In my blogs about yoga for back pain, the emphasis is often on relaxation, releasing tightness and relaxing the body and mind. However, even with back pain we need a bit more ‘oomph’ sometimes. This need can be even more acute in January. We’ve had a seemingly interminable, grey January so far, with more than one ‘blue Monday’. The cure for me is to move in nature daily, whatever the weather, and to practise more stimulating yoga poses. These include standing poses, back bends and dynamic flow sequences. Unfortunately, quite a few of them could make your back pain worse. Try this feel-good yoga sequence if you want to feel energised in a way that is still gentle and caring enough for your back.
I keep marvelling at the fact that yoga poses can change our mood. Despite the fact that yoga tends to make us feel more at peace and contented, particular poses can actually make us feel more uplifted and energised. This earlier blog on confidence discusses the position that has been scientifically proven to give more confidence before a stressful event. After the previous blog about sleep-inducing poses, some of my students asked about stimulating ones. Do try out the movements below and let me know how they make you feel. You can try them first thing in the morning, which is often a good time before the day starts running away with you. Or you can do them as a break in the middle of the day: get up from your desk to move and stretch.
Feel-good yoga sequence for back pain
Though gentle, the following yoga sequence moves the body to bring in more oxygen and energy. When you have back pain, it may seem like all movements hurt. If you then unconsciously hold yourself, this will create more rigidity. It’s important to find ways to keep your body mobile while avoiding pain. So do try these movements but stop if they hurt. If you have mild or serious back pain and you would like to know exactly which movements would benefit you, please contact me here to discuss how yoga therapy could help you. You can also subscribe to this blog to receive the “Keep you Back Safe at Home Guide” for free.
Side stretches
Stretching one side of the body is lovely to create more space and freedom on that side. It definitely has a feel-good factor. However, side stretches can aggravate some causes of back pain, so I am giving two varieties, the second of which creates space in the side body without stretching to the side too much.
Take hold of the right wrist, turn the palm up and stretch your arm up and slightly to the left. Stay 4 to 5 breaths in this position, breathing into the right ribcage. Repeat a few times on each side.
Lift the right arm and place it on your head or against a wall. Place the left hand against the right ribcage and breathe underneath your hand, i.e. focus on the movement of your ribcage against the hand. Repeat on the other side.
Side stretch with leg stretch
Place the right foot on a low raise or a firm chair, with the foot pointing out. Inhale and raise your left arm up and over to the side. Move your body weight more over the right leg. Exhale and return to centre and lower your arm. Enjoy the lateral stretch for the ribcage and inner thigh muscles, Repeat 3-5 times on both sides.
Floppy arms
Stand with your feet a little wider than hip-width apart and swing your arms from side to side. Allow them to swing loosely. If your back pain is in the sacrum, keep your hips facing forward or avoid the twist altogether and just swing your arms forward and back. I have written more sacroiliac joint pain here.
Tree pose
Take time to shift your weight over to the right leg. Keep lifting through the right hip, feeling increasingly stable on the right foot. When you feel the left leg can go up lightly, bring the knee up. If balancing is tricky, you can simply hold the foot up until you need to place it down again, adntry this several times. If balacing is easier, place your left foot on the side of the right leg, above or below the knee. Engage the muscles of the lower abdomen to keep the core strong. Raise your arms up for the extra feel-good effect. Breathe and stay for up to a minute. Repeat on the other side.
Cobra
Place your hands underneath the shoulders so that the tips of the fingers are in line with the top of the shoulders.
Engage the muscles of the lower abdomen to protect your lower back and hold the core firm.
Leave the legs heavy, press down slightly through the toes and the knees.
Raise the head and shoulders forward and up without pushing with the arms. Because you are not pushing on your arms this is a small movement that spares the lower back but lengthens and strengthens the upper back.
Keep the back of your neck long, looking down at the mat rather than up. The neck is supposed to continue the curve of the upper spine in this pose.
To finish your feel-good yoga sequence, never skip the Rest!
Roll over and rest on your back for a few minutes. This part of the practice is very important if you want to feel all the benefits. If we simply jump up after a yoga session without the final rest, we may keep tensions in the body. Equally important is to take the time to do abdominal breathing.
If you would like to discuss how yoga therapy could help you with a particular health challenge, don’t hesitate to contact me or book a free consultation call here: https://beneyoga.co.uk/book-a-free-consultation-call/.
Namaste
