Key Takeaway
| Yoga and Lower Back Pain |
|---|
| Yoga can be an effective tool for reducing lower back pain. |
| Yoga helps strengthen and stretch back muscles that might be tight, which improves mobility. |
| Yoga can help reduce muscular tension, build flexibility and strength, and improve balance and bone strength. |
| Yoga can also help lower stress and alleviate anxiety and depression. |
Can Yoga Give You Lower Back Pain?
Yoga is a gentle practice that is ideal for maintaining back strength and flexibility. It’s also one of the more effective tools for helping reduce low back pain, the most common source of pain and disability among older adults. However, at its core, yoga is still a form of physical movement, and as with any other type of exercise, injuries can occur, especially involving the back.
The main problems often happen when people don’t follow proper form and speed, and they quickly “drop” into a yoga pose without gradually “lengthening” into it. This is similar to jerking your body while lifting a dumbbell and doing fast reps instead of making a slow, controlled movement or running on a treadmill at top speed without steadily increasing the tempo. The result is a greater chance of injury.
In yoga, you should use your muscles to first create a solid foundation for movement and then follow proper form that slowly lengthens and stretches your body. For example, when you perform a seated spinal twist, which can be quite therapeutic for low back pain, the point is not to rotate as fast and far as possible. “Instead, you should first activate your core muscles and feel as though the spine is lengthening. Then twist slowly until you feel resistance, and hold for as long as it’s comfortable,” says Dr. Lauren Elson.
How to Do Yoga Safely
If you suffer from low back pain, talk to your doctor first about whether it’s okay to begin a yoga program. Staying away from yoga is recommended if you have certain back problems such as a spinal fracture or a herniated (slipped) disc
Here are some tips to protect your back while doing yoga:
- Avoid twisting and extending at the same time.
- Use your muscles to first create a solid foundation for movement.
- Follow proper form that slowly lengthens and stretches your body.
- Activate your core muscles before performing any pose.
- Feel as though the spine is lengthening before twisting.
- Twist slowly until you feel resistance.
- Hold each pose for as long as it’s comfortable.
Muscles That Support the Back
| Muscle Group | Function |
|---|---|
| Paraspinal Muscles | Help you bend your spine |
| Multifidus Muscles | Stabilize your vertebrae |
| Transverse Abdominis | Stabilize your spine |
Yoga Poses That Can Help Reduce Low Back Pain
| Yoga Pose | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Seated Spinal Twist | Can be quite therapeutic for low back pain |
| Child’s Pose | Stretches hips, thighs, and ankles while reducing stress and fatigue |
| Downward-Facing Dog | Stretches hamstrings, calves, arches, hands, shoulders while strengthening arms |
Conclusion
Yoga can be an effective tool for reducing lower back pain by strengthening and stretching back muscles that might be tight 1. However, injuries can occur if proper form is not followed. To do yoga safely with lower back pain, it’s important to use your muscles to first create a solid foundation for movement and then follow proper form that slowly lengthens and stretches your body. By following these tips along with practicing yoga regularly under expert guidance can help alleviate lower back pain.
