Yoga for Back Pain: A Few Tips

Chronic back pain can be caused by many factors, including a stressful job, improper lifting, and a worn mattress. Back and sciatica pain can get in the way of daily activities and make your normal routine more difficult. If you are looking for an alternative to pain pills, yoga may be your answer. As a reminder, no recommended yoga routine is intended to treat or cure any disease. Always talk to your physician for constant back pain or injury related to your back.

The ancient practice of yoga has been utilized as a pain reliever for centuries. The National Institute of Health conducted a study in adults with chronic low back pain, and the results were favorable for yogis everywhere. After 12 weeks of yoga classes, adults in the group had superior outcomes to those who had only practiced self-care for back pain.

Read on to learn about some of the best poses to keep your back feeling great.

Poses to help beat back pain

• Downward Dog: This may be yoga’s most recognized pose. Not only can this stretch shoulders and calves, it also helps relieve back pain.
• Cat pose: Stretch the back and neck while giving yourself a spine massage. Implement this pose into your yoga routine or use as a warm-up for your day.
• Cobra pose: As a gentle floor pose, the cobra can help build strength without much pressure.
• Camel pose: If this pose becomes too difficult for you, use a chair. Kneel with your back to it, placing feet and calves under the seat while you sit. Lean back, bring hands to the sides or up high.

Isn’t yoga just for health enthusiasts and people who want to meditate? Not necessarily. Part of the popularity of yoga comes from its:
Accessibility: Yoga can be practiced in the privacy of your home with instructional DVDs, YouTube videos, and through cable health channels. Classes are offered in community fitness centers and personal instructors can work one-on-one with clients. Yoga is everywhere and available to almost everyone. Poses range from the very simple beginning type to advanced, and many can be modified to fit your physical requirements. There are yoga programs available for kids, seniors, men, women, and yoga for pregnancy.

Health benefits: A regular routine of exercise and stretching may not fix every health problem you have, but yoga has proven health benefits that can have a positive impact on many areas of the body. Yoga is effective not only for back pain, but for stress, muscle aches, relaxation, and improved posture. Learn poses for increased flexibility, better strength, and heart health.

Chronic back pain affects over 30 million American adults and we spend around $50 billion each year for treatments. A healthy weight can help to ease some of what’s hurting us, and so can maintain an active lifestyle. If you suffer from back pain, maybe implementing yoga into your daily routine will help you become one less statistic.