Yoga And Back Pain

Yoga is now routinely prescribed for patients suffering from back pain. No matter how bad your back pain, you can use the therapeutic powers of Yoga to obtain relief. The high level of success enjoyed by this therapeutic form of exercise in dealing with back pain is due to the fact that Yoga uses a three-pronged approach in solving even the most stubborn of aches.

Physical Therapy Yoga

Yoga uses a series of gentle yet deep stretching postures that help to massage, stretch and relax the muscles of the back. It also involves a lot of core conditioning techniques that help to build up the muscles that support the spine. Yoga postures also help to increase the lubrication between the vertebrae and correct any structural imbalances in the spine.

If you have never practiced Yoga before I would advise you to consult your doctor before starting. Your Yoga teacher can also help you with exercises that are specially designed to ease back pain and promote strength and flexibility of the back. Some of the Asanas (Postures) that are especially suited for chronic back pain include the Tada Asana (Mountain Pose) Trikona Asana (The Triangle), Bala Asana (Child Pose), Parivritta Parshvakona Asana (Half Revolved Belly Pose), Ek Pada Asana (One Legged Posture) and the Bhujanga Asana (Cobra Pose).

Breath Control Techniques

Although there are many other forms of physical therapy that help to deal with back pain, Yoga is unique because it also employs breath control techniques that help to alleviate this problem. Incorrect breathing patterns can result in additional stress being placed on the back, chest and abdomen. Yoga teaches us how to correct these patterns and breathe correctly and fully thus enabling us to effectively deal with back pain.

Relaxation and Meditation Techniques

Many chronic pains are caused due to deeply rooted psychological problems. Relaxation and meditation techniques are integral parts of the practice of Yoga. In addition to relieving stress and tension from the muscles, these Yogic techniques can help to alleviate back pain by fighting the pain on a psychological level.

Thus, Yoga can prove to be an effective platform to help you get rid of your back pain, provided that it is practiced properly and under correct supervision. I cannot over-emphasis the importance of having a trained Yoga teacher guide you through the various Yogic techniques. Although Yoga has tremendous potential to heal, it also has great potential to aggravate your problem if practiced incorrectly.