Reducing Lower Back Pain With Yoga
Lower back pain is a common and unwelcome ailment in adults in the United States with 4 out of 5 adults experiencing lower back pain in their lifetime due to aging, injuries, poor posture, inactivity, or other underlying causes. The pain can be frequent and often times severe, which can be debilitating and can affect your ability to complete daily tasks, but luckily new studies show that yoga can be a cost-effective solution to help reduce pain and aid with pain management.
In a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, 3 daily sessions of 30 minutes of yoga a week was proven to increase overall health and help relieve lower back pain with the results lasting for months.
In a randomized study of 228 adults in their late 40’s and 50’s with chronic lower back pain, the group selected to attend weekly yoga classes felt the largest reduction in pain. The yoga group was compared to two other control groups in this study, the second group was randomly assigned to do weekly stretches and the third group was designated to read an informational pain management book, both the stretching and yoga control groups felt an overall improvement.
During yoga, rotating and twisting the spine and stretching the back helps strengthen muscles and joints that may have been weakened over time due to inactivity, which leads to lasting benefits. Although yoga may help reduce stress in the lower back, it won’t help alleviate pain all together, so with the help of a chiropractor and weekly sessions of yoga, you can better manage lower back pain.
3 Yoga Moves to Help You Get Started…
Downward Facing Dog
Instructions: Feel your body and back lengthen with this pose, start by setting your hands on the floor above your shoulders and spread your fingers wide. Place your knees below your hips. Use your ankles to raise your hips into the air with your legs straight. Make sure your arms are straight and you stretch through your back.
Lower Back Clasp
Instructions: Use this pose to stretch out the core muscles in your back, begin by laying on your stomach on a mat. Clasp your hands together and stretch your arms so they rest on your hips, gently raise your shoulders and abs, getting a good stretch in your back.
Seated Spinal Twist
Instructions: Energize your spine with this pose by sitting straight up with one leg bent to the side. Place one leg over the leg that is bent and use the opposite arm to stretch over the leg into a twist move that stretches your spine.