6 Poses For Back Pain – Strengthen And Heal Your Lower Back

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Nothing Spell Back Pain Relief Like These Poses!

When we graduate from high school or college, many of us take on a whole new lifestyle change. We take on new jobs which mostly involve sitting, we drive or take transportation to get to work which also involves sitting, and we also spend more time at night sitting on the couch or in front of the TV. The sad reality is that most people go from healthy active lifestyles to more sedentary lifestyles as they progress through life. This constant sitting leads to neck and back pain which over time can become a chronic problem. Constant sitting also leads to bad posture.

If you suffer from lower back pain or neck pain, the first thing you should start changing is getting out of your seat as often as you can. The second thing you should do is the following yoga poses!

The following 6 poses are designed to reduce tension in your lower back. See the poses below and be sure to pass this along to your friends who are sitting way too much!

By Allie Flavio

1. Apanasana

Begin lying on your back with legs and arms extended long.

Exhale – bring both knees into the chest and clasp your hands around them.

Keep the back flat on the mat and draw the tailbone and sacrum toward the ground to lengthen the spine.

Release the shoulder blades down and broaden across the collarbone.

If comfortable, rock gently from side to side to massage the spine.

Benefits: helps keep the low back long, often used a counter stretch to backbends and spinal twists, and used as an eliminator of waste, toxins, and tension.

Cautions: avoid if recovering from abdominal surgery, hernia, spinal, knee, or hip injury.

2. Supine Spinal Twist

Begin from the pose above and with the right knee into the chest.

Exhale – roll onto your left hip as the right knee softens toward the ground.

Extend your right arm out along the floor, shoulder-width height.

Keep the left hand resting gently on the right knee.

Let the right knee become heavy, slowly releasing further towards the floor.

Stay for 10 – 30 breaths.

Inhale – gently engage the low belly and bring both knees back to center.

Repeat the above steps on the left side.

Benefits: stretches the back muscles and glutes, massages the back and hips, hydrates the spinal discs, and lengthens, relaxes, and realigns the spine.

Cautions: if back pain or back injury is a concern, bring both knees together and twist to your body’s comfort.

3. Forward Fold

Begin in Mountain pose and bring hands to the hips.

Exhale – bend the knees and release the entire body towards the ground.

Keep a bend in the knees – as deep or mild as you choose.

Let the chest, head, and neck completely relax and melt down.

Engage the quadriceps to let the hamstrings release.

Keep the weight in the balls of your feet and hips stacked over ankles.

Inhale – gently feel the torso lift and lengthen.

Exhale – release deeper in the posture.

Benefits: increases forward flexion in the spine and hips, calms the brain, relieves stress, headaches, anxiety, fatigue, and insomnia, and deeply stretches the hamstrings and calves.

Cautions: if suffering from back pain or back injury, keep the knees bent and the body soft.

4. Child’s Pose

Begin in a neutral tabletop position – bring knees together, sit back onto the heels, then gently release the torso to the ground.

The arms can drape behind the body with palms up or extend long towards the front of the mat with palms down.

Forehead softly rests on the ground and back of the neck is long.

Gently close the eyes and let gravity do the work.

Benefits: helps relax and rejuvenate the entire body, encourages forward flexion in the spine, hips, and knees. Considered a resting pose that centers, calms, and soothes the body.

Cautions: avoid if experiencing knee injury or recovering from a recent knee injury.

5. Thread the Needle

Begin in neutral tabletop position and start on the right side.

Inhale – send the right hand straight up to the sky and open through the heart.

Exhale – thread the right hand through and underneath the left arm with the palm facing up.

Let the right shoulder and ear relax down to the ground.

Keep the left hand planted, extend it long in front of you, or wrap it around the opposite hip for a bind.

Soften, relax, and melt into the posture here – let all tension release.

To come out – press into the left hand, slide the right arm out from underneath, and return to tabletop position.

Repeat the steps on the left side.

Benefits: stretches and opens the shoulders, chest, arms, upper back, and neck, releases tensions held in the upper back and between the shoulder blades, and provides a gentle twist to the spine which further reduces tension.

Cautions: avoid if you have recent or chronic injury to knees, shoulders, or neck and practice with caution for those with back pain, back injuries, or disc complications.

6. Happy Baby

Begin lying on your back with knees drawn into the chest.

Grab hold of the outer foot with your hand and keep arms in front of the shins.

Flex the feet and engage the arms.

Bring the knees wide and toward the armpits and stack ankles over knees.

Use your arm strength to bring the knees closer to the ground and release the lower back into the mat.

Stay for as long as you like, rock gently from side to side, and breathe.

Benefits: opens and stretches the hips, stretches the inner groin, lengthens and helps realign the spine, calms the mind and relieves stress, strengthens the arms and shoulders.

Cautions: knee or ankle injuries, extremely tight hips, and those who are pregnant should practice with caution.