Do Yoga Stretches to Relieve Low Back Pain
If your low back is tight or you have chronic back pain, your physician may recommended a period of physical therapy and gentle exercise to help. If you are in pain, exercise may be the last thing you want to do, but if your pain is due to tight or de-conditioned muscles, the right exercise program may be able to help your condition. Before you begin any physical regimen, have your back pain diagnosed, as some exercises may be contraindicated for your conditions and may make it worse. There are some yoga stretches that can help to loosen and strengthen the muscles of the lower back.
Instructions
Yoga Stretches for Back Pain
1. Bring your knee to your chest by lying on your back and pressing your lower back into the floor. Both knees should be bent with the feet flat on the floor. Bring your right knee into your chest. Hold underneath your knee. Take slow deep breaths and on each exhale gently squeeze the knee a little closer to your chest. Do not bounce the stretch. Instead hold it and relax into it as you exhale. Keep the head on the floor or a pillow to avoid straining your neck. If holding underneath your knee is too deep of a stretch, wrap a towel under the knee and hold the ends. Hold for five to ten deep breaths and then repeat with other leg.
2. Next perform a spinal twist. Lie on your back and press your low back into the floor. Both knees should be bent with the feet flat on the floor. Bring your arms out into a "T" position with the palms facing up. Gently drop both knees to one side. Keep the opposite shoulder as close to the floor as possible. If your neck feels fine, turn to look away from your knees. With each exhale focus on relaxing the back. Hold for five to ten deep breaths and then repeat on the other side.
3. Continue on to the bridge exercise. Lie on your back and press your lower back into the floor. Both knees should be bent with the feet flat on the floor. Let your arms lie at your sides with the palms facing down. Vertebrae by vertebrae roll your buttocks, hips, low and mid-back up off the floor just as high as is comfortable. Keep the shoulders on the floor. Tuck your chin in to keep the neck in alignment. Then vertebrae by vertebrae place yourself back down on the floor. Come up and down slowly eight to twelve times. On the last time, hold in the lifted position for five deep breaths. Tighten the buttocks and abdominal muscles as you come up and down to take pressure off the lower back.
4. Try the supine arm and leg lifts. Lie on your stomach. Place your arms overhead with the palms facing down and the elbows near your ears. Place your forehead or chin on the floor. Tighten the buttocks and abdominal muscles and press your hip bones into the floor. Lift your right foot, knee and thigh off the floor. At the same time lift your left (opposite) arm, elbow and hand off the floor. Keep the leg and arm as straight as you can. Then lower slowly back down. Repeat other side. Do eight to twelve repetitions. If this bothers your back, try sliding a small pillow under your hips and stomach to stop the back from overarching.
5. Stretch into sphinx pose. Lie on your stomach. Place your forehead or chin on the floor. Tighten the buttocks and abdominal muscles and press your hip bones into the floor. Place your palms flat on the floor and underneath your shoulders. Hug your elbows into your side Lift your hands slightly off the floor. Then using just your back muscles, lift your head, shoulders and chest off the floor as high as you can. At that point, place your palms lightly on the floor. Look down and slightly forward to avoid compressing the neck. Hold for five to ten deep breaths then lower slowly down. Repeat one to two more times.
6. End with child pose. After completing sphinx pose, press back so that your buttocks rest on your heels. Your knees can be together or apart. Leave your palms extended overhead and gently press into your palms to lengthen into the stretch. Then release your arms and bring your hands back to rest completely. Let your forehead rest on the floor or a pillow so that you can fully relax into this pose. Hold for five to ten deep breaths.
Tags: your back, deep breaths, five deep, five deep breaths, into floor, flat floor, Hold five