Osteoarthritis is a common form of joint deterioration that may come to challenge us as we age. While most common in the knee and hip joints, osteoarthritis can also affect the spine. Our spine has 24 moveable vertebrae that are linked together by 4 facet joints each. The potential for these joints to develop osteoarthritis and cause pain and stiffness is considerable, especially in the neck and the lumbar area of the spine. On top of that, the spine houses the spinal cord, which branches into the nerve pathways that connect our brain with the rest of the body. Any narrowing of the joint space or deterioration of the joint structure can press on the nerves and result in nerve pain down one or both arms or legs. Yoga for osteoarthritis of the spine aims to create more space around the joints by aligning the spinal curves and increasing flexibility of the spine and nearby joints.

Spring is an excellent time to move more, eat less rich foods, and generally look after ourselves. Because I focus on back care, my suggestion in terms of physical practices would be to include strengthening. This blog will focus on core strengthening, as healthy and strong core muscles are essential for back support. This is not about having a six pack. After all, overly trained abdominal muscles don’t necessarily respond when they are needed. They can even become weak or hinder breathing and digestion. Healthy core muscles can contract and release, and engage to keep the body balanced during movement. The core strengthening practices below are gentle, practiced in coordination with the breath and also involve whole body movement. Whether you have back pain or not, these gentle core strengthening practices can help you stay more mobile, aligned and strong.

We may not all be a mother, but we all have a mother. Whether you’ve known her or not, whether she’s still alive or not, mother’s day celebrates the fact she gave life to you. What happened after that has much to do with circumstances, and doing what one thinks is best. I have been very lucky with my mother, who was always there for me, despite having a disabled son, a full-time job and a husband who often worked abroad for the family. She may not always have understood why I chose to teach yoga, but my mother now does her yoga practices every day. She swears they take away the pain in her joints. It is her joint-freeing practice that I would like to share with you today. Here’s to mothers, healthy joints and yoga for all ages!

There are many reasons why you could wake up feeling tight and achy in the morning. They don’t have to be serious. When you have been lying still for a long time, already tight muscles tend to tighten more. Then again, you may have slept on an uncomfortable mattress or in an awkward position. Apart from these straightforward reasons, there are health conditions that will make you feel particularly tight upon waking. This blog discusses these health challenges, and provides a morning routine for achy joints that could benefit all. Moving your body gently in the morning can help you keep your mobility, flexibility and stability in the long term, as well as make you feel much better overall.

If you have scoliosis, sideways curving of the spine, you may not experience any back pain, at least not yet. As you and your spine age, however, the effects of scoliosis can become significant. The lateral curve may increase and push the rib cage out, thereby restricting your breathing. The growing tightness and imbalance can also lead to neck, shoulder, back and hip pain. It is therefore important that you look after your spine in the best possible way. Yoga therapy for scoliosis offers specific and tailored practices that target the two sides of your spine separately. The aim is not to straighten the spine, as this is impossible in many cases, but to keep your spine in an optimal condition. If you look after your back well with the appropriate practices, you are more likely to prevent serious pain and restrictions in the future.

Time between Christmas and early January feels different. My neighbourhood is quiet, people are enjoying the few rays of sun or shielding inside from the cold. We are in the depths of winter and time is holding its breath. This deep silence is like a tidal river arrested between ebb and flow, like the pause at the end of the exhalation. In this time when our routines are suspended, we have the opportunity to look back at the year, become aware of what can be shed, and decide how we want the fresh start to be. If you have decided that your health is a priority, and you have a tight or painful back, this blog is for you. A fragile back can make us feel older and burdened. This blog discusses six fundamental ways of looking after your back in 2026. Whatever else happens in your life, don’t let back pain limit you.

In the darkest time of the year, we celebrate the light. It is the promise of light that unites us and keeps us going, whatever our faith or beliefs. I hope there will be light for you this Christmas, in some shape or form. The way I can help, as a yoga therapist specialised in back care, is to bring some lightness in body and mind. It’s easy to forget about self-care when there is a lot going on. This blog recommends ways to keep your back safe. It can help you prevent a relapse during the holiday season, or simply help you look after your back well. The good back-care habits described below demonstrate safer ways of moving while doing daily tasks. My guess is that you know them already. However, the difficulty is to actually change the familiar ways of doing things and embrace the special care your back deserves.

Spondylolisthesis is a difficult diagnosis to receive. Basically a fracture in one of the spinal vertebrae, it can be accompanied by serious pain. The condition involves adapting your movements and positions to prevent any deterioration, and you may feel unsure which movements are still beneficial. In my work as a yoga therapist, I have been surprised how many people contact me about this condition. Very often, these are sporty people, even yoga teachers. Many are desperate to still do some form of exercise or yoga. While a general yoga class could make this back condition worse, yoga therapy would offer the right positions and movements to release and strengthen. Together with breathing and relaxation, yoga therapy offers a holistic approach to healing. Choosing yoga therapy for spondylolisthesis means that you can still profit from all the physical, emotional and mental benefits of yoga. Everyone is different, and while it is best to get a yoga therapy programme for your particular back symptoms and overall health, this blog gives you some general indications.

If your lower back occasionally feels achy, tight or heavy, this blog is for you. Your back pain does not have to be serious for it to be really draining. It can be so tiresome when tight lower back muscles prevent you from enjoying your usual exercise, and from sitting, standing or walking with ease. The tightness may also be there when you get up in the morning. This blog discusses three yoga movements that can ease lower back tightness when practised regularly. It also looks at possible causes for lower back tightness, because this symptoms always points at an underlying condition or imbalance.
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Stretching has become a little controversial. Sports scientists have proven that stretching is counterproductive before exercise, for example. On top of that, specialists argue that long-term stretching can lead to injuries and muscle weakness. And yet, people generally associate yoga with becoming more flexible. Many yoga classes still emphasise static stretching and the implicit goal seems to be touching your toes or doing a lotus position. Unfortunately, long and strong stretching disturbs the body’s harmony between strength and flexibility. Stretching can certainly feel good, but passive or static stretching will actually weaken muscles. In this blog about stretching vs. releasing muscle tightness, I explain how short-duration stretching can still be safe, and argue that the emphasis should be on releasing muscle tightness rather than stretching.