Yoga for back pain
Keep moving. Chilly weather can aggravate back pain.
When energy cannot flow freely around the body, physical and emotional health becomes unbalanced.
This has a detrimental effects on our entire well-being. The good news is that simple yoga postures can help banish back pain, allowing you to move freely and enjoy day-to-day life unaffected.Before you begin any type of practice:
Always listen to your body and move mindfully; not doing so could worsen the pain and prolong your symptoms.
Only perform basic postures—do not allow your ego to persuade you to overstretch.
A solid foundation will let you move forward slowly and maintain a pain-free body.
Basic Alignment--Lie on your back with your knees bent and the soles of the feet firmly on the floor. Continue to breathe and make sure that your spine is straight. Feel that both sides of your body are equal in length, your neck is a natural extension of your spine and your nose points straight up. Position your arms alongside your body with your palms facing up, maintain a space between your upper arm and torso. Check that your feet are hip width apart and directly under your knees. Feel your weight is distributed evenly between your feet and make sure you are not rolling onto the outside edges of your feet.Gentle Mobility—while lying in the above position it is possible to gently mobilize the pelvis lower back. As you inhale, allow your lower back to leave the floor by rolling your pelvis so you keep your bottom on the floor. As you exhale tilt the pelvis in the other direction so the lower back releases down to the ground. Continue with these movements gently mobilizing the pelvis and the lower back. Core Strengthener—Remain in the above position breathing slowly through your nose. These following contractions will activate some of the deep core muscles. In yoga they are also known as locks. As you inhale draw up your pelvic floor muscles (also known as the root lock or mulha bandha) and with each exhalation draw your navel back towards your spine (also known as the abdominal lock or uddiyana bandha). Repeat for twenty complete breaths. Now lightly rest your fingers tips on your upper thigh. Inhale and activate the pelvic floor muscles, as you exhale, draw your navel back towards your spine, bring your chin onto your chest and lift your shoulders off the floor using the strength of your abdominal muscles. Continue for 20 complete breaths.
Lower back Strengthener—Roll onto your front and extend your arms and legs. As you inhale stretch your right arm and left leg and allow them both to lift from the floor. As you exhale return to your starting position. Repeat by inhaling and stretching the left arm and the right leg, keep and allow them to lift from the floor. Continue alternating for 20 breaths.
Wind removing Pose--Lie on your back and draw your knees in towards your chest. As you inhale allow the knees to drift away and as you exhale bring them closer to your chest. Continue for 10 complete breaths.
Reclining gentle twist—Begin laying on your back with your knees bent, your arms out level with your shoulders and your palms facing up, inhale and as you exhale let your knees fall to the right and turn your head to the left. Repeat in the opposite direction. Then continue like this for at least 10 breaths working both sides of the body.
Final relaxation—Always finish your practice with at least 5 minutes of deep relaxation. You can do this lying on your back fully relaxed in savasana (corpse pose), or you can run your legs up a wall allowing the tension of your back to release. By taking time to relax, especially after movement or stability work, you could help speed up your recovery. Keep revisiting basic moves to maintain good alignment, even after the pain has subsided take the time to include postures and movements to strengthen your core muscles.
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