3 yoga poses to relieve back pain

Scoliosis (abnormal curvature of the spine), osteoarthritis (wear and tear of the joints) or degenerative disc disease (ageing process leading to rupture) are associated with lower back pain. Surprisingly, many causes of lower back pain are non-specific or unknown. That can be quite annoying. You may be standing in pain, sitting in pain laying flat in pain for no reason. It is frustrating as you are no longer able to concentrate on work or study. You need to keep adjusting your position so as to reduce the discomfort.

Daniel Lieberman thinks non-specific lower back pain is caused by hours of sitting in modern lifestyle. With prolonged chair rest, we do not need to use our muscles to support body weight. This weakens core muscles of the back and abdomen. In addition, many hours of sitting mean bending hips for many hours. With the shortened hip flexors, we overarch our back to compensate while standing and walking. Regular stretching and strengthening back muscles are important to our back health.

I’ve read a research article about the effect of occupational therapy and yoga in non-specific lower back pain. Occupational therapy intervention includes sleeping position for back health, postural training of sitting, standing and lifting and core strengthening exercise. After 10 week of training, it shows that people with non-specific lower back pain indicate improvements in back strength and range of motion of the spine, with the combination of occupational therapy and yoga. Here are a few yoga poses shown for lower back pain.

1.     Reclining hand-to-big-toe pose

Tips:

It changes the pelvic tilt when lifting one leg up towards the ceiling. Keep your spine in neutral position. Ideally, lower back touches the mat and chin to chest. So, it doesn’t hyperextend the lower back and the neck.

Benefits:

Reposition the lower back for a better alignment to relieve back muscles tension

2.     Extended triangle pose

Tips: Externally rotate the right thigh muscles when you take your right hand towards the right foot. Activate your legs.

Open up the left shoulder to deepen the side body stretch

Benefits:

Strengthen the thighs muscles to carry upper body weight or lift a heavy object

Strengthen the abdomen to support the muscles surrounding the lower back

Stretch the side body to relieve lower back pain (stretching the muscle attached to lumbar spine)

3.     Bridge pose

Tips: Maintain the knees and ankles hip width apart when lifting the buttocks off the mat.

Pressing down the arms when lifting the buttocks off the mat

Benefits:

Lengthen hip flexors to balance out this muscle group. The hip flexors have attachments to lumbar spine (lower back), pelvis and femur. Shortened hip flexors cause unnatural curve of the lumbar spine and compression.

You may be worried about making any move because of the pain. Listen to your body and just do what you feel good. With limited range of movement, muscles become shortened and tighten. Other parts of the body will compensate the shorten muscle group. The idea of back pain relief is about strengthening and stretching the muscles associated with the back.

Photos credit: Yoga Journal 

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