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eLearning Series:
Relieve My Back Pain NOW!
( 23 pages )
EXERCISES
FOR BACK PAIN RELIEF
Many people believe
that rest is best for a painful back, but
actually, what
your
back really needs
when it’s hurt
is exercise. Regular exercise
relieves back pain by strengthening and stretching the
muscles
that support the spine and
helps to prevent future injury.
This is a use
it or lose it situation:
the more you rest, the weaker your back gets,
even if it
is
hurt. Studies have actually
shown that you can heal
your back pain
faster and get back to your
regular activities with just two days of rest.
So let’s look at some of the
best exercises
for relieving
back pain.
Yoga
A good, regular
yoga practice will go far in relieving
the stress
and tension
that
sometimes
cause mild
back pain, and in fact,
studies have shown that yoga is the
number one
most effective
exercise for relieving
back pain. However, not
all yoga poses relieve back
pain, and some can in fact
aggravate existing
pain, so it is important to know which
poses will be most helpful in relieving
back
pain.
It is best
to do these
exercises under the supervision
of a certified yoga instructor,
and
if you encounter any problems
with these
poses, you
should
consult an expert. Even just one or two
sessions with a yoga instructor can
help, as an instructor
will
help you with your form
and posture during poses.
Here are some of the best yoga poses for
relieving back pain. Each pose should
be held from five
to ten
seconds, depending
upon your level of
comfort, and
should be done on a mat or other soft,
supportive surface.
CORPSE: Lie flat
on your back in a relaxed position,
arms
resting at your sides,
palms down, and
legs
lying naturally,
with knees
turned out slightly.
If it
hurts your back to have your knees turned
outward, do this pose
with knees bent, feet flat on
the floor. Breathe
in
and out for
a few
seconds
while
allowing any tension to leave the body.
CAT
STRETCH: Start out on your hands and knees with
a flat back. Your hands
should
be directly
under
your shoulders
with fingers
spread. Knees should
be directly under the hips. Head is
held loosely so that you are looking
at the
floor between your hands. Inhale, and
as you exhale, arch
your back toward the ceiling, tuck
your chin in to your chest so
that you are
looking
at your navel, and tuck your tailbone
underneath. Hold, then release back
into your
original position.
WIND-RELEASING
POSE: Lie flat on your back as in Corpse pose. As
you inhale, bend
your knee,
place
your hands
right below
the knee,
and
draw your leg
towards your chest. Your left leg
should
remain flat on the floor. Exhale
and bring your forehead up to touch your
knee. Inhale,
and then as you exhale, return to
your original position.
Repeat
with
the other
leg.
SAGE TWIST: Warning
for this pose—it involves twisting your back, so you
should take
particular care not
to twist too
far or you
risk aggravating
any existing
back pain. This should be a gentle
stretch; twist just as far as is
comfortable. Sit on the floor
with both
legs out
in front
of
you. Bend
your right
knee,
lift your right leg over your left,
and
place your right foot on the floor
next to your
left knee.
Sitting with
spine straight,
place your
left elbow
on the right side of your right
knee. Bend your left arm so that your left
fingertips
are touching
your
right hip,
while
at the
same time,
twisting
to look over your right shoulder.
This is where you need to be careful
not
to twist too far. Hold for a few
seconds, release, and repeat on
the opposite side.
PALM TREE: Stand
with feet facing forward, arms at your sides, weight
distributed
evenly on both
feet.
Raise
both arms over
your head,
interlock your fingers,
and turn your hands so that your
palms are facing upward. Next,
place your
palms on
your head and
turn your head
so that you
are looking
slightly upward. Stretch your
arms upwards, and at the same time,
come up onto
your
toes if
you can do so without pain. Stretch
your entire body upward and hold,
if you can.
Some people
have difficulty
balancing
during
this pose,
so just
do the
stretching parts if you need
to.
FISH POSE: Lie
on your back with knees bent and arms at your side.
Arch your
back as
far as you
comfortably
can
and raise
it off the
ground by
pushing
the floor with your elbows.
If you can, tilt your head backwards
and
rest the
crown of your head on the floor.
Breathe deeply
from the diaphragm and hold
pose for one minute
if you can.
LOCUST: Lie
face down with arms at the side, palms down,
and
elbows slightly bent with
fingers pointing
towards
the feet.
Raise your
legs and thighs
as high off the ground as
possible without
causing your back any pain.
Hold for one second and repeat
up
to twelve
times. This can be a vigorous
exercise so
you must take care to strain
already injured muscles.
BENDING
FORWARD POSTURE: Stand up straight with feet together
and arms
hanging
loosely along
your sides.
Breathe in deeply
and raise
your
arms straight
above your head. While
breathing out, bend forward and touch
your toes if
you can.
If you can’t reach your
toes, grab hold of your ankles
or calves. To complete
the pose,
you should
touch
your head
to your knees,
but this
may be too
difficult for many who
suffer from
lower
back pain. Your movements
during this pose should
be smooth,
not
jerky.
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