Written by Dr. Sanjana V.B Bhms,dbrm,cdn

Founder & medical director of siahmsr wellness.in

All rights reserved with siahmsr digital healthcare[siahmsr wellness]

Reviewed by SIAHMSR medical team.

Yoga for back pain

 Back pain may happen from various causes ranging from heavy weightlifting, strain and stress, bad posture to severe diseases of disc and spine. The yoga poses are recommended only after diagnosing the exact cause of backpains. In some severe cases of back pain [e.g. spinal stenosis] yoga cannot recommended. However, there are various other conditions where yoga eases the back pain and improves the quality of life.

  Yoga is an important practice for maintaining back strength and flexibility. It helps to strengthen and stretch the stiff back muscles. Yoga practice in clinical patients with back problems must be followed cautiously, in the proper way of yoga practice with gentleness. Otherwise as with any other type of exercise, injuries can occur to the back or the complaint may be worsened.

In clinical yoga practices a particular yoga asana or pose is prescribed after comprehensive study of the clinical condition causing pain. All generalized yoga for back pain poses or asanas may not be suitable to every person. Individualized approach is necessary to avoid injury to spine by unsuitable or faulty practices. Avoid poses that combine bending and twisting, such as Triangle pose and spinal twists, and poses that incorporate backward bends, including Camel and Cobra pose.

 Therefore the yoga poses for these patients need to be prescribed by a yoga therapist or yoga or Ayurveda or other well-trained physicians.

People suffering from chronic low back pain go through other associated problems such as anxiety, depression and disability which may reduce the quality of life. Yoga is also an effective solution for achieving mental wellness  establishing equilibrium of mind and body.

 Yoga poses for back pain 

Click the title link of each yoga asana or poses given below for details 

     ·       Marjariasana or Cat –cow pose

This yoga pose can improve the flexibility of the spine. It also strengthens wrists and shoulders.

Contraindication-neck injury. 

·      SetuBandhasana – Bridge Pose 

     This pose helps to gently stretch the lower back muscles and the buttock region. Setubandha sarvangasana also helps to reduce the sciatica pain in the affected region due to nerve entrapment or impingement or nerve compression. Bridge Pose improves posture and counteracts the effects of prolonged sitting as this yogasana gently stretches your abdomen, chest, and the area around your shoulders while strengthening your back muscles, buttocks (glutes), thighs, and ankles.

    ·     Balasana [ child pose]

       Balasana is a resting pose for calming your body and mind relieving the physical strain and mental stress on your body. It is one of the best yoga poses to improve flexibility of your back and limb muscles. Although it is a simple pose , practice this step by step and after achieving flexibility in movement to back, legs and shoulders do it completely. 

The child’s pose is known to help reduce stress and fatigue in addition to gently stretching and relaxing your back’s muscles.

·       Uttanapadasana

It may help lower back pain due to the strengthening of the back and abdominal muscles.

·    Adho MukhaSvanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose)

It strengthens the muscles of the chest increasing lung capacity.

It brings strength throughout the body especially the arms, shoulders, legs, feet.

Provides traction for the spin

·       Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)

Uttanasana yoga is a pose that intensely stretches the entire back of the body, including the spine, hips, and hamstrings. 

·       Mountain Pose [ Tadasana ]

This yogasana helps in improving posture and reducing back pain.

Yoga research on back pain 

   Sherman et al. studied yoga compared to stretching or a self-care book approach for patients with chronic low back pain [5]. The study concludes that the yoga asanas were  more effective than a self-care book, but not more effective than stretching classes, in improving function and reducing symptoms due to chronic low back pain, with benefits lasting at least several months.

Many other studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of yoga in reducing chronic low back pain. The yoga intervention resulted in a two times greater reduction in pain, and reduced pain medication usage with greater improvements on depression also [6].

  Clinical guidelines released in 2017 by the American College of Physicians recommend yoga and other non-medicinal methods as a first step to treat chronic low back pain.

REFERENCES

1.    https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/yoga-by-benefit/back-pain/yoga-lower-back-pain/
2.    https://www.artofliving.org/in-en/yoga/yoga-poses/marjariasana-cat-stretch
3.    https://theyogainstitute.org/yoga-for-back-pain-10-best-yoga-poses-for-back-pain-relief/
4.    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/149356/
5.    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22025101/
6.    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19701112/
7.    https://www.healthcentral.com/condition/back-pain/low-back-pain/hatha-yoga-chronic-lower-back-pain-evidence-based