By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500
There are hundreds of Yoga postures to choose from, but what should a person, who is in constant pain, do for relief? Below are four of my favorite Yoga postures (asanas) for helping clients who experience back pain.
In some cases, these postures should be modified with the use of props, such as a bed, block, wall, mat, chair, fixture, blanket, or strap. These asanas were chosen for balance between strength and flexibility in the muscles surrounding the spine.
1. Triangle Pose (Trikonasana): With the use of a chair, stool, or block, almost anyone can perform this posture. Start in a good Warrior Two posture and straighten your front leg. Reach with your forward hand toward a chair, block, your shin, or the floor.
Rotate your shoulders and hips to stack over each other. With the upper arm, reach upward so that your arms line up directly over each other. The variation in the photo above has the upper arm parallel to the floor. Your neck should only be rotated as far as you are comfortable with.
2. Standing Back Bend (Anuvittasana): Use extreme caution when practicing any form of a back bend. Stand tall, point your fingers toward your sacrum, with your palms on the back of your hips, and the thumbs wrapped around the side and front of your hips. This forms a support for the lower back.
Begin to gradually arch your back as a complete unit. Do not force, push, or jam the low back, or hyper-extend the neck. This can be a rewarding posture, when approached slowly, with moderation.
3. Half Forward Bend (Ardha Uttansana): The use of a chair, and shutting the ego out, will help you find the therapeutic benefits of this under-rated posture. Gently fold at the hips and allow your knees to bend if necessary. Keep your spine straight; especially if you have chronic back pain. This means your descent may be limited, but your form will be perfect.
Begin by standing tall with your feet together. Fold your upper body forward to bring your spine (from the sacrum to your neck) parallel to the floor. You can extend your arms forward toward a wall, counter top, or chair. Your knees should never be locked.
4. Supine Spinal Twist – (Supta Matsyendrasana): This posture can be performed on a bed, mat, or floor. Lye on your back, with your arms out sideways, bend your knees, and place the bottoms of your feet on the floor. Draw your knees toward your chest and rotate your knees to one side of your body.
Eventually, you may be able to drop both of your shoulders toward the bed, mat, or floor. Gently rotate your neck in the opposite direction your knees are pointing to. It is important to avoid force and pain at all times.
© Copyright 2008 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
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