Try Easy Yoga Poses for Lower Back Pain Relief

We all know the importance of yoga in the Indian culture, and the asanas mentioned in this article are the natural and efficient ways to tackle lower back pain.

How Does Yoga Help Lower Back Pain:

Practicing yoga poses focused on lower back pain regularly will help ease your discomfort by stretching and strengthening the muscles in your hip flexors, hamstrings, and back. This process makes your muscles more flexible and less likely to experience pain in the long term.

Along with strengthening and stretching your muscles, yoga also helps to keep you calm by reducing stress and anxiety levels. In addition, the blood circulation in your body is stimulated and improved with the constant practice of these yoga poses.

Simple Yoga Poses for Lower Back Pain:

If you’re looking for relief from back pain, yoga is a great option. Even practicing for just a few minutes a day can make a big difference. Yoga can help improve your body awareness and alignment, and these 10 yoga poses are especially helpful for back pain.

1. Child’s Pose (Balasana):

One of the best ways to relieve tension in your neck and back is with a gentle forward fold in the Balasana pose. This helps stretch and lengthen your spine, relieving fatigue and stress.

How to Do This:

• Keep your knees together and sit back on your heels.
• Keep a blanket under your thighs or torso for support.
• Slowly bend forward with your hands stretched in front of you.
• Keep your forehead touching the floor.
• Bring your arms alongside your body with your palms facing up while your arms are in front of you.
• As your upper body falls heavy onto your knees, focus on releasing the tension in your back.
• Stay in this position for about five minutes.

Duration: Repeat the procedure about 10 to 15 times.

• Muscles Worked:
• Rotator cuff muscles.
• Gluteus maximus.
• Spinal extensors.
• Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana):

Cobra pose is an excellent yoga pose that helps to mobilize your spine and soothe back pain. The muscular engagement helps decrease stiffness in your back along with strengthening your shoulder and arms.

How to Do This:

• Lie down on the ground with your tummy facing the floor.
• Place your palms facing the floor and your hands at the level of your shoulder.
• Slowly lift your upper body.
• Make sure to keep your transition smooth.
• Now bend backward as much as you can in a gentle manner.
• Slowly come back to the initial position.

Duration: Hold yourself in the pose for about 15 to 20 seconds initially and gradually increase the time.

Muscles Worked:

• Gluteus maximus.
• Serratus anterior.

3. Sphinx Pose (Salamba Bhujangasana):

The Sphinx pose is an excellent yoga pose for beginners to help relieve lower back pain. This pose helps relax the muscles in your lower back, providing relief from pain.

How to Do This:

• Lie down on the ground, stomach touching the floor, and extend your legs towards the behind.
• Keep your palms facing down, and bring your elbows under your shoulders with your forearms on the floor.
• Slowly lift your upper body towards the back as much as possible, including your head.
• Support your back by gently lifting and engaging your lower abdominals.
• Make sure you are not collapsing into your lower back and ensure you are lifting through your spine and out through the crown of your head.
• Keep your body relaxes while remaining active and engaged while keeping your gaze straight ahead.
• Slowly come into the initial position.

Duration: Try to stay in this pose for at least two minutes initially and then increase the time to five minutes.

• Muscles Worked:
• Gluteus muscles.
• Erector muscles.
• Pectoralis major.
• Latissimus dorsi.

4. Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani):

Viparita Karani is an excellent yoga exercise for lower back pain relief. It helps to relieve tension in your lower back by improving circulation and gently stretching your back. This makes you feel more relaxed and can help reduce discomfort caused by back pain.

How to Do This:

• Lie down with your legs together in the supine position.
• You can take the support of a wall.
• Slowly raise your legs while keeping them straight.
• Raise your buttock while pushing down on the arms and hands.
• Keep your elbows on the floor and support your lower back with your hands.
• Remain in this position for as long as you can.
• Keep in the process of inhalation and exhalation throughout the asana.
• While using the support of the wall, come into the resting position.

Duration: Try to stay in this position at your convenience and gradually increase the pace.

Muscles Worked:

• Lower back.

5. Pigeon Pose (Kapotasana):

The pigeon pose is a great yoga position to help ease lower back pain. By opening up your hips, it can help stretch your muscles and increase your flexibility.

How to Do This:

• Stay on all fours while ensuring your hands are ahead of your shoulders and knees placed right under your hips.
• Slowly bring your right knee towards your right wrist forward.
• Ensure you don’t have any discomfort in your knee while you stretch your outer hip.
• Slide back your left leg, point your ties while your heel looks toward the ceiling.
• Draw your legs in towards each other while your scissor your hips together. Keep your hips level and if needed, use some support under your right buttock.
• Inhale while you draw your navel in and open your chest; lengthen your spine, come onto your fingertips.
• Walk your hands forward and lower your upper body towards the floor while you exhale. Ensure your forehead and forearms on the mat in a resting position.
• Remain in this position for 5 seconds.
• Try to release the tension in your right hip with each exhalation.
• Push back through the hands, lift your hips and move your leg back into all four to come out of the pose.
• Repeat the same on the other side.

Duration: You can practice this pose for as long as it is convenient for you. It might be difficult for you initially, but with practice, you can attain perfect stretch.

Muscles Worked:

• Lower back.
• Hip flexors.

FAQ:

1. Can a beginner practice yoga for back pain at home?

Ans: Yoga is an effective way to make your body flexible and can be done in the comfort of your home. Although yoga is considered safe, it is always better to take guidance from a professional if you are a beginner to avoid any injuries.

2. Can anyone practice yoga? Should we take any precautions?

Ans: Yoga is a universally safe form of exercise that anyone can do irrespective of age and gender. Although yoga is safe, if you have any pre-existing medical conditions, make sure to consult your doctor before starting a Yoga practice. Take instructions from a professional, begin slowly initially and gradually increase the pace.