5 Yoga Poses for Back Pain 

Back pain is one of the most common disorders today. Low back pain is a very common health problem worldwide and a major cause of disability – affecting performance at work and general well-being. Low back pain can be acute, sub-acute, or chronic. Though several risk factors have been identified (including occupational posture, depressive moods, obesity, body height, and age), the causes of the onset of low back pain remain obscure and diagnosis difficult to make. But there is good news. Yoga has shown positive results in curing back pain. Many researches show that yoga poses and other yogic practices help reduce back pain.[1]

Back pain is not a disease but a constellation of symptoms. In most cases, the origins remain unknown. However, recent studies have shown that most of the back pain is caused due to muscular insufficiency and inadequate flexibility of muscles and tendons. According to a research of 5000 patients, conducted by Dr. W.D. Friedman of the I.C.D. Rehabilitation and Research Centre, USA, obtained results which conclude that in four out of five patients, acute back pain occurs simply because functional demand upon the back muscles exceeds their capacity. The failure to recognize this simple fact is probably the major reason why back pain is so poorly treated at the present time.[2]

At present low back pain is treated mainly with analgesics. The causes of lower back pain are rarely addressed. Alternative treatments include physical therapy, rehabilitation and spinal manipulation. Disc surgery remains the last option when all other strategies have failed, but the outcomes are disappointing.  So, here are a few asanas that help to reduce back pain.

The five asanas which help to cure back pain are as follows:

  1. DHANURASANA (Bow Pose)

Dhanurasana is an excellent asana that brings good stretch to your nerve, ligaments and muscles which are beneficial for getting better relief from back pain.

  1. SHASHANKASANA (Rabbit Pose) 

The asana makes the body more flexible and provides a good stretch to the thorax and navel. Back is stretched completely and toned as a result of this exercise. It tones the pelvic muscles as well and relieves sciatic pain.

  1. SETU BANDHASANA (Bridge Pose)

The posture is excellent for strengthening the back. It also eases the pent up tension in those muscles. This pose stretches the back, neck, and chest and relaxes your body.

  1. MARJARIASANA (Cat Pose)

This asana halts the degeneration in the Lumbar vertebrae, relieves the spasm of the spinal muscles. and improves the ability of the disc to expand.

  1. EK HAST EK PADAUTTHAN MARJARIASANA (One legged one handed Cat pose)

This asana makes spine and back muscles flexible. This helps to stretch the spine, beat lower back pain, strengthens the torso and provides a gentle massage to the nerves leaving the spinal column.

 Reference :

[1] Saper, R. B., Sherman, K. J., Cullum-Dugan, D., Davis, R. B., Phillips, R. S., & Culpepper, L. (2009). Yoga for chronic low back pain in a predominantly minority population: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Alternative therapies in health and medicine, 15(6), 18–27.

[2] Friedman, B. W., Chilstrom, M., Bijur, P. E., & Gallagher, E. J. (2010). Diagnostic testing and treatment of low back pain in United States emergency departments: a national perspective. Spine, 35(24), E1406–E1411. doi:10.1097/BRS.0b013e3181d952a5