Yoga for Back Pain

(August 8, 2008)

Hi I'm Gouri, 42yrs old. I've been suffering from back pain. I've been practicing Pranayam for sometime now. Can you suggest some yoga exercises to relive back pain?

Back pain is the normal ailment most of us suffer from. Yoga helps in providing relief from the intense pain caused in the back due to our stagnant routine lives or due to bad posture. It takes time to cure backaches but if yoga is practiced regularly, it as a part of wellness provides freedom from back pain and all related back troubles.

The chief cause of the back pain should be known before switching to yoga exercises to provide freedom from the back pain. Yoga exercises involve stretch and strain and when these muscles are stretched or strained, it provides flexibility to the muscles of the body. It also strengthens the back as well as muscles of the sides which helps in holding the back in appropriate position so as to provide relief from the back pain.

Pranayam (breathing exercise) is indeed good and fruitful to provide relief from the intense back pain as it involves breathing exercises which provides sufficient oxygen to the muscles of the back. It helps to increase the vigor and vitality of the body and also increases flexibility. It provides the essential strength to the spine and removes back pain too.

Having a proper posture is desirable for the body to stay comfortably so that it can work with greater interest and take up more responsibilities. If back pain is an every day trauma, then yoga exercises along with little daily walk is an instant remedy for back pain.

Back pain may be caused due to malfunctioning of the nervous system and also if proper oxygen is not pumped to the muscles. Yoga helps to rejuvenate the muscles of the back as well as also pumps appropriate blood to various organs restoring the normal human balance of the body.

Sarvangasana (the shoulder stand) posture of yoga helps to provide support to the back region. It involves raising the legs up in the air while maintaining the rest of the body on to the ground. The stretch to the spinal cord helps to provide support to the back region and impart flexibility as well as strength to it. Breathing exercises along with sarvangasana helps to restore the normal human balance. These breathing exercises help to increase the rate of metabolism in the human body.

Other beneficial asanas for back pain include matsyasana (fish position), chakrasana (wheel position), Ardh Chakrasana (semi- wheel position) and padmasana (lotus position). These asanas when practiced regularly show good results in short span of time.

Submitted by R J on August 8, 2008 at 01:33