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Therapeutic Hatha Yoga For Lower Back Pain

Tuesday, March 8th, 2011

therapeutic yogaBy Bhavan Kumar

New research shows that practicing certain types of therapeutic Hatha Yoga can help relieve chronic lower back pain. Specifically, Hatha Yoga combines classic asanas, controlled breathing, and deep relaxation. The Iyengar, Restorative, and Viniyoga forms of Hatha use props to help practitioners perform the poses properly regardless of flexibility, experience, or physical limitations.

Therapeutic forms of Hatha Yoga emphasize precise physical alignment of the entire body, while they build flexibility and strength by guiding practitioners through a specific series of poses. Although more people every year turn to Yoga for stress reduction and general wellness. Recently more new Yoga practitioners are following the specific recommendations of their doctors.

The many symptoms of chronic lower back pain are usually caused by misalignment of the pelvic bones or vertebrae. This pain can be intensified by tight, inflexible muscles and connective tissue. These conditions are compounded when the body tries to compensate for the misalignment and pain by preventing movement in the affected area.

Often sufferers of lower back pain stop exercising altogether, due to fear of pain and of further injuring the area. This further weakens the back muscles and sets up a cycle of pain and degeneration. Hatha Yoga poses can begin to target this area by relaxing and strengthening the lower back, realigning the skeleton, balancing the muscles, and relieving pain. Yoga strengthens the core muscles of the back and abdominals, stabilizes the torso and decreases pressure on the spine.

A study funded by the US National Institutes of Health and published in the September 2009 issue of Spine reported that twice-weekly, 90-minute sessions of Iyengar Yoga for at least 3 months resulted in the reduction of pain, an increase in mobility, and fewer symptoms of depression for patients with chronic lower back pain.

“The Yoga group had less pain, less functional disability, and less depression, compared with the control group,” said study author Kimberly Williams of West Virginia University. “These were statistically significant and clinically important changes that were maintained six months after the intervention.”

Aside from stretching and strengthening the affected muscles, the psychological and spiritual aspects of Yoga are significant factors too. Additionally, breathing exercises (pranayama) and meditation are very important in stress reduction and general health. Therapeutic Hatha Yoga, done with proper postures and breathing, provides an adjunct to standard medicine and a holistic option to those who suffer from lower back pain. Yoga offers a multi-faceted approach to wellness, with attention to physical, psychological, spiritual, and emotional balance.

© Copyright 2011 – Bhavan Kumar / Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

Bhavan Kumar is a certified Yoga teacher and an exclusive author for Aura Wellness Center.

To see a complete list of our online Yoga teacher courses, please visit the following link.

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FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Why Hatha Yoga Solutions Work for Back Pain

Saturday, October 23rd, 2010

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Yoga teachers often hear students tell them about a wide variety of reasons why they regularly attend classes. Chronic stress, back pain, weight control, and anxiety attacks seem to be the most popular reasons why students regularly attend Yoga classes.

Hatha Yoga is very often recommended for people who are coping with a variety of back problems. Yet, searching for relief from chronic back pain can be a quest in itself. Before one decides on a strategy for back pain management, he or she must discover the original cause of pain.

There are many different factors that can result in back pain, such as: lifestyle, work conditions, heredity, and trauma. The source of pain, itself, may originate in muscles, connective tissue, or the spine. Sometimes, the pain’s point of origin is harder to locate, because it is a reaction to more than one problem.

With all of the possibilities, it is wise to consult with your family physician, or a specialist, to find out the exact cause, and discuss possible solutions. Among the possible solutions is therapeutic Yoga. Why is therapeutic Hatha Yoga recommended so often?

When we have back pain, we begin to notice certain movements, and body positions that make our pain feel better or worse. Sitting, standing, walking, twisting, bending back, or bending forward, will make us feel relief the same, or worse pain.

All of these movements are related to body positions, which Yoga practitioners call: “asanas” (postures). This information about positions that give pain relief is not only useful to discover for pain management; it is also very useful for your family physician or a back care specialist. In many cases, the sharing of information with your doctor will reveal the source of the problem.

Learning which movements help us cope with pain will also teach us, which exact activities give pain relief to the body. This does not mean that the movement, itself, is a cure; but relief from suffering can be a wonderful state of life, if we have been coping with chronic back pain for days, weeks, months, or years.

For Yoga teachers who wish to help a growing population that suffers with back problems, it is wise to take additional courses in anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, assisting, skeletal alignment, and the proper use of Yoga props. Continuing education is the best method for opening the mind.

© Copyright 2010 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

To see our complete selection of Yoga teacher training courses, please feel free to visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/Teacher-Courses/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul

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Two Easy Therapeutic Yoga Techniques for Back Pain Prevention

Thursday, September 9th, 2010

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

There are a number of Hatha Yoga styles that we can label as “therapeutic.” Among these styles are: Iyengar, Viniyoga, Restorative, Sivananda, and others. Each of these Yoga styles addresses skeletal and spinal health in a variety of ways.

When you consider the number of people who are coping with back pain, every Yoga teacher training should include a segment on back care, pain management, maintenance, and prevention. Let’s look at a couple of methods, anyone can incorporate into their day, in order to prevent back pain.

1. Strengthen the core muscles. This is an area of the body we would like to ignore, but when we do, it continues to blossom in size. A big stomach is not useful for supporting the lower spine.  Asana, alone, will not make a big belly shrink. We all know that eating moderately will help us control the size of our waistline.

That said – any asana or pranayama technique should be performed with balance in mind. If one performs hundreds of crunches, one must devote an equal amount of time to performing back-bending asanas. Crunches, alone, will tighten the abdominal muscles, but will stretch the back forward and out of balance.

This is why Bidalasana (Cat pose) and Bitilasana (Cow pose) are so beneficial for balancing the abdominal muscles with the back muscles. There are other methods, but these two simple postures, practiced as Cat and Cow, help us contract and stretch core muscles with ease.

2. Sleep with good posture. Many Yoga teachers know this, but few students are made aware of this concept. Most people find that the morning is filled with stiffness. Many chalk it up to simply “sleeping wrong.” The mattress, pillows, and foam mattress pads, we choose, should be of good quality. Much like the quality we expect from good Yoga props, these “bedtime props” are very important for back pain prevention.

When we sleep, we are, in fact, practicing Yoga asanas for many hours. Your spine will thank you for sleeping on your sides. Sleeping on the stomach is not recommended, and you should avoid sleeping on your back for long periods of time. Pillows, of different sizes, will gently lock you into a side-relaxation asana. If you wake up during the night, re-adjust your pillows and shift to the opposite side.

You should flip, or rotate, your mattress position every month. When a mattress is concave, you need to replace it. You can ignore it, but your back will let you know. Pillows and foam mattress pads should be replaced every 1 – 2 years. This will enable you to have better neck and spinal alignment.

There is also another reason for getting rid of old pillows and foam mattresses – this will help reduce allergies, dust, dust mites, dust mite remains, pet dander, hair, and body oils, that have worked their way into a pillow’s fabric. Some studies indicate that the weight of a pillow can double in three years.

© Copyright 2010 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

To see our complete selection of Yoga teacher certification courses, please feel free to visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/Teacher-Courses/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul

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Hatha Yoga for Back Pain Prevention

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Hatha Yoga is a good complementary therapy for people who suffer from back pain. In the case of those who suffer from pre-existing chronic pain in the back, Hatha Yoga should help reduce pain and help improve one’s spinal alignment. This is not to say that Yoga will cure chronic back pain, but that it is often a good adjunct therapy to orthopedic and chiropractic medicine.

With reference to Hatha Yoga as a method of back pain prevention, the record speaks for itself. Yoga is thousands of years old and the Mother of all health maintenance systems. There are many other health maintenance systems that may show a fair amount of therapeutic application.

However, many alternative therapies teach aspects of Yoga, and some are very often branches of therapeutic Hatha Yoga, under different names. In fact, despite its depth, Hatha Yoga is just one of nine main branches of the Yogic tree. All forms of Yoga reduce suffering of mind, body, and spirit. The following three Yogic points will help anyone prevent back problems and reduce pain:

1. Aerate the spine daily. You need to create space between the vertebrae, by extending the spine. This allows the spinal discs a break during the day. One example of a method that will do this is performing Ardha Uttanasana (Standing half forward bend). This beautiful posture is often overlooked because almost anyone can do it.

If you reach for a wall, counter top, or pole, and gently draw back, you will aerate your spine. The opposite of this is to remain seated in a chair, all day, and let your spine compress in the office. It is a wonder that most of us do not experience back pain sooner, by compressing the spine daily.

2. Moderation is the cornerstone of Yogic philosophy. Never be lazy and never over do it. Mindfully lift everything, by using your legs. When you have to lift an object, think about leverage, good posture, and avoiding strain when lifting anything. Lifting should be in moderation. Lifting objects, that are too heavy, can cause permanent harm to the spine and skeleton.

3. Keep your spine as straight as possible throughout the day. This is a difficult task, as many of us slouch and slump when it comes to posture. Picture yourself practicing good Yoga asana alignment all day long. This applies to sitting, walking, standing, eating, and sleeping. Good posture is a daily mission for prevention of back pain.

© Copyright 2010 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

To see our complete selection of Yoga teacher training courses, please feel free to visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/Teacher-Courses/ 

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul

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Teaching Hatha Yoga for Back Pain Relief

Saturday, June 26th, 2010

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

When you considered becoming a Yoga teacher, did you ever think about the amount of students, with pre-existing back pain, who will show up to your classes? This is one of many reasons why anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology are an essential part of Yoga teacher training and continuing education courses for experienced Yoga teachers.

If anyone understates the value of anatomic knowledge for Yoga instructors, in physically-oriented classes, he or she has not considered student safety, preventative health, and the number of students with pre-existing injuries, who will participate in Yoga classes.

At a time when professional medical care is a financial burden to most families, Yoga for back pain is very inexpensive, in comparison to the many alternatives. This does not mean that students should join Yoga classes the moment they encounter back problems. It is wise to visit your family physician, specialist, or a chiropractor for professional advice, and detailed information, concerning the exact cause of your pain.

With that said – the anatomical source of back pain can evade the best medical instruments and some of the most brilliant minds of our time. Back pain can be much like a sporadic haunting. For some of us, it may be here one day and gone the next. Yet, it can also be a chronic and continuous pain for others.

When medicine can only base advice on a symptom, previous history, and random factors, it may not be clear to medical science how the therapeutic application of Yoga makes a difference. One student may have optimum results in the reduction of pain, while another student may have minimal results.

When looking deeply at the therapeutic application of Yoga, there are other factors worthy of consideration. When you compare one group of students, who have various types of back pain, and who attend classes regularly, to another group who attend classes sporadically, you will likely see different results.

At the same time, a Yoga teacher’s anatomy knowledge is also a factor in students getting the best results out of their practice. With this in mind, students with various forms of pre-existing back pain should consider attending specific Yoga classes, with an instructor who has anatomic knowledge. There are many situations to be considered when we address student safety and the reduction of constant back pain.

Proper labeling of Yoga class types should be noted. Students should understand that a boot camp fitness Yoga class may not be in their best interest – if they suffer from chronic back pain. Students should address their concerns before entering a class. This means that students with back pain should arrive well before their initial class starts and explain their concerns about pre-existing injuries.

For the Yoga studios and fitness centers, it would be wise to close the doors, and lock them, once a class has started. This prevents a student from being put at risk for injury. How can Yoga teachers know if a new student has a pre-existing ailment, when we allow them to arrive late to class, without exchanging our mutual health concerns?

The bottom line is that Yoga classes and student education can be even safer, if we continuously educate ourselves, and create firm guidelines, that prevent the public from putting themselves at risk.

© Copyright 2010 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste.

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Yoga for Back Pain

Monday, May 24th, 2010

seated twist for spinal alignment

By Paula M. Hunt

Back pain is the most common of all health problems experienced by people in all parts of the world. In our society, there are many opportunities for repetitive forward bending: child care, yard work, housework, shopping, improper posture and even sedentary work such as sitting requires some bending and twisting. The everyday activities of life are the ultimate cause of tight hamstrings, hips and lower backs and these constrictions are often the cause of lower back pain. A person’s hips play a major role in how well or poorly they can move and the hip’s are also an important part of body posture and balance. It has been found that eighty percent of people that suffer from pain in their backs do so because of hip problems.

Most people are tight in such areas affecting the spine, for example in the hips and shoulders. The hips, which are centrally located, are connected to the lower spine. Tight hamstrings also affect posture and the health of the lower back by exerting a constant pull on the sitting bones and overly tight abdominal muscles combined with tight hamstrings pull up on the pubic bones contributing to a posterior tilt. It is true that strong abdominal muscles are important support for the lower back, but the problem arises when the abdominals are strengthened with regular exercises, but the back extensors are ignored. Overtime, this may cause a muscle imbalance to develop and with repetition, or if great force is applied as in heavy lifting, the ligaments weaken and may bulge like a bubble in the wall of a tire. The ligaments may even tear, allowing the inner disc to leak out, which results in a herniated disc. For most of us, half our body weight is above the waist and smaller repetitious forward-bending movements are a well-known cause of back injuries.

Yoga for back pain is a type of exercise that is great for the body and spirit. Yoga is a terrific form of exercise for people of all ages and abilities. An exercise such as yoga, which releases the tension in the muscles, should improve back pain. Doing yoga provides a balance between the flexibility and strength of the muscles of the body, which is often the real cause of most back pain. Flexibility is increased throughout the body through the proper stretching of muscles and ligaments while increasing circulation to painful areas. Yoga increases muscular strength by using a full range of motion while teaching the individual the proper way to move, stretch and breathe. Mental focus is also used to create a calm and well being throughout the body while increasing awareness of the body’s systems and functions.

A study of 101 adults with chronic lower back pain, compared the benefits of yoga with conventional therapeutic exercise and those who took a weekly yoga class for 12 weeks experienced the most increased function and the biggest decrease in the need for pain medication. Yoga is effective in helping people manage back pain by making them more aware of how they move their bodies. In yoga the emphasis is on stretching and flexibility, but yoga also helps develop muscle strength. This, coupled with the relaxing breathing techniques reduces strain on muscles and joints and occasionally helping the reposition of tendons and muscle fibers. Taking 10 to 15 minutes daily, with the right yoga poses, you can begin to reshape your body by lengthening your hamstrings without compromising a normal lumbar curve. As a whole, yoga develops body awareness and places emphasis on alignment. This means that the whereabouts of each body part (feet, knees, hips, spine, shoulder, head) affect all the others. When you are ready to start and If you have a back problem, it’s best to get an okay from your doctor before trying yoga.

Your doctor can advise you of any movements to avoid, the most productive level of challenge, safety modifications, and effects of interaction between your medications and exercise. Most yoga classes utilize props, which help bring the pose to you, when tight or weak muscles cannot fully bring you into the pose. Once you have recommendations from your doctor, a good teacher will be able to respond to your medical limitations with the use of props and modifications, allowing your experience with yoga to be safe, as well as beneficial. It is important that you respect the limits placed on you by your pain. Yoga might not cure every type of pain, but it will increase the general health of the individual. There are some exercises that help with some types of back pain, and yoga can be one of them. In fact, yoga for lower back pain is often considered the best solution to alleviate as well as prevent pain in the back.

When doing yoga for lower back pain, you may choose to do it from home with the right instruction, or you can take a class with an experienced yoga teacher. In order to maximize benefits, seek out a qualified instructor who has experience in the treatment of back problems. To start you will need a yoga mat and you may wish to purchase a book that has information about yoga for lower back pain. It is also important that you get the right clothing for your yoga for lower back pain sessions. Beginner Yoga is mostly a physical experience. As an individual progresses into a deeper understanding of the art, mental, spiritual and even ethical benefits are derived from study and practice. Modern Yoga has many styles and each has its own physical and mental focus. The techniques and teaching methods will differ from style to style. Hatha Yoga is the most popular style. Other common styles are Kundalini, Bikram, Ashtanga and Bharata. Yoga is best known for it’s rigorous, yet relaxing postures, called Asanas.

Yoga asana and exercise makes the spine strong. The asanas which focus on lower back pain are but are not limited to: (1) Balasana (child’s pose), (2) Uttanasana (standing forward bend), (3) Pawanmukta Asana (wind relieving pose), (4) Paschimottanasana (intense west stretch), (5) Vakra Asana (spinal twist), (6) Ardha matsyendra Asana (the half spinal twist), (7) Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward-faced dog), (8) Trianga Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana (three-footed forward bend), (9) Janu Sirsasana (head-to-knee pose), (10) Baddha Konasana (bound angle pose), (11) Dhanura Asana (the bow posture), (12) Trikonasan (triangle pose) and (13) Parivrtta Trikonasana (revolved triangle pose). Modifications can be done for these postures of yoga according to the condition of the patient. As an individual experiments with a particular aspect of a pose, they should be completely aware of the body.

The best way to determine if an alignment or variation is right is to try and it and let the body be the judge. When an individual is ready to start, forward bends are the best beginning exercise. A good plan for building towards safe forward bends involves six basic poses and are not limited to: (1) Modified Supta Padangusthasana (supine hand-to foot pose) which is practiced with the raised leg up the wall and the straight leg through a doorway, (2) Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (extended hand-to-foot posez0 which is practiced with the raised leg on a chair back, (3) Prasarita Padottanasana (widespread forward bend), (4) Supta Baddha Konasana (Supine Bound Angle Pose) which is practiced with the pelvis against a wall and the feet up on the wall, pressing gently on the thighs, (5) Modified Supta Padangusthasana (supine bound angle pose) which is practiced with the raised leg extended to the side and the foot on a wall, and (6) Savasana (corpse pose) which is practiced with a blanket support for the spine. Taking only 10 to 15 minutes daily, these poses will begin to reshape your body by lengthening your hamstrings without compromising a normal lumbar curve. These gentle poses will help your progress toward forward bends.

The great thing about yoga is that it can be very easy on the body, and there are many different things in yoga that an individual can do. You don’t have to do all the moves that most classes have. You only need to do the ones that work well with your back. Yogic exercises are mainly designed to keep the proper curvature of the spine and to increase its flexibility by stretching appropriate ligaments. Most people are physically unable to perform the “classic” poses. It can take many years of practice to acquire the strength, flexibility, and body awareness to perform some of the most basic yoga postures correctly. There is always an opportunity to improve on yoga posturing. There is no right or wrong way to do a pose. Throughout an individual’s yoga practice, a deeper understanding will be gained which will make it easier to execute these poses. Yoga awakens the body’s intelligence and as you continue to practice, you become more and more as to what is right and what is wrong for you and what meets your individual needs. Yoga can be one of the best and most natural means of bringing mind, body and soul back into perfect synchronization.

Paula M. Hunt teaches Yoga classes in Piedmont, Alabama.

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Yoga for Tailbone Trauma

Monday, April 26th, 2010

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Hatha Yoga for Chronic Back Pain – Separating Fact from Fiction

Sunday, February 21st, 2010

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

So many myths surround Yoga and back pain that Hatha Yoga teachers should inform the public as to what they should realistically expect from a regular practice. Chronic back pain is a very real ailment, while some health professionals hold to the belief that many cases are psychosomatic.

There is room for debate here; as many of us know the possibility of psychosomatic pain does exist. One theory is that psychosomatic back pain is a result of repressed emotions. A medical professional may feel the combination of a patient’s personality type, and the lack of physical evidence in an MRI or X-ray, makes this person prone to have psychosomatic back pain.

On the other hand, fibromyalgia was misdiagnosed in the past, and many patients were sent home, after being told their pain was “all in their heads.” The wide variety of potential problems with the spine, and the fact that the spinal structure is so complex, make it possible for an expert to miss a visible cause of back pain.

It has been said that four out of five Americans will experience back pain at some point in their lives. The reasons are numerous. We have become a “chair sitting” society. At the same time, there are degenerative disc diseases, arthritis, muscular problems, spinal nerve disorders, and herniated discs to be considered.

Hatha Yoga cannot solve every problem, but asana practice can assure a student that muscular balance will be restored. Some medical experts are of the opinion that muscle imbalances are the source of most forms of “real” back pain and sciatica. In the case of a muscle imbalance, the stronger muscles will pull in one direction, while the weaker muscles on the opposite side, “give way.”

This structural imbalance of the spine, as a result of uneven pressure from opposing muscle groups, causes the bones and joints to become misaligned. To elaborate on this a little further – the spine is at the very center of the physical stress between opposing muscle groups, which cause this structural imbalance.

Hatha Yoga offers more to students than asana practice. For instance, pranayama (Yogic breathing) offers a method for establishing a mind/body connection. Some new practitioners do not see the long term value of pranayama. For example: Pranayama, alone, will calm the mind and make a person feel refreshed.

For those, who have difficulty in understanding this concept, my suggestion would be to try a supervised pranayama practice, with a competent Yoga teacher, guru, or swami. Within one hour, anyone who is new to the practice of pranayama should become a believer. 

In addition to pranayama and asana, we also have meditation. Once again, my suggestion would be to seek out a competent Yoga teacher for guidance in meditation.

All of the above benefits and techniques should be found within a single class. It may require some searching on the part of the person who is experiencing back pain. Yet, the time spent searching for a competent source of information, is small in comparison to the chronic physical back pain one is experiencing.

© Copyright 2010 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul

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Trikonasana – Yoga Posture for Back Pain Management

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

There are so many forms of back pain, that it seems impossible for Yoga to help them all. Truthfully, Hatha Yoga is great for pain prevention, but it also helps one cope with chronic back pain. If your day is filled with chronic back pain, less or no pain seems like a miracle. On the other hand, long term inflammations and chronic pain can make any form of adjustment or movement a challenge.

What can one do to get enough pain relief to practice Hatha Yoga, exercise, or physical therapy? In the case of a person who is in severe pain, no matter what he or she does, a physician may recommend a shot of marcaine, triamcenalone, or both. There is a school of thought that believes medication should be avoided at all costs. In reality, pain, and your tolerance of it, will make you come to a personal decision quickly. Each of us is different, and there is no need to make comparisons.

Doctors and chiropractors often recommend Yoga for back pain, but we want to make sure there is a doctor’s approval before beginning a practice. Once approval is received, it is wise to seek out a competent Yoga teacher, with expertise in back pain management. If a prospective Yoga teacher shows no sign of compassion and competence, search until you find one who meets your needs.

With safety in mind, each of us learns to explore the body gradually. Never force or lock a joint while practicing Yoga postures. Learn to incorporate Yogic breathing techniques, as you become comfortable with your practice, and do not skip past foundational Yoga instruction. Listed below are details concerning Trikonasana, which should help a person experiencing chronic back pain.

Trikonasana (Triangle Pose): This is an open twist, which is usually practiced from a standing position, but Chair Yoga practitioners may have learned to do this from a seated position. So many muscles are involved when practicing Trikonasana, that many people forget about the benefits to the skeletal structure.

To reduce pain in the back, the parts of the skeletal structure we are concerned with are the spine, shoulders, pelvis, and hip joints. When we consider back pain, all of these parts come into play, but we often forget that hips have limited range of motion while we move them from side to side. The hips have great range of motion going into a forward bend, but they are designed for stability more than mobility. Forcing the hips into abduction puts excessive torque on the SI joints.

One method to consider is the use of a chair, tall block, or a short stool while practicing Trikonasana. Forget the “cookie cutter” photographs of 19 year old models performing this posture. Forget the dogma from Yoga teachers who want to force your hips to rotate forward. Each skeleton is different. When you mindfully practice Trikonasana, you gently work the hips, pelvis, SI joints, and the rest of your spine, to reduce, or prevent, pain.

© Copyright 2010 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul

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Yoga and Back Pain

Sunday, January 17th, 2010

By Amber Gilge

The spinal column is one of the most vital parts of our body and can also cause us the most pain and discomfort. It supports our body, protects the spinal cord and nerves, and plays a huge part in our posture and movements. Thus, back pain can greatly affect the quality of one’s life. Back injuries can be highly preventable through the proper exercise and posture.

The most common treatments for back pain include medication, physical therapy, exercise, a change in lifestyle, or surgery. Yoga provides a mild form of exercise that strengthens the back muscles and skeletal system. It can help in preventing the occurrence and re-occurrence of back injuries that could lead to chronic back pain. Asanas (yoga postures) tone your back muscles, which make it more flexible, alleviate pain, and improve posture.

There are many different reasons for back pain. According to Gary Kraftsow, author of Yoga for Wellness, tension and pain in the back are variable and are related to the condition of curves in your spine and the muscles supporting your spine. Examples of back pain are mild to severe pain in your upper back or thoracic region and mild to severe pain in your lower back or lumbar region. Some suffer from mild to severe rigidity and restricted movement in either or both upper and lower back.

With back conditions, it is important to assess the cause of the back pain. If there is serious damage to any of the discs in your back, it is very important that you seek a professional medical diagnosis. This damage usually causes numbness or tingling sensations in your legs and feet or sharp, immobilizing pain in your back. While yoga therapy can help in the healing process of damaged discs, the wrong practice could worsen the condition. The practice of yoga can be very beneficial to diagnosed disc problems after the acute pain has passed.

When you are working with tension, restricted movement, or chronic back pain, there are three main factors to take into consideration. These factors are musculoskeletal condition, neuromuscular patterns, and the biomechanical relationship between your spinal curves.

Your musculoskeletal condition is simply the state of your spine and the muscles surrounding it. One example of a musculoskeletal condition is excessive curvature of the upper back, which is called kyphosis. Excessive kyphosis can result in what is commonly referred to as hunchback and can result in an inward collapse of the chest. This can also affect the curvature of the lower spine resulting in a condition referred to as military spine, which is a flattening of the curvature of the lower spine. Lordosis is another condition considered musculoskeletal, and this is excessive curvature of the lower spine, which can lead to compression on the discs in your lower back. Scoliosis is a third condition, which is a curved lower spine, and this can flatten out your lower curvature and cause compression on the discs as well. According to Kraftsow, all of these conditions are related to corresponding muscular imbalances, chronic muscular contractions, and/or muscular weakness.

Back conditions can begin as a result of an injury or repetitive movement, or a person can be born with it. Often, a tendency toward a back condition or curvature of the spine begins early in the life while bones are still developing. These conditions can then be aggravated by repetitive behavior until it becomes a chronic condition. One example of this is that kyphosis can be exacerbated by long hours hunched forward at a desk.

Neuromuscular patterns are moves your muscles have been trained over time to make and do so automatically. Often these movements aggravate and worsen a back condition. An important aspect of yoga for back pain is that of retraining new and structurally beneficial movements to counteract the neuromuscular patterns you may have developed over a lifetime.

The biomechanical relationship between your spinal curves means that when one curve is out of balance, the other will overcompensate to make up for it. Your muscles contract to support any part of your body that is out of vertical alignment, and this can create muscle fatigue, soreness, and muscles strengthened and trained in a way that causes neuromuscular conditioning in a negative way. One example of this is a woman in the last part of a pregnancy. Her lower back becomes swayed, and weight is pulling her forward. To compensate for this, her upper curve becomes greater to pull some weight back and balance her body. Although she may feel more balanced, it is causing negative neuromuscular conditioning because of this biomechanical relationship.

According to a West Virginia University study funded by the National Institute of Health, people with lower-back pain who practiced yoga did much better at overcoming back pain as well as depression. The study lasted three years and showed lifted mood, less pain, and improved function in the group who did yoga postures compared to a group who received standard medical therapy. “The yoga group had less pain, less functional disability and less depression compared with the control group,” said Kimberly Williams, Ph.D., research assistant professor in the Department of Community Medicine. “These were statistically significant and clinically important changes that were maintained six months after the intervention.” Yoga participants took 90-minute classes twice a week for 24 weeks, doing postures targeted to relieve chronic low-back pain. Follow up continued for six months after the end of classes or therapy. Lower-back pain in the United States represents the largest category of medical reimbursements according to Williams.

There are many different yoga asanas that help alleviate back pain. One of these poses is the shoulderstand. To perform this pose, a person lies on the back with the legs extended together. Bend the legs and bring the knees back to above the chest. Use the elbows and the upper arms as a base and prop the body by placing the hands against the small of the back. Bring the trunk to vertical position and extend the legs straight up so that the legs and trunk form a straight line perpendicular to the floor. Breathe freely and deeply in the abdomen while performing this pose. This move plays a great role in strengthening the spine.

The fish posture is another great asana for maintaining a healthy back. It bends your back in the opposite way as the shoulderstand, so it is good to perform one and then the other. The fish pose relieves the stiffness of the neck and shoulders and helps correct rounding of the back. To perform this pose lie on your back with your legs extended. Place your hands palms down under your thighs. Pressing down on your elbows, inhale and arch your back. Drop your head so that you are resting on the top of your head with your weight on your elbows.

The cobra pose is an excellent pose for those with lower backaches. This posture decreases stiffness in the lower back, enlarges the chest, and strengthens the arms and shoulders. Lie flat on the abdomen, the legs stretched out together, the soles of the feet turned up and the toes flat. The arms are bent and the hands placed flat on the floor in front of shoulders. Inhale and slowly raise the head, neck, and upper back successively, straightening the arms. You should feel the spine bending vertebra by vertebra.

The half spinal twist posture helps prevent backache and tones the spinal nerves and ligaments. To perform this move sit, bend the right knee and place the foot of the bent leg under your other leg and against your buttocks. Then place the sole of the left foot on the floor on the right side of the right knee. Reach out with the right arm and grasp the left foot or ankle – the arm is outside the left leg with the back of the arm against the left side of the left knee. Finally, twist the trunk to the left and gaze over the left shoulder.

An excellent pose to end every yoga practice is the corpse pose. This is a relaxation pose that helps you relax your entire body step-by-step. To perform this pose, follow these steps:

1. Lie flat on your back.

2. Observe your breathing without controlling it for several minutes.

3. Perform deep abdominal breathing.

4. Observe your breath again. Once it is quiet and controlled, continue to the next step.

5. Relax your body using a sequence that goes from left to right, bottom of the body to the top. You should feel drained of tension and limp.

6. Observe your breathing again and repeat the relaxation sequence for 15 to 30 minutes.

Yoga can be a relaxing and efficient way to help decrease or alleviate back pain. A simple routine of ten to fifteen minutes per day could keep back pain at bay. Many yoga postures gently strengthen the back muscles as well as the abdominal muscles. Back and abdominal muscles are essential components of the muscular network of the spine and help the body maintain proper posture and movement. When a person’s back and abdominal muscles are well-conditioned, back pain can be avoided or reduced.

Yoga also plays a huge roll in relieving tension in tight muscles by stretching and relaxing those stressed muscles. Stretching is very important as it allows blood to flow freely which allows nutrients to flow more easily and toxins to be eliminated efficiently. Yoga poses are intended to train the body to be healthy and supple. Consistent yoga practice results in improved posture and overall back health. Unlike many forms of exercise, yoga stretches both sides of the body equally resulting in better posture and alignment.

References:

The Complete Yoga Book. New York, NY: Schocken Books, Inc, 1977. Print.

Kraftsow, Gary. “Yoga for Back Pain.” Yoga for Wellness 1999: Web. 09 Jan 2010. <http://www.viniyoga.com/yogabackpain.html >.

“Yoga Benefits Back Pain Patients.” Medical News Today 02 Sep 2009: Web. 09 Jan 2010. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/162628.php >.

“Yoga for the Back – How Can Yoga Help Deal with Common Back Injuries.” ABC of Yoga: Web. 09 Jan 2010. <http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/yoga-and-health/yoga-for-back.asp >.

Busch, Fred. “How Yoga Helps the Back.” Spine Health 27 Jan 2004: Web. 09 Jan 2010. http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/yoga-pilates-tai-chi/how-yoga-helps-back .

Amber Gilge teaches Yoga sessions in Havre, Montana.

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