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Top 6 Yoga Poses for Back Pain
by Sadie Nardini | September 4th, 2013 | 206 Comments
topic: Health & Wellness, Yoga
Fifteen years ago, I was not acting my age. Since I would recoil from any form of exercise, as well as any green foods, I was overweight, inflexible and debilitated by lower back pain. The 40 extra pounds on my frame — plus tight, shortened back muscles and weak abs — left me moving like an 80-year-old version of myself.
I suffered daily from sciatica, back spasms, limited mobility, weakness, you name it. When I got stuck in my car one day, unable to swing my legs out because of my sciatic pain — at age 23 — I realized, “Something’s gotta change.”
I started reading up and realized a shocking number of people suffer with chronic back pain, partly from hours spent sitting in a way that flattens the lower back curve. (BTW, Gaiam’s Balance Ball Chair, the very one I’m sitting on as I write this, is a great tool to help build core strength and re-align your spine.)
Then, I found yoga. Over time, using some of the same poses I’m showing you here, I built a lean and pain-free body.
The yoga practice
These six yoga poses for back pain provide traction for your spinal muscles as you root through the hips and let a gentle pull or gravity make space between the spinal bones. You’ll walk taller and enjoy a body that’s no longer stopping you, but rather serving you to live, move and play to the fullest.
1. Fists Forward Bend
Stand on your yoga mat with feet hip-distance apart. Bend your knees and release your torso over your legs until your belly touches your thighs (or as close as you can get). Make two fists and place them in the opposite elbow creases. Relax your back, neck and head, and squeeze fists actively.
Fists and bent elbows together are a central nervous system trigger that causes your back muscles to open. You’ll feel it after just a few breaths!
Take 10-20 breaths here, releasing more tension from the back with every exhale.
2. Wall Plank
Stand in front of a wall at arm’s length. Reach forward from your shoulders and plant your palms on the wall, fingers wide, middle fingers pointing straight at the ceiling.
Firm your fingers into the wall and draw your navel back as you lengthen the tailbone towards the floor. Lift your ribs from the pelvis. You want to work with a natural lower back curve but an active belly.
Keep length in your spine as you begin to walk the legs back, folding at the waist, and walking your hands down the wall. Eventually you’ll come to an L-shape as seen here. If you can’t get there today without feeling pain or rounding in the lower back, bend your knees and maintain the proper spinal alignment.
As you lift the navel and lower ribs into the body, reach long through the tailbone and legs into the floor while reaching the spine, arms and head towards the wall.
Repeat for 10-20 breaths, then fold into Fists Forward Fold once again. Move to the next pose after a few breaths.
3. Downward-Facing Dog
If done properly, this tried-and true asana can be excellent for spinal traction and lower back health.
Move into the pose with feet hip-distance apart [did you know that’s only two fists-width or so?] and hands shoulder-distance apart. It’s important not to let your back arch too much, which pressurizes the shoulder joints and over-contracts the back muscles. Instead, think of lifting the navel and front ribs, providing a buoyancy in the shoulders and back. Carve the tailbone towards the heels and press back through the inner and outer legs equally. This provides a root, a backward grounding from which you can pull and grow your spine and head forward towards the space between your hands.
Even as you move the shoulders down the back and wrap your outer shoulder blades towards your armpits slightly, press long through the arms and fingers, providing a whole-body realignment and stretch.
Take 5-10 breaths here, then proceed to the next pose.
4. Pigeon Pose
We should call this pose “Angel of Mercy” for what it can do to rescue your poor aching back. It’s genius at opening the lower body muscles like hamstrings, hip rotators and the iliopsoas muscles, all which can contribute to back pain, without putting too much torque on the already tight back muscles. This releases them by springing open the muscles beneath. It’s a must-do in my yoga sequencing.
From Downward-Facing Dog, bring your right knee behind the right wrist, foot either touching the left hip crease or slightly forward. Stretch the left leg out long behind you, knee and top of the foot facing the floor. Center your hips in space even if they don’t touch the floor. Press your palms into the floor or a yoga block, ground your legs into the mat, and allow your legs to stretch while you let your low back curve and lift up.
Draw your navel and pelvic floor muscles in and send your heart to the sky. To deepen this pose, move your front knee wider and back and creep the back leg longer.
Take 5-10 breaths here, then fold forward, forearms on a block or the floor for a full-body stretch to counterpose. Return to Downward-Facing Dog, then repeat on the other side.
5. Back Traction Pose
After your last Pigeon, swing your back leg around and come onto your back, knees bent, feet under knees as if to prepare for a Bridge Pose. Grab your yoga block or if you don’t have one, a firmly-rolled yoga mat will do.
Lift your hips, and place the block in the center of your hips (not low back). The block should be the skinny way, in the same direction as your spine, not wide across the hips like your pants line.
Place your hips on the block and gently walk your feet wide. Knock your knees in towards one another for one minute to stretch across the sacrum, and then walk feet and knees together. Lift your knees over your hips until you can relax them but still stay suspended in the air.
This pose will release your iliopsoas muscles even as it detoxes you and provides traction for the low back spine. After about 30 seconds or so, scoot your head further from the shoulders and rest for another 30 seconds. Return to the first variation, feet wide on the floor, knees closer, for a few breaths.
To release, walk the feet under the knees at hip distance. Engage your navel, lift your hips off the block and remove it to the side. Roll slowly down the spine inch by inch and enjoy your new spacious lower back curve and sacrum!
6. Child’s Pose
Roll over and take Child’s Pose for one minute or more. Try knees wide, big toes closer, but end with knees together for a neutral spinal stretch. If your head doesn’t touch the floor, place a yoga block or fists under your forehead so you can relax completely.
Breathe slowly into your back body, expanding more nourishing energy and space on the inhale, and on the exhales, let ever more tension dissolve.
3 more tips for back pain sufferers
1. Don’t overemphasize ab work. A common misconception about healing back pain is that the back is weak and that you just need to work the core more. Actually, when you only work the core muscles — as in a hundred crunches a day — you may just be shortening your front body to match the back one. This can further pull on the spine and cause more disc compression and too little (or too much) curvature.
Optimally, you want greater core strength and length in your abdominals, side waist, low and mid back. To do this, your back muscles will have to release, and both your back and core will have to stretch as well as flex. We’ll do both simultaneously in each of these yoga for back pain poses.
2. Breathe slowly and deeply through the nose for the duration of the practice. On your inhales, flare the ribs wide, and as you exhale, contract around your navel while maintaining a long, natural spine.
3. For a longer yoga practice to strengthen and open up your lower back, try Rodney Yee’s Yoga for Back Care DVD or his yoga practice on the Mayo Clinic Wellness Solutions for Back Pain DVD by Gaiam.
Note: Consult your doctor or physical therapist about yoga for back pain before starting, especially if you’re experiencing severe back or leg pain now or during the practice, or if you have known disc problems, like hernias or degeneration.
Related Articles:
How to Strengthen Your Back with Yoga
Got Back Pain? Yoga Can Help: 3 Tips + 2 How-to Videos
Yoga Poses for Tight Hamstrings & Back Pain
Back Pain: You Need Solutions, Not Just Painkillers
Back Pain Relief: An M.D.’s Top 5 Tips
Back Pain Solutions:
Rodney Yee’s Yoga for Back Care Kit
Mayo Clinic Wellness Solutions for Back Pain DVD
Find more Back Pain Solutions.
Love your post. You have a nice way or giving directions that really articulate what you are trying to say…a must for a good yoga teacher! Good on ya!
Om and Prem,
Meera
Hi Meera, thanks for your comments.
I’m so happy you’re enjoying these posts. I do try and say it straight!
Let me know what else you’d like to read about, and hope to hear from you again.
Namaste,
Sadie
I just found your blog. Great articles and well written. Thanks for all the info. Namaste!
You’re so welcome. Glad you found me!!
Namaste,
Sadie
GREAT information — now I need to try them. Keep it coming. Maxx
Hi Maxx,
Exactly. Transformation is all about action.
Just Do It!
xoSadie
Wonderful detail, really helpful explanatory pictures. Feeling lucky to be close enough to get to the Fierce Club where you bring the same care and helpful explanations to these, and more, poses that help us reclaim strength and flexibility. My back has been amazingly quiet since starting classes with you (after many years of pain from stress, childbearing and carrying, and shlepping overstuffed tote bags on one shoulder all over NYC). Have to check out that Gaiam chair! Thank you!
I wish there was a printable for these..
DUH..found it..thanks ..will do these religiously..
Very appropriate post for me – I can relate to the pain you were going through (as I’ve been suffering from back pains for almost 10yrs). And just had an ‘episode’ of not being able to move just last week.
Thx so much for this post & i will bookmark this to remind myself about these yoga poses!
Awesome! Forward bend, downward dog and wall plank I’ve been doing for years to help stretch my back–now I have others to try! Thank you for the back care byte!
Hi,
I hurt my back a couple of months ago. My lower back seems fine but my sciatica still bothers me when I sit for too long and my job entails sitting most of the day. I just tried the poses you recommended and I feel soo much better. Amazing. Thank you. I will be including these poses throughout my day. I hope I will be rid of this annoying sciatica pain in the rear…literally. Thanks again.
Peace,
Sandy
Hi Leanna–you’re so welcome. Try Open Janu Sirsasana and then folding forward over the straight leg for another great option!
Sandy, I’m so glad you wrote. I had sciatica so severely and yes, with a regular yoga practice, you can free yourself from a lifetime of pain, Work up to a basic class and higher over time, 3-4 times a week as your fitness routine, and I promise you you will get huge relief from your back. Commit, and it will be so worth it.
Good luck–let me know how it goes!
Sadie
what yoga poses do you recommend for L5-S1 herniated disc or which poses do you recommend not to do.
Hi Laura,
That depends,
Is it a new, painful herniation, or an old one?
Are you under a doctor’s supervision for it?
Generally speaking, when injured, work with a doctor and a physical therapist. When cleared to move, try therapeutic yoga.
Stabilizing Poses like Plank Pose, Lunge with back knee down, and Side Plank can be good. Traction poses like Down Dog with bent knees, and Down Dog Wall Splits are ok too. Stretches like Pigeon on your back [ankle to knee, pull gently in, keeping hips on the floor] or lie on your back with one leg up the wall, knee bent. Then cross the other ankle over the knee, and rest like this in a gentle stretch. The above supported back traction pose are necessary to open up the surrounding muscles and free your spine from compression.
I would do only light backbending, no Up Dog, Bow Pose or Wheel but Cobra, Locust and Bridge are OK.
Basically, if you feel a twinge, don’t do it, and make sure you go to a yoga therapeutics specialist with lots of experience with herniated discs before attempting these, or any poses by yourself.
Good luck!!
Sadie
Yes, I always recommend Yoga to all my patients and I even do it myself which was difficult at first but I definitely go the hang of it.
Eric Roach
Thank you – I’ve recently been diagnosed with mild arthritis in my lower back. These poses give me the relief I need to keep moving!
I would add to Nichole’s comment by saying you can also use simple hydroponic systems with organic nutrients and put these on your patio or balcony as well. You can see a review of the Autopot system at my blog under “container systems”
Wonderful blog Sadie. Very informative. I am currently in the condition your body was at age 23. These poses seem to help. I am wondering if you’d recommend them on a daily basis, or less frequently? I figured since you’ve been through it, you could provide an opinion. Many thanks…keep up the great work.
Dear Sir/Madam,
2 years before i had a terrific back pain i shown doctors n done my MRI i had a lower back pain L5 S1 nerve root pain the doctors gave me therapatic exercise,and now i am feeling better but still i have a pain in my back if i do running or carry lift like dumbells even running what is the next step to be done.
Please advise me.
thanks for the answer if you send
Hi Sadie Nardini madam
I am suffuring back pain since last 5 years. The main cause of my back pain is driving bike/scooter. When i driving bike 1 hours i got heavy back pain and also i put on any kind of heavy item or things i have got back pain please give me the solution of my back pain and which are the best exersices for me
manav joshi
Hello Sadie,
Thank you for the wonderful tips for back acke. I am practising yoga for past 4 years.Recently i had a catch in my back. Though i tried my normal back pain excerises ,once instructed from my Yoga teacher, the pain didnt reduce. I was bit worried. More over i couldnt even go to my Yoga teacher this time. After reading through your Top six Yoga poses for back pian, i tried it myself. I am really impressed by the poses. The pain has reduced, & i am getting back my rythm. Thank you very much…I would like to read or interact with you much more . Thanks once again.
i know you probably don’t ever get weird questions but do you have poses for the meatier girls out there that are in love with yoga?.i would love to do hardcore yoga but it’s hard when you are on the bigger side!! i’m trying to lose weight.soooo.write me back!:)
I’m 16 and I got a very minor case of Shingles this past April and it really messed up my lower back muscles, I have to use my legs to lift almost everything. I’ve been doing a few yoga poses that have been helping but its been getting a little repetitive. Thanks for posting these poses, I shall add these to my routine!
Great exercises, can’t wait to start trying them for my back pain! I don’t have a lot of it anymore, luckily, but doing these will make it stronger and hurt even less! :)
Thanks a bunch!
Do you have any suggestions for a middle ages man, medium sized pot belly, who suffers from a bulging disc? Right now I am not in any pain, and I am looking for exercises that will keep it that way.
Great list – I’ll be showing this to my wife for sure – thank you! :)
Thanks for this post. I’ve used yoga to stretch my lower back but I didn’t use any of the poses you described here. (besides downward dog) I will share this it my readers. :)
Hi! My brother Tom emailed me a link to your site and glad he did. Will give these exercises a try and make them my routine and await the results in time. Thanks again.
Ah, a breath of fresh air. The truth about lengthening the muscles instead of crunching them all up will indeed help the whole core and not just the six pack. Great information and excellent pictures to illustrate your points.
As a teacher of the Alexander Technique I am very pleased to see the recommendation to avoid overemphasizing the abs. We see people daily who have shortened themselves front and back to the detriment of their back and neck. Not every Yoga instructor has your understanding of this critical issue. Thanks for putting it out there.
As a Chiropractor, I highly recommend what your teaching. Keep up the good work.
I did Bikram Yoga for years, I found it really helpful. It really brings about balance of the body and mind and there are many postures that are devoted to healing the back.
Hi Sadie,
I am a Chiropractor and Deep Tissue Massage Therapist, and I fully believe that manual therapy is only a step in the process to eliminate back pain. I always recommend that my patients do exercise programmes such as Yoga and Pilates, as I believe, like you, that Flexibility is the key to a Healthy Pain Free Back. Well done love the routine.
Hi
this is so helpful , i need few more tips for my neck pain as well , i’ve a severe disc bulge n it pains a lot that pains runs through all my body so i need to know what other yoga i can do ……. please suggest me few that would be very helpful to me
I wanted to thank you for posting these exercises on the web. I injured my back about 5 years ago, while in nursing school. I wanted to get in shape so I wouldn’t be one of those nurses with a bad back. I injured myself while exercising. I found a massage therapist who also does the stretching exercises by Aaron Mattes, which are wonderful, BTW. When I added your exercises, I found I could wiggle my lower back and hips like I was a teenager again. I especially LOVE the back traction pose – I never knew my back could feel so good! I still experience back pain from time to time, but your exercises always help! Thank you, thank you!
Hi Sadie. I learn so much from your posts and videos, both as a yoga practitioner and a yoga teacher as well. I frequently direct my students to your videos…especially when time, family, or financial factors keep them from coming to classes at studios. Thanks for your knowledge and your generous sharing of this knowledge with so many. If you ever get to the Atlanta (I am in Decatur, a suburb intown) please let me know! Namaste~Lisa
Excellent slide show and information concerning yoga. I am a firm believer in exercise programs such as yoga to help patients relieve back pain. Thanks for the resource.
Thank you for posting these…trying them now!
I was feeling a bit tender and stiff in the back and was looking for something I could do. This really helped! Thanks.
Hi Sadie.
I suffer some back pain after yoga. I do all those poses you show, and after talking to a few teachers, we have come to agree that what is going on is me doing the poses Wrong…
So yeah, you are SO right about those poses (and a few more…) and the way they can help us with pain in the back, YET, it is SUPER IMPORTANT to perform them right, as they could just as easily cause back pain as they can eliminate it….
Namaste
Thanks for this useful article, i have been trying these poses. I think people can certainly healing back pain by following your tips above, and the key to heal that is you must insist on carrying out back strengthening exercises each day. Thanks!
Genuinely fulfilled with the health and tending substance here, I bookmarked and go for to record this on everyday base if I have time on my helping hands.
Is there a printable black and white version of Sadie Nardini Yoga for back care? Many thanks, DF
Thank You so very much i’am an 12 years old and this was very helpful. =)
HI ! I HAVE JUST DEVELOPED A LOWER BACK PAIN PAST 1 MONTH. I AM NOT SURE ACTUALLY HOW DID I DEVELPD IT BUT ITS REALLY BOTHERING ME ..PLEASE HELP ME WITH WHICH EXACT YOGA POSES TO BE DONE.
Elizabeth and Lexi are stealing this!!!!!:):):):):)
My husband had a bulging L5-S1. He is is dire pain. His discs are so bad right now you can see the bruising on his lower back. I have been getting on him for weeks now to try some yoga. Tonight he will have not choice. I will post back in a week and let you know how he is feeling.
Thanks for the poses.
Hi, thank you for your advice. I had an acute lower back pain since yesterday (not the first one, of course) and I did a practice at home today including your recommendations, and it doesn’t hurt!!!!. Wonderful!
Hello, im 29years old and was injuredworking in a nursisg home. I played basketball and was very active until a few months after starting that job. I do feel as if my body or at least my back is 80 years old. I have made manymodifications to my life. Its been over a year now and im so stiff. Ihave faith and hope in these yoga poses. Thanks.
In today’s society back pain is becoming something of normality as our lifestyle dictates, and in some cases with dire consequences leaving an individual completely helpless.
Sciatica plays a major role in this problem and often ignored through lack of understanding and willingness accept there is an underlying problem.
Many Yoga positions are known to help this condition
These are really simple to do and they really work. A great deal of back pain originates from shortened hamstrings and gluteal muscles so the pigeon and downward dog are very helpful in this respect. Excellent post not only because these are effective but they take so little time to do. Thanks.
These are great asanas to bring back confort into our back.
It will be even better if you go own to Yin approach.
Meaning, 3 to 5 minutes gentle streching for each poses or side. The link in between has to be smooth and slow.
Enjoy.
Great tips…will post to Facebook. Jasmine
Hello I have a friend who also has difficulty because of her sciatica. She is in pain often last week she bent over to pick up a small box off the floor and was in pain for at least 2 days which kept her from leaving her home. she is 55 – 60 years in age and is about 30-40 pounds over weight. She goes to a chiropractor weekly but this is not helping to correct her chronic problem which has become a disability and prevents her from doing the things she wants to. She is open to assistance. She find it very challenging if not impossible for her to perform the asanas above. How can I help her, what poses would be effective. Thank you, Teresa
Hi Teresa,
Back pain and sciatic pain are incredibly personal, and one person’s healing sequence could be another person’s catalyst for more pain and irritation. In this slideshow, the pose “Back Traction” on the block would probably be the safest pose for your friend. However, it seems that she needs a more comprehensive tailored plan. You might suggest that she see a physical therapist who can prescribe specific healing moves for her so that she can then incorporate the slideshow sequence over time as her pain subsides. Anyone who is experiencing pain should seek professional medical advice before trying any of these poses.
Great practice, thanks.
I have been in a similar situation where I am suffering with low back pain. I was diagnosed with a herniated disk in L5-S1 several years ago. It flares up from time to time. It is defianetly getting more common. I feel so limited in what I do. I am probably 20 pounds overweight and feel that it contributes to the back pain. I feel restricted to my exercise because it flares up the back pain.
What is a good way to get started now, slowly, to release this pressure in the lower back and allow me to get into a more regular exercise program? Right now, it is hot and spastic. It feels as though my lower disk are sitting on nerves.
Hi
Could you please advise me the best yoga poses for the women who is trying to conceive, and what poses to be avoided while trying to conceive?
i will look forward for your advice.
Thanks
great post to this I really want to try having yoga and thanks to this I have know a few directions and pose to execute and practice with…
Hi Sadie,
I am going through a severe lower back pain ,neck and shoulders pain. I really cannot believe that its my abs workout which is giving me a lower back pain but it is true. I read almost every article of yours related to this & overwhelmed by your information, reasearch & methods to cure. You are such an amazing person helping so many people this way. I got fat belly & love handles, where i do extreme yoga poses & exercises , but now its a very sharp pain in my lower back where i cant do 5 reps of Sun Salutation. Can you please advice me how to get rid of the fat, get flat stomach & get rid of those love handles. I am 23, weight 55KG, heigh 5′4. I really need your help. Please.
yoga is advised to anyone who suffers back pain. and also to people who don’t suffer from it now, but it will help you stay away from it.
I have been suffering with my backpain from last 12 years i have visited all the orthopadics , neurosurgeons and physiotheropists. But no use i have a sever pain in my L5-S1 discs can you help me. i am now 23 years old.
Thank you so, so much for these poses.
I have been suffering from intense pain in my shoulders (it alternates from left to right each time) and lower back muscles for a while now.
It mainly happens when I have slept in the wrong position in bed, etc, but will sometimes hit randomly when at work. It leaves me short of breath and in immense pain. It’s like I can only get half a breath in before sharp pains run through my shoulders and back… if that makes sense? It is horrible when it happens. (and I am only 28!)
Anyway, I am suffering from it at the moment and just tried these stretches and it has completely opened up my shoulder and lower back… I can actually feel all the nastiness running out when I do the stretches.
Going to make a point to do these every day from now on.
Thank’s again!
This is a very interesting article. Yoga can indeed reduce back pain as it doesn’t only improve your posture, it also helps in calming your mind which if under stress may trigger the back pain .
Hi,
Your post is really helpful.
I want to take your advice about the specific pain I feel and will these poses help me in that also.
Actually I feel pain in my waist when I try to bent backward or when I be stand or walking. I feel pain from waist to my leg end.
My doctor says there is a problem in my disc and only exercise can cure me.
So should I do the same exercises you suggested in this post or should try something else?
Thanks :)
Thank you for your very informative sequence for pack pains. A few days ago, I was asked to teach a student with a back pain. She has always had a back pain and it got worse after she had a baby. This sequense will help both her and me and I would like to thank you for that. With gratitude and best wishes to you. Yumiko from Japan
hi sadie
i am 26 year old.i am married and have no child.i have back pain since last 7 day so badly.sometime it reveals like my lower back is getting weak.in this time i dont know ,what i have to do?please suggest me ,what i have to do.can i also try above yoga steps for my back pain?
mohsina
If you could say where you should be feeling the stretch that might help me out.
Like low back, inner thigh, left shoulder etc…
hi…
nice info…
m a student n i have a serious back pain issue. my doctors r unable to get to the roots of the pain. should i try ur referred yoga…???if i bend it pains a lot. so would it be beneficial 4 me to do them?
do reply.
waiting 4 ur reply..
You have provided all of us with wonderful information thanks for doing this.
These tips can be very useful for some one who is suffering from backache.
its a nice poses 4 back pain i feel better so thanks
In the first asana it says to have your feet hip width apart but in the picture the feet are together. What should I do?
Thank you for posting this, it helped me :)
Yoga has definitely helped me a lot, but I’ve been supplementing my routine with regular physical therapy sessions. I used to have to endure crippling sciatica problems too, but the New York back pain clinic I frequent has helped a lot.
Sorry, but some poses that are shown are extremely painful if one’s back is as bad as mine was. Nothing can be done to increase lumbar curvature or any kind of traction if one’s back lacks structural integrity.
Yoga poses for back pain are very helpful ..
I suffer from sciatica and my doctor says I should stretch everyday. I was thinking about taking up yoga. Thanks for the great blog!
I will have to give this a try. At this point I am willing to try any thing.
I had sciatica and I enrolled In a yoga class at my college And it went away after the end of the semester I quit my yoga and it came back I’ve started DVDs and then came upon this blog I’m hoping to be pain free again
very good suggestions for backpain – like it.
I’m so glad I found your post. I’m 27 yrs old with three children. I have really bad lower back pain and I’m trying to lose the baby weight I put on. These moves helped my lower back pain so much. Thank you :)
Thank you for this..I’ll be doing this everyday until my back pain goes away.
This is wonderful. Thanks for posting Sadie
Was just wondering if these exercises were good for someone who has a disc bulge at l5.
very helpful and informative article for me nice one.
just want to say THANK YOU~~~
this really helps me ^^
Although no one treatment works for everyone, many aspects of yoga make it ideal for treating back pain and neck pain. For example, studies have shown that those who practice yoga for as little as twice a week for 8 weeks make significant gains in strength, flexibility, and endurance, which is a basic goal of most rehabilitation programs for back pain or neck pain.
benefits of yoga in back pain:
Yoga eases lower back pain, by stretching and strengthening the muscles of the lower back. It increases blood circulation, which brings healing nutrients to the injured tissues. Yoga also helps maintain a natural curvature of the spine that is crucial in avoiding lower back pain.
also check this
link http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/yoga-can-help-ease-low-back-pain-201110313718#comment-16049
Thanks for the update!
I was never interested in yoga before even with my lower back pain, but this yoga samples are worth a try. Thank you for posting.
thanks for giving the explanaintion with the perfect pictures. its really very g8. because i did only for three days and found very relief.
know i am continue this yoga even i become ok.
my problem is like slitly pain at lower back
and if i walk for some long distance then my thie started pain alaong with the lower back pain.
thanks once again and please comments
i want to make 8 pack abs bt right now i am suffering frm back pain so plz guide me…
Really appreciate this wonderful post that you have provided for us. I assure this would be beneficial for most of the people
Wow I was looking for it you done great for me thanks for article it gives me help.
Very good blog. You can try more to learn about yoga.
Thank you for your post. I recently hurt my back and these poses did wonders for my back. Your directions were very concise and eloquent. I wish I had known about this sooner!
Wonderful!!!! Exactly I was looking for! Thank you!!!
Wish you lived in England!! Love your yoga. Got a really sore back and hip and just about to start the back flow sequences. Thanks very much for being so inspirational.
After I initially commented I clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now each time a remark is added I get four emails with the identical comment. Is there any approach you’ll be able to remove me from that service? Thanks!
hi,
i need your advice,
i want to improve my cocentration and memory or stamina,
and after taking so much sleep i am not feel so active so pls tell me, which yoga i preferd for liftup my self from these problems
I will really try : thank you. Hope not do mistakes!
@mouradz
hi
I am pilot and unfortunately have back pain.I will be so glad if you “mail “me some useful practice.
thanks.
Thanx a lot! The knowledge was simple yet the best. I am rigorously following it and have improved a lot.
Keep up the good work please. Col. Rakesh Sharma
Great post, thanks! I’m suffering from lower back pain after an accident and these asanas help me out a lot! Seriously, why pay the doctors and take pills that affect your body when you can simply do some yoga workouts without doing any harm to yourself?
I’ve been sick with back problems and aching joints for 3 years. Thank God I recently discovered a proven systematic set of techniques that allow us to enjoy the richest whole body benefits of yoga … from the tops of our head to the bottoms of our toes.
I am having pain for last 5-6 months. I always thought it may be due to climate change etc. but yesterday when I got MRI in that is has come that I have L5S1 Grade I. I am worried. Please tell me what yoga asanas I should do. Waiting for your reply.
EXERCISES SEEMS TO BE VERY GOOD. LET ME TRY AND FIND OUT WITH POSITIVE ATTITUDE. THANKS A LOT. SURINDER
THANK YOU FOR MY IMPROVEMENTS I AM 67.
One stretch and my back already feels better – this from a 50 yr old who has been relying on pain meds for 10+ yrs and is tired of being on drugs. I am afraid to even get my hopes up that this will work, but I will keep trying and see.
Hello just wanted to give you a quick heads up. The text in your article seem to be running off the screen in Chrome. I’m not sure if this is a formatting issue or something to do with browser compatibility but I thought I’d post to let you know. The design look great though! Hope you get the problem solved soon. Many thanks
Thanks a lot for this post.. this is amazing yoga..helped me to relieve from back pain
I have bad back pain, please help me. Send to my e-mail yoga pictures helping my back.
Thank you great advice. We were recently involved in a scooter accident, got hit by a car running a red. So lots of aches and pains to work through!! Love the sequence for hubby to help deal with his back pain. If I get to NY I will have to pop in. ( from Australia ).
Nice selection of yoga asana for back pain.
There are 11 quality research studies showing that yoga can really help back pain.
I have a condition called spondylolisthesis, which can cause chronic back pain. Yoga has been a fantastic help for me, especially as it works not just with the physical body, but also the mind.
Back pain is a mind and body problem, proven by modern neuroscience, and stress can often be a major factor with back pain.
Very informative pictures, just keep in mind that depending on the back injury or problem some of these poses can aggravate the problem. I learned the hard way… lol
Can anyone tell me I wanted some feedback on an alternative medicine doctor because I need great one.
Hi Sadie! Thank you for the info! I finally found something that works! Know any good Yoga studios in Pasadena?
Thanks again, Terry
GOOD FOR HEALTH
Hello Sadie:
Great to find this. I may be returning to an 8-hour a day in front of the computer job and need exercises to help align my knees and back. After two hours of standing or sitting, I need to stretch or lie flat with knees elevated. I am going to try to incorporate some of these poses with what a person can do in a public rest-room… wish me luck.
As I lay here recovering from vacuuming the stairs at the cottage, I think that this blog might be my Angel of mercy. Thank you :)
Thanks.
i woke up this mng, i had severe low back pain… i tried these poses and now it feels like i never had any back ache…. thanks for sharing the poses… i am recommending them to my friends already
Somewhat helpful, but I find the descriptions hard to follow. What does it mean to reach your tailbone to the floor and create buoyancy in the shoulders and back? I guess I need a video or in-person session to really understand.
Thank you so much for these poses. I’ve been doing yoga on and off for years. My lower back has been killing me-not so much after these poses. What do you suggest for losing weight. I cannot seem to get it off!
thnk u so soo much for this post..I was looking for this. It was excellent and very informative.
I am so glad that I found this! I injured my back in sports a couple years ago and ever since I have been having serious pain all the time. Sometimes my legs give out on me or I crumple to the floor because of my sciatic nerve. I will be trying these techniques in the near future!
Is this information/poses for back coming from a qualified yoga instructor?
Absolutely, Raine! Sadie is the founder of Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga and is the host of a daily yoga and lifestyle hour on Veria TV, the 24/7 national wellness channel. She is the author of Core Strength (Random House, Fall 2013), as well as creator of the bestselling Total Transformation yoga DVDs.
Valerie
Gaiam Content and Social Media Coordinator
i have severe pain in sacrum and buttocks. . . wil this yoga gives relief to my pain. please reply me i am suffering a lot
Sorry to hear about your pain issues, Jayanth. These poses are great for any type of back pain.
Here are a few other resources to try:
http://life.gaiam.com/article/free-yourself-back-pain
http://life.gaiam.com/article/back-pain-you-need-solutions-not-just-painkillers
http://life.gaiam.com/article/back-pain-relief-mds-top-5-tips
http://life.gaiam.com/video/mayo-clinic-back-pain-tips
http://life.gaiam.com/article/study-finds-pilates-helps-back-pain-sufferers-more-other-therapies
http://blog.gaiam.com/blog/got-back-pain-yoga-can-help-3-tips-2-how-to-videos/
http://blog.gaiam.com/blog/3-yoga-poses-for-back-pain/
http://www.gaiam.com/category/wellness-clinic/pain-relief-back-care.do?SID=WG127SPRTAPEMACS&extcmp=life_prod
Good luck!
Valerie
Gaiam Content and Social Media Coordinator
I woke up with searing back pain. Instinctively, I made my mind up to take two ibuprofens. Then I googled, “yoga for lower back pain” and this article came up
I did most of the poses with 10 deep breaths and I feel so much better and I am not reaching for drugs that only temporarily solve the problem.Thanks.
Hello,
I don’t know. I tried the first two poses, even with bent knees and my low back is screaming! I did my first yoga yesterday in hopes of healing my back, yet it feels worse today. Suggestions?
Many of these asanas I find to be contributors to back pain. Shortening of hip flexors and hamstring stretches is counter to back health.
I have been diagnosed with chronic lower back disease many years ago. A few years ago I started weekly yoga (incl. Iyengar retreats) and posture stretches @ work with dramatic improvement. Now repeating these 6 asanas more regularly I have less severe pain, somedays no pain at all.
hello, i felt from stairs 1year ago and i have very bad back pain since, i go the doctor and get c scan he said there is no problem and just rest & swim, but i don’t get any better. before the accident i was working out for 2years( fitness). what should i do? which workout should i take? please help me . I’m makeup artist and this pain really effected my job.
thanks
Hey. I love how simple and easy to understand your blog is… I do have a question though. I did the Fists Forward Bend pose and it hurt like heck. I am trying to start yoga to help ease my severe back pain, gain better posture, and maybe be more flexible. Though, is it normal for it to hurt so bad that it almost causes tears? The pain is really generalized in my tailbone, my shoulder blades, and my knees (they keep wanting to buckle. I need some advice.
I need to see poses for chair yoga. can you help?
Hi Anna,
Here’s a 6-minute chair yoga video that should help: http://life.gaiam.com/video/yoga-weight-loss-trudie-styler-chair-yoga-workout
Thanks!
Valerie
Content and Social Media Coordinator
I liked her way of describing the exercises and the option if you cannot do this, you can try this. I love it. Thanks!
Do you recommend the balance ball on its own (for sitting) or the ball in the chair stand?
Hi Yvonne,
For extended sitting, we definitely recommend the Balance Ball Chair. It’s a little more stable/comfortable than just sitting on a Balance Ball.
You can get the Balance Ball Chair on its own here: http://bit.ly/WiDOfH
Or the Balance Ball Chair Fitness Kit (with resistance band and workout DVDs) here: http://bit.ly/XyvXRE
You can find lots more info on Balance Balls and Balance Ball Chairs here: http://life.gaiam.com/guides/balance-ball-faqs-reviews-tips
Hope that helps!
Valerie
Gaiam Content and Social Media Coordinator
Thanks .. it’s really very helpfull :)
Regards,
Smile :)
i have a raptured disc ,what the best yoga or exercise for me to do?
Yes! Thank you Sadie! As one of the millions of people who usually sits hunched over a computer all day, I have had my fair share of back pain and have really found yoga to be helpful.
I’ve also found it helpful not to hunch over a computer all day! What I mean is, I recently switched to using a standing desk. I’m not sure if you are sitting at a desk for hours during the day or not, but if you are, this is something you should consider!
Personally, I use a NextDesk and I really love it. I’m not sure about the other products out there on the market, but I’m really pleased with mine because it is adjustable. I just push a button and it moves from sitting to standing– I can even do some yoga behind it while I’m working.
Check it out on their site if you’re interested: http://www.nextdesks.com/
And thanks again for the post!
NG
Thank you sooooooooooo much, I had constant lower back pain from standing around at my retail job and was watching the episode of king of the hill where hank takes yoga for his back and I was like, I wonder if that would work. And sure enough after the first session my back is feeling noticeably better. I’ll definitly be trying this again. :D
i just wanna a say thank you! You are doing a fabulous job by helping others….
We should help each other to make this world a better place to live in.
Yoga is really beneficial in a lot of ways and it certainly is for preventing and alleviating back pain. Aside from yoga, these exercises to combat back pain can help.
when there is a back pain one should not do forward bends at all. it will further aggravate the pain. let the back relax for few days, when pain is reduced only then do these poses. Twisting poses are best when there is back pain. Concentrate on breathing and let breath flow in various confinements and especially in the area of pain. Regards Prashant
Great article! It’s also good to look at how products can help and we suggest a support product that provides the right amount of compression and stays in place during any type of activity. Check ours out at http://www.thebackplace.com/cobr.html
hi, i am suffering from severe low back pain as a result of lifting too much weight on the bench press. MRI scans show facet arthropathy at L5-S1. kindly recommend some good yogasanas.
Thanks teacher, my back is now okay. I will keep on exercising. You are such a wonderful teacher.
Brilliant. For years we recommended couples with back pain to buy king size memory foam mattresses, but we’ll also be including a link to your yoga poses from back pain now too!
Hello,i’m asian,Malaysian.This year i’m 17 years old.But I think my back very hurt so much and my left knee also hurt. Is this Yoga can help me to heal my back pain?
is that back pain will stop me from growing? now i’m only 150 cm,I hope I can add increase 10 cm more.My back hurt so much.Help me :)
L5s1 large herniation severe nerve compression is keepin me away from my yoga at present (6wks) … Am hopeful to heal by myself and will eventually return to yoga … Any ideas what asanas would help with healing?
hi Sadie!!!!! I just wanted to tell you that I am so grateful that I found your website. You, are a GODDESS!(no doubt about it).I know this shouldn’t be happening to a 14 year old girl, but it is. I have been having back pains for a while now and when I found this on google, I was thankful. I did these immediately and my back feels so MUCH better!! Thanx so much for your help.
hi sadie i want to tell u that my back pain is gone love this website
Dear,
How many times we have to do each poses?
What is the time limit (seconds) for each poses?
Per week how many days can do?
Per day how many times can do?
Dear everyone,
When I extend too much and my lower back hurts, I use an RxCube positioning device that is just the right height for me to put my legs on. It helps me relax and loosen my lower back in about 10 minutes. Then I can return to regular stretching.
You might want to consider it. I found it on Amazon but also found at rxcubeforbackpain.com. Hope this helps.
I am Mr manjunatha 38 years, daily I Travelling 150 KM for my duty , I suffering from back pain in the childhood so please suggest how to descries back pain.
So I have a lower back sprain from lifting at work. Basically it hurts very badly to sit in almost any position, standing actually feels better. I ran through this page and here was my experience:
1)Couldn’t do forward fists fold. Maybe it’s just my type of injury, but after a few seconds I felt the beginnings of a spasm.
2) Wall plank was alright but didn’t feel too much
3) Normally love down dog, but I also have a bone spur in my heel so I couldn’t really do this one
4) Pigeon felt amazing, pigeon always feels amazing!
5) Back traction I’ve never tried before. I immediately felt something move in a good way as soon as I hit the first knees wide variation. Definitely worth it, this one’s a keeper
6) Childs pose is actually difficult for me, how strange. But it wasn’t painful, just uncomfortable.
Thanks for this post!
This post was super duper helpful!! I’m a yoga teacher and needed some guidance with a student that has been having pain- Thank you so much!!
Interesting…as a long term back pain sufferer I can’t do most of these poses without causing days and even weeks of pain. There must be some step in between to loosen me up enough to be able to do a forward fold without freaking out my lower back. Someday!
Great tips… Pain in the lower back is a problem that can cause other health concerns to arise. When home remedies do not work and the spasms persist, the final treatment is seeking medical attention.
No contraindications posted? What if you have low back and neck pain?
Nice article! Thanks you.
Sadie, I have a question about the fist forward fold. You said it is a trigger to relax the back muscles. How so? I’d love to teach this in my classes as I have many, including myself, that suffer from back pain and I know they will ask why this works. I’d like to be armed with an answer.
Thanks so much for sharing this. I love and appreciate your clear instructions and explanations.
Wow these exercises have been a god-send for my back pain. Thank you so much for posting these – I’ve been doing them for about a week and already I can feel relief!
Poor or bad posture, wrong sleeping positions, stress and restless lifestyles play an important role in giving you backache. To alleviate these problems one should practice yoga regularly. This is an important non-surgical medium to reduce pain in the back. However, if yoga and other non-surgical means do not help, opt for a surgery.
Yoga is an ancient way of exercise. It is very useful to get rid of muscle stiffness with that you can take help of Ayurveda. Ayurveda is also an ancient therapy of healing and gives good result in any body problem.
Hello Sadie,
My name is Sarah Key and I’m a problem back-treating physiotherapist. I do think your website is particularly elegant and uncluttered, with a good selection of yoga postures that are indeed good for back sufferers.
You may be interested in a new page of my website http://www.simplebackpain.com all about ‘Yoga and Back Pain’.
Sarah Key
Amazing tips. I am really feeling happy after reading this blog post. Thank you.
This is the natural way of preventing back pain. But if the pain continues, you really need a orthopedic doctor. Early use of non-operative therapies has the potential to curb disease progression and improve many of the symptoms associated with disc degeneration.
I hope that works really.
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The blog is absolutely fantastic. Lots of information about lower back pain we can learn here. always post these types of articles regularly. Keep it up.
There are numerous methods and tricks of the trade on effective preventative measures against getting either existing back spasms or future ones.Exercise i think and quite possibly limiting your calorific intake or eating healthy is another. Acupuncture also is an effective treament for back spasms, although not medically “au Faix” its one whom i recommend to all my readers. Im the current author on a back spasm site with over 100,000 users a year . Back Spasm
Great tips! Thank you. I love your blog and your posts! Greetings from me from the Bahamas! http://www.angelikachristie.com
Thanks for the post. I’m recovering from surgery and my back, hip, sciatica are totally aggravating my Fibromyalgia.(more so than usual) Your article makes sense and the instructions seem easy to follow. Wish me luck!
Very helpful article! The exercises you have pointed out are simple plus very clear instructions and image. Keep posting!
Great post! Been reading a lot about back health recently. Thanks for the info here!
Yoga has done great wonders for my back pain and migraine. I highly recommend it, also acupressure helps me avoid back pain as well I learned some techniques here http://mdcurebackpain.com/acupressure-for-back-pain/
now I need to try them. Keep it coming …
thank u….
rutu
Its such as you read my mind! You seem to understand
a lot about this, such as you wrote the guide in it or something.
I feel that you simply could do with a few % to force the message home a bit,
however other than that, this is excellent blog.
A great read. I will certainly be back.\
Thank you sooooo much. I strained my lower back muscles on Monday, and I have been barely able to function. Saw the MD yesterday, and along with some scripts for pain and inflammation, he encouraged me to stretch. I was a little hesitant, because I did not want to feel pain. Did these poses this morning, and I can already feel a difference.
Thank you so much for sharing this information.
Namaste.
Hello! I just would like to give you a big thumbs up
for the excellent info you have here on this post. I’ll be coming back
to your blog for more soon.\
There’s certainly a lot to learn about this topic.
I like all the points you have made.
Great tips. i was searching for thid type of blog. Thanks for sharing..
This is a excellent article with some really great tips. I personally love Yoga, it is by far the best exercise to help with stress, definitely back pain and really just a medicine to your body the good kind. Thank you for sharing!
Doing practise of yoga has many benefits , as a consistent Yoga practice decreases blood pressure through better circulation and oxygenation of the body.Also, Regularly practicing yoga provides a lower pulse rate.So we can truly say Yoga is beneficial for our life.
HiSadie,thanks for your post & videos for back pain Yoga postures.These really help the people who suffered from back pain & circulatory systems of the body as well.
This poses indeed do help, I do all of them in the morning and after 5 minutes my back pain does go away.
Thank you
When I read this article, it was like I was reading about me. So I tried these 6 poses, (5 of which I was familiar), but #5 was new and a game-changer!! It opens up the sacrum, where most of my back pain is, and the one area the chiropractor always needed to fix. This pose does that for me, painful at first, but in a good way. If I do these 6 poses everyday, I won’t need to see a chiropractor ever again. Thank You!
These yoga poses have really helped me a lot. I went to a massage therapist a few months ago and she taught me the downward facing dog pose. That helped me but learning about all these other options is fantastic. I tried all of the poses but I personally found the back traction pose to be the best for my bad back pain. My sleep has improved immensely.
very good yoga I do it every day and it helps a lot.
thanks a lot
I’ve been experiencing a lot of back pain the older I get, and my daughter recommended taking a yoga class. How in the world would I do yoga with a bad back? Was my gut reaction, but I decided to go with it. I’m going to take my first class this week, and I’m nervous but extremely excited. The biggest thing I’m nervous for is how inflexible I am, the pigeon pose that you are doing seems way too difficult for me to do, and it looks like it would hurt a lot.
The fists forward bend and the downward-facing dog are my favorite postures and I used them a lot for my back pain and also relaxation. thanks for sharing!
Last month i hurt my back after crashing on my bike. I’m really excited to find these yoga postures and hopefully they’ll help me to get rid of my back pain.
Thanks,
Amber
I wanted to try yoga to help with my lower back pain, as I had read a lot of positive things about how effective it was, and how many people have benefited from it. I found this article really useful as I wasn’t too sure about which types of yoga poses I should be doing, and the last thing I wanted to do was to make my back worse. I have also noticed that my posture in general has improved and that I have lost a little bit of weight, which has been an added bonus! Thank you for this post.
Yoga is the best therapy to make our body fit and flexible. Chiropractic procedures are unique to back pain treatment and lower Back pain. Our training is hands on techniques that mean the Doctors are well skilled in their treatment to the people.
yoga is the best way to get in shape and stay fit .
your post was really helpful , today any people face back problems .. it will help by doing yoga they will not only get rid of pain but also live a halthy positive life .
I hope u come up with many yoga postures fot different types of pain .
Best Blog for practice for lower and back pain patients.
Hi
What poses would you suggest for those who have limited mobility and a tight range of motion due to their back condition?
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love your blog Sadie Nardini. nicely describe you all position and step i think now am do better after show your steps. its really helpful for me i will try. thanks for sharing such good things.
I can relate, had the same problem a year ago. my friend jacob told me to visit this site and the experts from there really helped out. I will leave the link in case you are curious about it.