How To Use Yoga To Help With Back Pain: Yoga Stretching For The Upper & Lower Back

Utilizing Yoga To Help With Back Pain?

Yoga is more than just a remedy for superb comfort. It’s regular practice can help not just relax the body, but also place emphasis on clearing and calming the mind. However, as the practice is being more accepted and utilized, many individuals swear by using it as a way to alleviate pain, stiffness, and/or sore muscles. So, can you use yoga to help with back pain, or other chronic issues.

Firstly, let’s get one thing off our chest. Yoga and other mindfulness based practices should not take the place of any current treatment prescribed. However, we will embark upon a journey to present some of the facts that surround the use of yoga for pain; such as chronic back pain.

Yoga To Help With Back Pain: Research

Yoga is a practice that’s been utilized for many years to help with flexibility, balance, mind/body awareness, but also strength. One of its most significant advantages is its accessibility. It can be practiced anywhere, even without the need for any equipment.

A common source of discomfort and pain, for people of all ages, comes from the back. In fact, back pain becomes more common starting in your 30’s and is often due to a lack of exercise. Furthermore, this lack of exercise leads to weak, unused muscles in the core of your body.

Related Article: 5 Yoga Poses to Ignite Your Core: Deep Dive into Core Strengthening

A common recommendation for back pain sufferers is figuring out why it’s occurring, then attempting to correct that underlying cause.

• Weak core
• Overweight
• Improper lifting techniques
• Disease processes
• Poor Posture

This can certainly affect day-to-day functioning. Fortunately, exercise, particularly yoga as discussed in this post, has the ability to assist in both strengthening and stretching the core.

The lower and upper back are sensitive and cumbersome areas of the body for many people.

Research Highlights:

For approximately 20% of individuals dealing with lower back pain, chronic low back pain persists for more than one year. This is a rather significant percentage, especially considering the overall number of people experiencing back pain.

Certain studies have indicated that mild to moderate low back pain sufferers can improve with yoga postures, Specifically, that a “carefully adapted set of yoga postures may reduce pain and improve the ability to walk and move“.

An article posted on Harvard Health discusses that yoga helps stretch and strengthen back muscles such as; the paraspinal muscles, multifidus muscles, and the transverse abdominis. These are muscles that do one or more of the following:

• Help with bending of the spine
• Stabilize vertebrae
• Help to stabilize the spine

A meta analysis investigated yoga compared to non-exercise or physical therapy on things such as pain, disability and quality of life for patients with chronic lower back pain. Although the evidence was found to be low to moderate. Yoga did show some promise for decreasing pain, and improving functional disability status, compared to non-exercise.

A study published in 2017, found that a yoga class designed specifically for lower back pain can be a safe and effective alternative to physical therapy for pain relief.

5 Yoga Poses For Back Pain, To Get You Started:

Downward-Facing Dog 

This popular forward bend can be exhilarating and rejuvenating. Although some may argue it works other muscles slightly more then then spine (deltoids, triceps, hamstrings, calves), the back plays a major role in the pose as well. Like many yoga poses, the core (lower back/abs) are responsible for helping stabilize the body.

Particular emphasis and focus should be placed on keeping the spine’s length, and getting that all important stretch.

The Sphinx

Inspired by the famous Greek mythical statue, Sphinx involves a slight back-bend. In fact, it’s been called “the infant of back bends“. A great beginner friendly pose, perfect as a preparatory pose or rest pose. It offers a great stretch for your chest, shoulders and core. It also helps strengthen the spine.

The first step is to lie on your stomach, then extend your legs behind you, then arch your back by pressing into the ground with your forearms.

During Sphinx pose, your gluteal muscles, trapezius, erector spinae, latissimus dorsi, and pectoralis major are all activated.

The Reclined Pigeon 

Reclined pigeon pose, commonly known as ‘figure-four’, places emphasis on opening the hips, providing release in the hamstrings and lower back. It’s been touted to also help relieve conditions such as sciatic.

Additionally, the reclined pigeon helps stretch the glutes, and inner thighs. As you sink deeper in this pose, using your grip, continue to slowly pull your legs toward your upper body/core to feel additional stretch.

This position is moderate in difficulty. Lie on your back, cross your feet, and pull your right leg to your chest. Once you reach a comfortable stretch, hold the position for 30 seconds. Next, switch and give the other side a try.

Cat Pose 

There’s no doubt that at some point, you will practice the Cat Pose. One of the primary advantages of the Cat-Cow sequence is that it serves as an excellent warm-up asana, especially for your spine.

What makes this pose even more appealing is its simplicity and versatility. The Cat Pose is easy to incorporate into any yoga routine and straightforward to perform. It is a accessible and gentle backbend that both mobilizes and stretches the spine. Besides benefiting your upper back and shoulders, it can also contribute to improved posture.

Furthermore, it engages several muscle groups, including the triceps, gluteus maximus, erector spinae, serratus anterior, and rectus abdominis.

Eagle Pose

Now, Eagle pose is for those who desire flexibility, endurance, balance and concentration, all in one pose. A more dynamic type asana, with emphasis on mental focus and clarity.

Important note: If you do suffer from any sort of knee injury, you should proceed with caution. A lower body injury could be accentuated because of the torque of the lower limbs in this pose.

Eagle is truly a full body activator, even for the back. However, you may struggle to find balance at the start. The benefit of this pose is in longevity. The longer able to hold this pose, the more desired stretch you can achieve.

Final Thoughts!

Undoubtedly, for us at least, yoga stands out as one of the best practices for finding relief from persistent aches and pains.

Yoga is remarkable for its capacity to not only clear the mind but also soothe the body through the execution of various asanas and movements.

Consider the poses mentioned above as a foundation. Adapt and modify them as necessary to suit your individual requirements. Hopefully, these poses will serve as a stepping stone towards embracing a healthier lifestyle.

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References:

• https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/yoga-for-back-pain#cat–cow
• https://www.self.com/gallery/yoga-poses-to-relieve-lower-back-pain
• https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/yoga-by-benefit/back-pain
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/back-pain/symptoms-causes/syc-20369906#:~:text=Back%20pain%20is%20more%20common,Excess%20weight.
• https://www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/fitness/yoga/a706996/benefits-of-yoga/
• https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/yoga-eases-moderate-severe-chronic-low-back-pain
• https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/yoga-and-back-pain-2018041413652
• https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/P17-9039
• https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/sphinx-pose/