If you are one of the millions of people who suffer from lower back pain, then you definitely understand the desperate search for something to help alleviate the pain.
While certain medications can help with the pain temporarily, it is wiser to go for a pain relief method that will help alleviate your back pain in the long term. Practicing yoga is a fantastic way to strengthen your back, increase circulation to your spine and nerves, and ultimately help to alleviate your lower back pain.
Yoga has been used to help with bodily pains for hundreds of years, and your back muscles are some of the most engaged when you are practicing yoga. This is what makes yoga such a good option for helping to manage your pain. In this post, we will discuss the following positions, and the way that they can help you with your lower back pain:
- Cat/cow
- Downward facing dog
- Plow pose
Here is a little bit more about how yoga can help you with your lower back pain, and the aforementioned poses that may be useful to you when it comes to your pain:
Cat/Cow
Cat/cow is one of the simplest yoga poses, but also one that often helps you to reap the most benefits. This simple pose helps to stretch the back in a way that you wouldn’t stretch it otherwise, which is turn allows for the muscles to be massaged and loosened around the area where you are experiencing pain. It also helps to massage and to realign your spine, which will leave you feeling much better than before.
Performing cat/cow is remarkably simple.
All you have to do is start in tabletop position (on your hands and knees with both arms and legs spread hip-width apart). Then, slowly arch your back towards to sky, looking downward as you do (cat).
Following that, you will want to slowly look up, and arch your back so that your stomach is arching towards the ground (cow). This is a great position for those who are beginners because it can be done at a slow pace and still have a great effect on the pain.
Downward Facing Dog
Downward facing dog is easily the most well-known yoga position. It serves as the base (so-to-speak) of a number of more advanced poses, and there is a good reason why many yoga flows continuously return to this pose. Downward dog elongates your spine and strengthens your lower back, not to mention that it provides a great stretch for you hamstrings- added bonus!
To perform downward facing dog, start on your hands and knees (tabletop position). From there, you will want to tuck your toes and push your hips towards the sky.
Basically, you want your body to form and triangle, with your hips being the topmost point. If you can’t straighten your legs all the way at first, don’t worry, if they are bent a little at the knee you will still get a good stretch.
Plow Pose
Plow pose is a really fun yoga pose to do. It doesn’t take a lot of strength to perform, so it’s a great pose for beginners.
The plow pose is known as a restorative pose, as it increases blood flow to your back, neck, and head when you are performing it. Not only does plow pose stretch your back and your shoulders, but it also is rejuvenating to your nervous system as a whole, which in turn will relieve pain that you are experiencing.
To perform plow pose, lay flat on your back with your hands planted firmly, palm down, on either side of your body. Then, engage your core to lift your legs up, rolling your weight onto your upper back and shoulders, and then fold your legs down towards your face. This should look and feel like you are trying to fold yourself into a sandwich.
Be sure not to put your body weight on your neck and head, as this can cause discomfort.
Conclusion
The beauty of yoga is how specific it is. You can tailor a yoga flow that works to target your weaknesses, and your body pains. When it comes to lower back pain, there are many poses for both beginners and experts that aid with back pain. Here are few more that were not mentioned above:
- Bow pose
- Sphinx pose
- Child’s pose
- Seated forward fold
- Spinal twist
These poses help to strengthen, stretch, and align your back, which in turn helps to alleviate pain. If you have been suffering from lower back pain and are looking for a way to find relief, then try some of the poses above. However, if the pain is persistent, be sure to seek help from a medical professional, and remember to always be safe and take care of yourself in your yoga practice.