Back pain affects millions of people worldwide every year. Back pain can be due to several reasons such as the wrong sitting position, not sitting in an erect posture, due to some kind of injury, or sleeping in an incorrect position. Yoga asanas involve a group of practices that includes physical, mental, and spiritual aspects. The practice of yoga aims to relax, stretch and strengthen your muscles, increase your flexibility, improve your balance, and relax your mind. Yoga asanas can help immensely in getting relief from back pain as well as in gaining back strength.
How Yoga is Beneficial for Back Pain Relief?
Yoga for back pain basically helps in stretching various muscles of the back and also helps in strengthening your spine. Each yoga asana targets a specific muscle. The practice of yoga asanas for back pain involves a focus on deep and rhythmic breathing through the nose when inhaling and exhaling with each pose. This breathing technique gives relaxation to the whole body and increased blood flow throughout the body. Improved blood flow helps to improve the environment surrounding the muscles of the back.
5 Yoga Asanas for Relief of Back Pain
There are numerous yoga asanas for back pain. Let's discuss 5 effective yoga poses for back pain relief.
1. The Cat-Cow Stretch (Chakravakasana)
It is an essential yoga pose for back pain relief. It involves moving the spine from a rounded position to an arched one. Each movement is done alternately with either an inhalation or exhalation of the breath, making this a simple vinyasa which means linking breath to movement.
This pose may be done as a part of a warm-up sequence, a relaxation sequence, or as yoga for lower back pain.
Instructions
- Step 1. Start from your hands and knees in a table pose, with a neutral spine. As you inhale and move into cow pose, lift your hip bone upward, press your chest forward, and allow your abdomen to sink.
- Step 2. Move your head and relax your shoulders away from your ears, as well as look straight ahead.
- Step 3. Gradually exhale, come into cat pose while rounding your spine outward, tucking in your tailbone, and moving your hip bone forward.
- Step 4. Move your head towards the floor, don’t put pressure on your chin to your chest. Just take a deep breath and relax!
2. Extended Triangle (Trikonasana)
Triangle Pose is a standing yoga pose that tones the legs, reduces stress, stretches hips, and opens the chest and shoulders, and increases stability. It also helps in improving the metabolism of the body as well as it boosts digestion. It is one of the most effective yoga asanas for back pain. It helps in back pain relief through the muscular stretch.
Instructions
- Step 1. To begin with, stand in a straight position, and keep your legs wide apart. The distance between your legs should be a little more than the span of your shoulders, keep your weight equal on both legs.
- Step 2. Now inhale deeply. Raise your right hand straight above your head. The right arm should be exactly parallel to the right ear.
- Step 3. Now Exhale, rest your right hand on your ankle or toes, and left hand upwards; towards the ceiling.
- Step 4. Simultaneously, take deep breaths and keep on stretching your body.
- Step 5. Hold this pose with your knees and elbows straight. Hold the position for 30 seconds.
- Step 6. Inhale deeply, Straighten yourself, and stand straight. Repeat the posture on the left side of your body.
3. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
Cobra is often called part of a Sun Salutation. Cobra Pose increases the mobility of the spine, strengthens spinal support muscles, and it is beneficial to yoga in spine pain relief.
Instructions
- Step 1. Keep both palms flat on the ground directly under your shoulders. Bend your elbows and place your hands on the floor next to your ribs, put together your wrist and elbow.
- Step 2. Take a pause for a moment looking straight down at the floor with your neck in a neutral position. Move your hip towards the floor.
- Step 3. Inhale to lift your chest off the floor. Move your shoulders back and keep your lower ribs on the floor. Your elbows should be touching your sides. Don't let them slide out to either side.
- Step 4. Keep your neck neutral. Don’t put a burden on it. Your vision should stay on the floor. Just take a deep breath and try to relax your muscles.
4. Crocodile Pose (Makarasana)
Crocodile Pose has several benefits related to different parts of the back. The deeper the stretch, the lower the pose is felt in the back. Since we rely on our lower back for many daily activities, even sitting upright on a desk, it can feel relaxing to target this part of the body. People with back pain, specifically lower back pain, can experience some relief from this pose.
Instructions
- Step 1. Start by sitting on your knees, taking the form of Thunderbolt Pose which is Vajrayana. Extend your arms in front of you, so your hands touch the floor. Simultaneously, extend your legs behind you so the balls of your feet touch the floor.
- Step 2. Lower your body to the ground. Begin by lowering your legs to the ground so the top of your feet is on the ground.
- Step 3. Moving further, lower your hips, stomach, chest, and shoulders to the floor. You should be facing down with your elbows folded at your sides, and palms facing down.
- Step 4. Place your hands to the front and gradually cross your arms in front of you, creating support to rest your forehead.
- Step 5. Bring your arms to your side and press your forehead into the ground. Place the toes on the ground to stretch the legs and straighten the spine.
- Step 6. To challenge yourself and stretch your lower back, lift your upper body similar to Upward Facing Dog which is also known as Urdhva Mukha Svanasana. This will relax the chest muscles and release tension in the shoulders and back. This will additionally improve flexibility in your lower back.
- Step 7. Release the pose and come back to the starting position. If lifted, lower the chest slowly. Slowly, rotate your arms safely to avoid causing discomfort in the shoulders, and relax!
5. Staff Pose (Dandasana)
Staff Pose, also known as Dandasana, first stretches the leg muscles and improves spinal awareness. It is one of the warm-up yoga poses. This is known as the best yoga for back strength.
Instructions
- Step 1. Sit on the floor with your legs extended straight in front of you, and try to sit on your bones as much as possible. At this point, try to hold the muscle of each buttock and move it out of the way. This posture results in a relaxation of the muscles of the legs.
- Step 2. Keep your thigh muscles and flex both feet. Your heels may come up off the floor, however, do your best to keep them rooted on the floor for continuous engagement. Bend towards the knees if required.
- Step 3. Move the shoulders directly on top of the hips. You should try to keep your shoulders at some distance from your ears.
- Step 4. Hold your arms straight and palms flat on the floor on both sides of your hips to support your spine. Moreover, arm lengths vary so there is some discretion to bend your arms slightly or shift the placement of your palms.
- Step 5. Inhale and stretch your spine.
- Step 6. Maintain this position, if possible, and take five deep breaths with the legs fully active.
- Step 7. Take a deep breath and relax!
Conclusion
If you suffer back pain often then you should start practicing yoga on a regular basis or you can consult us for Back Pain Treatment in Ayurveda. With the help of Ayurveda and Yoga asanas, back pain treatment can be done naturally. Additionally, it may also help to reduce anxiety and stress as well as it can improve overall mood. Several researchers have proved that it can help to reduce pain, improve function, and enhance the quality of life. In this way, yoga asanas for back pain treatment can be influential.
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