4 Yoga Positions to Relieve Back Pain

Yoga is an effective way to move your body, and relax your mind. It helps to keep your muscles loose and limber. If you’re dealing with back pain, yoga can be the exact wellness solution that your body needs.

Whether you have a hard manual job that involves constant movement, or a sedentary lifestyle that includes hours of sitting to complete various tasks, your back suffers the consequences.

Back Pain Relief

Yoga provides excellent relief for many common back problems. People practice yoga for to experience relief from both physical and emotional stress. Whether your aches are in the upper or lower back region, these 4 yoga techniques are highly effective at helping with your back pain relief and discomfort.

Cat-Cow

The Cat-Cow is a classic yoga move. It may look a little funny, but it is a great exercise for lower back pain. It is a fluid pose that comes in handy when your body is in need of a break.

Like in all yoga poses, synchronizing your breath with the movements is key to feeling the full benefits of the pose and experiencing deeper relaxation.

How to Do The Cat-Cow

Get on all fours, making sure that your hands are aligned with your shoulders and your knees aligned with your hips.

Breathe in and curve your back upwards towards the ceiling. Pull your navel toward your spine and bring your head downwards tucking your chin to your chest, stretching out the back of your neck.

As you exhale, drop your belly toward the mat and look up toward the ceiling. You will feel a gentle stretch on the front of your neck too.

Continue to move slowly between these positions for 1 minute as you inhale and exhale.

The cat-cow is a great all-round move that works the following muscle groups:

• Abominable muscles
• Hip flexors
• Spinal erectors
• Trapezius
• Upper and lower back muscles

Downward-Facing Dog

A little more challenging than the cat-cow, but possible for most, is the downward-facing dog. It is perhaps the most famous of yoga moves that is great for the back and helps tighten up the arms and stretch the legs.

If your muscles feel tight, this yoga position is a great way to stretch everything out at once.

People use this stretch to experience relief from muscle knots and aches in their back. For more experienced yogis, you can use this stretch to loosen up your upper and lower back.

How To Do Downward-Facing Dog

Get on all fours with your knees and hands aligned with your shoulders and hips and your weight evenly distributed.

Tuck your toes under and press into your hands. Lift your knees off the ground so your hips are high towards the ceiling.

Be sure to keep a slight bend in your knees.

Straighten your arms and alight your head with your tail bone, keeping your head between your upper arms and pointing your chest towards your feet.

Hold this position for one minute.

Take breaks when you feel the need.

Downward-facing dog is great for more than just your back. It helps to keep you limber in other region of your body, by strengthening:

• Hamstrings
• Gluteus maximus
• Quadriceps
• Triceps
• Deltoids

Sphinx Pose

If the downward-dog or cat-cow is challenging, then the Sphinx pose may be the one for you. It is an easy, relaxing pose that almost anyone can do and requires very little effort to achieve. As well as supporting your back, it helps to alleviate any tension in the chest and abdomen.

How To Do The Sphinx Pose

Lie flat on your belly with your legs together and your arms by your side.
Bring your arms in front, aligning your elbows with your shoulders.
Bend your back upwards as you look straight ahead, or for a deeper stretch look towards the ceiling.

Keep your elbows tucked in at your sides and slightly bent.

The Sphinx pose stretches out the hole back, bringing relief to common tensions and muscles aches. It is also great for working the following muscles:

• Gluteal muscles
• Pectoris major
• Trapezius
• Latissimus dorsi
• Erector spinae

Bridge Pose

Slightly different from the other poses, the bridge pose begins on your back and is an introvert pose that stimulates the body and stretches the spine. The Bridge pose is a multi-purpose pose that brings relief to achy back muscles and also works the upper legs, thighs, and hamstrings.

How To Do The Bridge Pose

Lie on your back with your arms at your side and your legs together.
Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Bring your feet towards your buttocks.

Make sure your grip is firm and your weight is evenly distributed between each foot.

Lift your hips up towards the ceiling, keeping your upper back firmly on the ground and your arms by your side.

Continue to lift until your thighs are sitting parallel to the floor.
Release by gently bringing your hips down to rest on the ground.
Repeat this move for 1 minute as you inhale and exhale.

The bridge pose not only helps to restore your back into alignment, but also works for major muscle groups at the top of the legs, hips, and waist. The following muscles feel the benefit of the Bridge pose:

• Erector spinae
• Hamstrings
• Gluteus muscles
• Transverse abdominis

Back pain is a consequence of the mental and physical demands of modern living. Our backs are our support throughout life. No matter what kind of lifestyle we lead, proper back care is essential.

Yoga is a great way to relieve emotional stress and decrease back aches. These poses offer opportunities for deep relaxation and stretching.

Yoga is a great way to help you maintain a healthy and supported back throughout the day. These poses take up only a few minutes of your time and require no equipment. They can be done almost anywhere at any time.

If practiced regularly, these poses can correct both shallow and deep muscle problems, and help relieve pain and get you back to a healthy active life.

Even if you feel no pain currently, these poses are a great preventative tool that protects you from developing back problems in the future.

Brought to you by Your Back Pain Relief