If you deal with back pain, whether acute or chronic, finding workouts that don’t make it worse can be challenging. While yoga is terrific for your body, some moves might be harder on your back than you were anticipating. Here are some yoga poses that are good for people with back issues.
Child’s Pose
Everyone who has ever done yoga has done the child’s pose. It is also a popular stretch done after other types of workouts. The child’s pose is especially useful if you have lower back pain.
Kneel on a yoga mat with your knees down on the mat and knees about hip-width apart. Lean forward gently to lower your head to the mat or as far down as you can go. Hold this stretch as long as you can in order to get a good stretch and take tension from your lower back.
Downward Facing Dog
Downward facing dog is another common yoga pose. While it looks complicated, it can also take some pressure off your back. The trick here is to get the pose right. Otherwise, you might hurt your back even more. Start slow and have a yoga instructor show you how to do it properly.
Downward facing dog starts in a standing position on the mat. Then you bend your body forward, so your hands and feet are on the ground, your hips lifted in the air, and your knees soft.
Seated Forward Fold
The seated forward fold is another easy yoga pose, but one that is great for stretching out your muscles. With this stretch, you primarily stretch your hamstrings. This helps take tension off your back and strengthens it simultaneously. This move is good for chronic back pain since its long-term benefits outweigh the short-term ones.
Start seated on your mat. Place your legs out in front of you and point your toes up. Walk your hands toward your toes until you can reach them or as far as you can.
Remember that there are ways to modify most yoga poses if you have back pain. Let your instructor know about any pain you experience. They can then provide easy modifications for you to do.