Back pain is among the most frequent complaints about body aches and pain. Your pain could be related to your job, especially if you work in a labor or manufacturing industry. Your back pain may also be due to extreme weight loss or gain, an accident, or sitting for too many hours daily in a non-ergonomic chair. Whatever the reason for your pain, there are some ways to ease it. Consider the following Hatha yoga poses for back pain if you practice yoga at all.
Downward Facing Dog
A common pose is downward facing dog. It is used in several types of yoga, including Hatha. The downward facing dog pose begins with your feet together and flat on the floor. You will breathe in deeply and breathe out as you bend forward. Place your hands on the floor, then crawl them out toward the end of your mat. You will be in triangle-shaped pose with your hands and feet on the floor and your buttocks in the air.
Standing Forward Bend
The next pose that is good for relieving back pain is the standing forward bend. Start by walking your hands slowly back toward your feet until your fingers are next to your toes and your face is next to your legs. Don’t strain while in this position. Allow your torso to hang and stretch out your back muscles. You may feel some tension, but if it starts to hurt, slowly rise until the pain stops.
Bridge Pose
The next pose to complete after downward facing dog and standing forward bend is bridge pose. Start by moving onto the floor on your back. Bend your knees and move your feet toward your buttocks. Press down firmly through both feet. Inhale to raise your hips. Clasp your hands on the floor under your back. Press down firmly through your heels to lift the bottom of your buttocks and back of your thighs even higher while you keep your thighs parallel to the floor. To finish the pose, exhale and release your hands. Lower your body slowly back down to the floor. Then let your back rest on the floor in a neutral state.
Camel Pose
For camel pose, you will kneel on the floor. Once you kneeling, slowly arch backward. You are trying to create an arch in your back that looks like a bridge hump. Place your hands on your heels. This pose will bend your back a bit, help stretch your muscles in a different direction than normal, and work out some of the tension that could be adding to your back pain.
These poses are the most common ones in Hatha yoga to assist in back pain and pain management. If you need additional poses for your routine, consider seeing a Hatha yoga instructor for one-on-one training. They can help you find the correct poses for your needs and make sure you are executing them correctly.