Park Chiropractors and Car accident doctors.
Want fat burning, muscle toning yoga moves? Check out these poses!
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