Combat Chronic Back Pain with Yoga and Core Exercises

Are you looking for relief from chronic back pain? You’re not alone. Back pain is one of the most common ailments in the world, and understanding its causes and treatments can be the key to getting back to feeling your best. From yoga poses for back pain to stretching and core exercises, here’s what you need to know about treating and preventing back pain.

Yoga for Back Pain

Yoga can be a great tool for relieving back pain, especially when it’s caused by a sedentary lifestyle. According to Lindsay Monal, R.Y.T., a yoga teacher at YogaRenew Teacher Training, “A lot of the time, back pain [stems] from a lack of flexibility and mobility and sedentary lifestyles. Sitting all day can prevent you from getting movement in your upper and lower back. And yoga is a really great way to counteract that lifestyle.”^[0] Practising yoga can help open up the spine and provide relief from everyday aches and pains. Before you begin, it’s important to get the all-clear from your healthcare provider if your discomfort stems from a serious medical issue, such as a surgery or a specific back injury.

The Best Yoga Poses for Back Pain

When you’re ready to start practising yoga for back pain, Monal suggests choosing a handful of poses that target your specific area of pain — or simply sound soothing to you. Aim to hold each posture for five to 10 breaths, though you may feel comfortable enough to hold some (such as supported fish pose) for three to five minutes.^[0] Some of the best yoga poses for back pain include:

• Child’s Pose: This pose stretches the spine, the hips, and the hamstrings, and helps to release tension along the spine.^[0]

• Downward-Facing Dog: This pose not only stretches out the spine but also targets the hamstrings, ankles, torso, arms, and abs.

• Seated Forward Fold: Along with stretching the groin, hamstrings, glutes, and calves, this pose also opens up the lower spine.^[0]

• Cat-Cow: This pose stretches the side body, the hips, and the hamstrings and helps to release tension along the spine.

Core Exercises for Back Pain

In addition to practising yoga for back pain, core exercises can also help to strengthen and support the spine and reduce discomfort.

0. “6 yoga poses for back pain that will relieve your aches quickly and effectively” Prestige Online Singapore, 16 Feb. 2023, https://www.prestigeonline.com/sg/beauty-wellness/wellness/yoga-poses-for-back-pain-that-will-relieve-aches-fast/