If you find yourself sitting or standing for long periods of time, there’s a good possibility that you’ve experienced lower back pain at one point or another. Did you know that there are a series of highly effective back saving yoga poses you can do right now that press the pause button on pain?
Now if your pain is an 8 or above on the pain scale (I’d call that excruciating pain), you should check with your doctor to rule out the possibility of more serious conditions like a herniated or bulging disc.
Back to that pain-stopping pause button… A 2017 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that yoga was as safe and effective as physical therapy in easing back pain.
For 12 weeks, researchers followed 320 people from low-income neighborhoods of diverse racial backgrounds, all suffering from chronic lower back pain.
The study participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups –
1) Yoga classes every week for 3 months
2) 15 visits with a physical therapist over 3 months
3) Education (which involved getting a back pain self-help book and mailed newsletters)
After 3 months, the yoga group continued attending classes, or practiced at home for another 9 months, whereas the physical therapy group had sessions with the physical therapist every 2 months or did physical therapy exercises at home for another 9 months.
The Results
The researchers found that the yoga and physical therapy groups showed almost the same amount of improvement in pain and activity limitation over time.
After 3 months, the participants in both the yoga and physical therapy groups were less likely to use pain medications at 3 months compared with the education group.
So, all in all, practicing yoga can be a safe and effective alternative to popping pain pills.
If you’re in a time crunch and don’t have time to go to an hour or 90-minute yoga class, then I’d recommend you try out the following 7 back saving yoga poses.
They will help lengthen your spine, stretch and strengthen your muscles, and return your back to its proper alignment.
Back-Saving Yoga Poses #1 – DOWNWARD-FACING DOG
Start on your hands and knees, with your hands slightly in front of your shoulders.
Pressing back, raise your knees away from the floor and lift your tailbone up toward the ceiling.
For an added hamstring stretch, gently push your heels toward the floor.
Hold the position for 5 to 10 breaths, and repeat the pose five to seven times.
Back-Saving Yoga Poses #2 – CHILD’S POSE
Start on all fours with your arms stretched out straight in front of you, then sit back so your glutes (butt muscles) come to rest just above — but not touching — your heels.
Hold the position for 5 to 10 breaths, and repeat as many times as needed for a good, soothing stretch.
Back-Saving Yoga Poses #3 – PIGEON POSE
Start in the downward-facing dog with your feet together.
Then draw your left knee forward and turn it out to the left so your left leg is bent and near-perpendicular to your right one; lower both legs to the ground.
You can simply keep your back right leg extended straight behind you, or for an added hamstring stretch — seasoned pigeon posers, only! — carefully pull your back foot off the ground and in toward your back.
Hold the position for 5 to 10 breaths, then switch to the other side, and repeat as needed.
Back-Saving Yoga Poses #4 – TRIANGLE POSE
Start standing straight with your feet together.
Next, lunge your left foot back three to four feet, and point your left foot out at a 45-degree angle.
Turn your chest to the side and open up the pose by stretching your right arm toward the ground and the left arm toward the ceiling, keeping both your right and left legs straight.
You may not be able to touch the ground with your right arm at first, so don’t over-stretch — only bend as far as you can while maintaining a straight back.
Hold the position for 5 to 10 breaths, then switch to the other side, and repeat as needed.
Back-Saving Yoga Poses #5 – COW & CAT POSE
Starting in an all-fours position, move into cat pose by slowly pressing your spine up, arching your back.
Hold for a few seconds and then move to cow (pictured at left) by scooping your spine in, pressing your shoulder blades back and lifting your head.
Moving back and forth from cat to cow helps move your spine into a neutral position, relaxing the muscles and easing tension.
Repeat 10 times, flowing smoothly from cat into cow, and cow back into cat.
Repeat the sequence as needed.
Back-Saving Yoga Poses #6 – UPWARD FACING DOG
Stand straight with feet shoulder-width apart, and your knees loose, not locked.
While you exhale, hinge at your waist and bend forward, reaching toward the floor.
Don’t worry if you can’t reach all the way to the floor at first; just stop wherever your hamstrings feel a comfortable stretch.
Repeat the pose five to seven times.
On the last bend hold the position for 5 to 10 breaths.
Back-Saving Yoga Poses #7 – COBRA POSE
Start lying flat on the floor with your palms face down by the middle of your ribs.
While drawing your legs together and pressing the tops of your feet into the floor, use the strength of your back, not your hands, to lift your chest off the floor.
Leave your legs extended straight out at first. Hold the position for 5 to 10 breaths, and repeat as needed.
Namaste.
Recommended Yoga for Lower Back Pain Book
Instead of popping pain pills and opting for invasive surgery, practicing yoga is a cost-effective alternative.
Not only is yoga a more comprehensive way to stretch and strengthen the muscles and fascia of the entire body, but it engages all the fascial systems that help to hold everything together, providing stability to the lumbar spine, sacrum, and pelvis.
Stretch your lower back pain away with 21 Yoga Exercises for Lower Back Pain.
Practicing these specific 21 yoga poses can help lengthen your spine, stretch and strengthen your muscles, and return your back to its proper alignment.
Source: Everyday Health, Yoga Journal, WBUR, Tavistock Clinic
