How to alleviate back pain with yoga (and the 9 best poses to give you relief)

Back pain is the number one type of chronic pain. Back pain can last months or even years, creating debilitating agony that limits work, exercise, and day-to-day tasks. 

There are dozens of approaches to help people who suffer from back pain — many are expensive and invasive. 

Many people wonder how to alleviate back pain — safely and effectively. Although yoga may not be a panacea, it can support spinal alignment, strengthen the core, and bring mobility to the back and body, making it a potent tool for anyone looking for relief from back pain.

The Paseo Club is a social club in the Santa Clarita Valley. We have supported people for almost twenty years in health and fitness. Many of our members are not only training to get fit, but they are also training to be well. Yoga is just one class we offer to help your mobility, strength, and stability.

In this article, we will share what causes back pain, how yoga helps people with back pain, what poses specifically address the back, and how to avoid aggravating your condition.

How common is back pain? 

If you have back pain, you are not alone. Back pain is rampant worldwide and is associated with poor mental and physical health.

• 8.2% of people suffer from chronic back pain
• Back pain is the number one cause of people missing work 
• Eight out of ten people (80%) have back pain at some point in their lives
• Over $12 billion is spent on health care for people who experience back pain
• Around the world, 540 million people are suffering from back pain at any given moment 
  

Back pain is more common for people who have poor health — obesity, diabetes, heart trouble, cigarette smoking, and other musculoskeletal issues.

Back pain is also associated with poorer psychological health, such as depression, anxiety, and high-stress levels.

What are some causes of back pain?

There are several reasons why people have back pain. Sometimes it is caused by injuries — something as simple as moving improperly at work to more serious situations such as car collisions. Back pain also arises from bone conditions and external factors such as your bed, and it is even associated with emotional well-being.  

• Arthritis 
• Scoliosis
• Bad posture
• Osteoporosis
• Improper lifting
• Lack of exercise
• Emotional stress
• Excessive weight game
• Bulging or ruptured discs 
• Muscle or a ligament strain 
• Sleeping on the wrong mattress
• Poor alignment when exercising 
• Sudden onset of physical activity
• Excess sitting or being sedentary

How does yoga help people with back pain?

Yoga can be very helpful for people with back pain. Even Harvard University advocates for the practice of yoga and claims that it is one of the most effective tools in soothing back pain.  

Employing yoga for back pain helps in three different ways.

1. Improves balance and bone strength
2. Maintains and builds muscle strength 
3. Stretch muscles that might be tight, which improves mobility and flexibility 

9 Best yoga poses to alleviate back pain

Back pain is a broad term. Pain can be dull or sharp, piercing, or burning. The location can vary as well — upper trapezius and upper back, mid-back, lower back, sacrum, and coccyx. Back pain can radiate into the neck and head or spread into the hips and glutes. 

There are yoga poses (asanas) that often help to alleviate multiple types of back pain. But, it is good to learn how to do them correctly through a certified instructor and review them for safety with your health provider.

1. Cobra 

Cobra is a gentle back-bending pose that can be as subtle or deep as you want. You begin by laying face down with elbows bent at your side. Gently press your hands into the floor, lifting the chest and heart up and away from the floor.

2. Locust

Locust is a great asana to do after cobra. It begins the same way, but when you lift the chest, you also engage your posterior chain to lift your feet and legs off of the floor as well the hands and arms.

3. Bridge

Bridge pose can be a very deep backbend and look rather acrobatic. But for most of us, a modified bridge pose is enough. Lay on your back, bend your knees, placing your feet firmly onto the ground. Engage your leg muscles and push into the ground, lifting your bottom and thighs upward so that just your feet, shoulders, and head remain in contact with the floor.

4. Sphinx 

The sphinx asana is similar to cobra. Sphinx begins in the same position, but you rest your forearms and hands on the floor and gently arch your heart forward. It is considered the gentlest of backbends.

5. Cat-cow 

Cat-cow is a very simple pose that anyone can do. Begin with your hands and knees on the floor in an all-fours position. Gently exhale, tucking your chin to your chest and tailbone downward, rounding your back. Then inhale and arch your back gently, lifting your gaze upward.

6. Gentle twist 

You can perform a gentle twist a few ways — sitting, standing, or laying down. The intent is to anchor your body in one direction while gently twisting —from your sacrum to your head — in the opposite direction. This brings movement and mobility into the spine.

7. Child’s pose 

Child’s pose is one of the most restorative poses. Begin by kneeling on the floor, then place your knees apart while touching your toes together. Fold forward with your head touching the floor in front of you. Hands can be at your side or stretched in front of you.

8. Extended triangle 

Triangle is a wonderful stretch for all the muscles alongside your torso. Begin with your legs far apart, wider than your shoulders. Your arms are outstretched straight at shoulder level, palms facing downward. Turn your right foot outward at a 45-degree angle. Leading with your right arm, reach your torso forward over your right leg. Reach your right hand down toward your foot, shin, or leg. Your left hand reaches up toward the ceiling. Repeat this pose on the opposite side.

9. Downward facing dog 

Downward facing dog is a helpful pose for lengthening your entire posterior chain. Begin this asana by going onto all fours. Tuck your toes under and slowly lift your hips up and back toward the ceiling, elongating your spine. Gently reach your heels toward the ground stretching your calves and hamstrings.

Can yoga aggravate back pain?

Start yoga at the introductory or beginner level with an experienced instructor supervising.. 

As with any type of functional movement, form and alignment are the keys to being safe. Make sure to warm up, use your breath as you engage in the poses, and listen to your body about what feels like enough. 

The greatest risk is pushing yourself too hard and aggravating your back or attempting to do a pose without warming up. 

Final tips for those who struggle with back pain

Back pain can cast a dark shadow in people’s lives, affecting all aspects — work, relationships, hobbies, daily tasks, exercise, and fitness.

There are many approaches to treating back pain, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to alleviating it. 

One safe option for most people is a gentle yoga practice. With the help of a qualified teacher, anyone can learn yoga to help soothe and relieve back pain, making everyday activities easier and more enjoyable.

The Paseo Club offers over 60 fitness classes each week, including yoga. Choose from

• Therapeutic Yoga
• Light flow/Therapeutic Yoga
• Intermediate/Advanced Yoga
• Beginning/Intermediate Yoga
• Therapeutic/Restorative Yoga 
  
  

If you are interested in a social club that values health, fitness, and community, then the Paseo Club may be the place for you. With gym facilities, tennis and pickleball courts, a pool, a cafe, and a spa, it truly is a home away from home for our members.

Schedule a tour today to see all eight acres of the club in person and check out these three articles from our Learning Center.

• How to recover like a pro athlete
• Best 5 massage therapists in the Santa Clarita Valley
• The benefits of cross-training (prevent injuries and end monotony)