These are must try yoga poses to strengthen lower back to get rid of back pain caused due to bad posture.
Lower back pain is one of the common reason due to which people visit the doctor. But, Yoga is a very simple solution to deal with this problem.
Lower back basically consists of vertebrae of spine, muscles, and ligaments. Back pain can be caused by any injury or disease in these parts of the back.
There are many yoga poses which can help you in relieving the lower back pain. Lower back pain can be caused due to reasons like sitting at one place for a long time, wrong postures, poor diet.
There are few poses listed below to help you in relieving you from the lower back pain.
Table of Contents
Causes Of Lower Back Pain
Reasons may vary from bad medical conditions to poor intake of food.
Ligament and muscle strain is one of the major cause which is responsible for lower back pain.
Conditions like fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis and ankylosing spondylitis are the other reasons found responsible for a backache.
Pregnancy in women is the reason for back pain due to extra body weight. It is also faced by people who are overweighted.
Yoga Poses For Relieving Lower Back Pain
Back pain can be easily eradicated by practicing some yoga poses. Yoga practice will help you to stretch muscle of your body. It will hence prevent you from acquiring other diseases.
1. Bharadvaja’s Twist (Bharadvajasana I)
This posture is attained by the gentle twist. It is good for spine and abdominal organs.
Step 1: Sit on the mat with the legs straight in front of you. Bend your knees and move your legs to the left outside your left hips. Rest your left ankle on the right arch.
Step 2: Inhale and lift your front torso. Exhale and twist your torso to the right. Keep your lower back long by strengthening your tailbone and try to soften your belly.
Step 3: Tuck your hands under your right knee and keep your right hand on the floor beside your right buttock. Pull your left shoulder slightly backward.
Step 4: Head can be turned in any of the two directions.
Step 5: Similarly the process can be repeated in opposite direction.
Cautions
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- High blood pressure
- Insomnia
- Low Blood pressure
- Menstruation
Benefits
i. Relieves lower backache and neck pain
ii. Relieves stress
iii. Improves digestion
iv. Stretches spine, shoulder and hips
2. Big Toe Pose (Padangusthasana)
This pose strengthens your hamstrings.
Step 1: Stand such that your feet are apart but parallel to each other. Keep your legs straight.
Step 2: Now bend down. Middle and index fingers should be slid between the toes.
Step 3: Inhale and proceed by bringing your torso in the original position and on exhalation lift up your sitting bones.
Cautions
Avoid this pose if suffering from back or neck injury
Benefits
i. Brain gets calm and hence in relieving the stress
ii. Stimulates the liver and kidney
iii. Stretches the hamstring and calves
iv. Strengthens the thighs
v. Improves digestion
vi. Helps in relieving the headache and insomnia
vii Helps in relieving the symptoms of menopause
3. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
Step 1: Lie such that your face is upwards towards the ceiling. You can place a folded blanket under your neck.
Step 2: Bend your knees and place your heels near to the sitting bones as it could be.
Step 3: Exhale and press your feet on the floor. Move your buttocks and tailbone up in the air from the floor.
Step 4: Clasp your hands below your pelvic to stay in that position for some time.
Step 5: Chin should be lifted slightly upwards.
Step 6: Stay in that pose for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. After that come back to your original pose accompanied by exhalation.
Cautions
If you are suffering from neck injuries then please avoid this pose.
Benefits
i. Stretches the neck, spine and chest
ii. Relieves the depression and stress
iii Stimulates abdominal organs, lungs, and thyroid
iv. Relieves the symptoms of menopause
4. Cat Pose (Marjaryasana)
Step 1: Place your hands on the floor and knees in tabletop position.
Step 2: Keep your eyes looking at the floor and wrist, shoulder and elbows in line, perpendicular to the floor.
Step 3: Round your spine towards the ceiling accompanied by the exhalation.
Step 4: Come back to the tabletop position accompanied by inhalation.
Cautions
Be careful, if suffering from neck injury
Benefits
i. Provides the relaxation to the belly organs
ii. Stretches the back torso and neck
5. Chair Pose ( Utkatasana)
Step 1: Stand in ‘Tadasana’. Raise your arms perpendicular to the floor and breathe in.
Step 2: Now, exhale and bend your knees and try to take thighs parallel to the floor as could get.
Step 3: Firm the shoulder blades against the back.
Step 4: Hold on that position for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Step 5: Exhale and relax the arms as was in the tadasana pose.
Cautions
- Headache
- Insomnia
- Low Blood Pressure
Benefits
i. Strengthens the thighs, calves and spine
ii. Stretches shoulder and chest
iii. Reduces the problem of flat feet
iv. Stimulates the abdominal and belly organs.
6. Crane /Crow Pose (Bakasana)
Step 1: Squat and place your feet few feet apart. Heels can be supported by placing the blanket.
Step 2: Move your hands forward and Place it on the floor.
Step 3: Lift yourself by transferring your weight on the arms. Lean slightly forward.
Step 4: Maintain the pose for about 20 seconds to 1 minute.
Step 5: Slowly release the poses by exhaling and lowering your body.
Cautions
- Pregnancy
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
Benefits
i. Strengthens the wrist and arms
ii. Stretches the upper back
iii. Strengthens the back
iv. Tones the abdominal organs
7. Dolphin Plank Pose
Step 1: Take the dolphin pose. Move your feet back such that your torso is parallel to the floor.
Step 2: Press your arms and elbow against the floor.
Step 3: Firm your shoulder blades against your back.
Step 4: Press your thighs towards the ceiling.
Step 5: Maintain that position for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then relax your knees accompanied by exhalation.
Cautions
Avoid this pose if have shoulder and neck injuries.
Benefits
i. Calms the brain
ii. Relieves the stress and depression
iii. Stretches the shoulder, calves and hamstring
iv. Helps prevent osteoporosis
8. Dolphin Pose (Ardha Pincha Mayurasana)
Step 1: Start on your feet and knees. Set your knees directly below knees. Put your forearms on the ground.
Step 2: Exhale and lift your knees away from the floor.
Step 3: Continue pressing your forearms.
Step 4: Stay in the pose for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Caution
Shoulder, neck and knee injuries
Benefits
i. Calms the brain and relieves the stress and mild depression
ii. Strengthens the arms and calves
iii. Improves the digestion
iv. Relieves the headache, insomnia, back pain and fatigue
9. Extended Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana)
Step 1: Stand in Tadasana . Keep your feet little apart and arms parallel to the ground.
Step 2: Stretch your left leg outwards and bend your body towards left such that your left hands holds legs and right-hand stretches up towards the ceiling.
Step 3: Stay in this pose for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, then do the same for the right side of your body also.
Cautions
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Low/High Blood Pressure
- Critical Heart conditions
Benefits
i. Stretches the thighs, knees and calves.
ii. Stimulates the abdominal organs
iii. Helps in relieving the stress
iv. Relieves Back pain
10. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
Step 1: Take the standing position such that your legs are little apart from each other.
Step 2: Now standstill such that body weight is evenly balanced on your feet.
Step 3: Firm your thigh muscles and knee caps.
Step 4: Balance your body well!
Cautions
- Headache
- Insomnia
- Low Blood Pressure
Benefits
i. Improves Posture
ii. Firms abdomen and ankles
iii. Relieves flat feet
11. Spine Lengthening
Step 1: Place mat on the floor and sit in cross-legged position.
Step 2: Make sure that your back is straight and you are in the relaxed state.
Step 3: You should be free of any tension while practicing yoga. So smile while practicing.
Step 4: Inhale and stretch your arms up by interlinking your fingers. Stretch them up as much as you can.
Step 5: You need to make sure that your elbows are straight and biceps touch your ears.
Step 6: Hold onto this position for at least 15-20 seconds.
Step 7: Then exhale and slowly return to your original position.
Cautions
Avoid if suffering from any hand injuries.
Benefits
i. This pose is specifically for back pain
ii. Stretches out the muscles of upper body
12. Wall Plank
Step 1: Stand in front of wall and maintain the distance between yourself and wall.
Step 2: Straighten your hands and you have to reach the wall with your hands.
Step 3: Bend forward such that your face is downwards and stretch your spine completely.
Step 4: Your body should take L shape. Breathe properly while coming back to the original position.
Cautions
- Headaches
- Insomnia
- Any physical injuries
Benefits
i. This pose is helpful in stretching out the muscles of the complete body
ii Improves Posture
13. Back Stretch
Step 1: Sit down on your heels and keep your hands in front of you.
Step 2: Now, stretch your hands out and straighten your back.
Step 3: Slowly inhale and exhale.
Step 4: Pull both your hands front by pulling your back forward.
Step 5: Don’t strain out your muscles much. You will feel relaxed after doing this.
Cautions
Don’t perform this if suffering from any physical injuries.
Benefit
Relieves back pain by pulling out the muscles.
Tips While Practicing The Yoga Poses For Lower Back Pain
- Don’t strain out much after doing these routines.
- Don’t start working out for a long duration from the beginning as it can affect your core muscles.
- Inhaling and exhaling through the entire process is very important.
- Avoid any weight lifting exercises.
Yoga poses will definitely relieve your lower back pain and warm up your body as well. They will also make your muscles more flexible and open up your lungs while breathing in and out.
Take short breaks in between so that there is not much tension present in your body. Try to stay happy, it is the cure for half of the diseases.
