Yoga Asanas for Lower Back Pain: 8 Exercises That Bring Relief

Yoga experts claim that the ancient exercise practice can be effective in reducing back pain through a variety of mechanisms as it promotes flexibility and strength while targeting the muscles that support the spine. Poses like cat-cow stretch and child’s pose can increase spinal mobility.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Himalayan Siddha Akshar, Founder of Akshar Yoga Centre, shared, “Yoga encourages proper posture, reducing stress on the back. The breathing exercises in yoga provide oxygen to the muscles, aiding relaxation and stress relief. This exercise also promotes body awareness, helping individuals identify and correct habits that contribute to back pain.

“Regular yoga can enhance overall well-being, reducing stress that often aggravates back troubles,” he emphasises. While individual experiences vary, incorporating yoga into a routine can contribute to a healthy, pain-free back over time. Yoga offers a series of asanas specifically designed to reduce lower back pain, promote flexibility, strength and overall well-being.

He suggested the following yoga asanas to reduce lower back pain –

1. Child’s Pose (Balasana): Start on your hands and knees, then sit on your heels with your arms extended forward. This gentle stretch helps relieve tension in the lower back.
2. Cat-Cow Stretch (Margariyasana): Start on hands and knees, alternately arching and rounding your back. This activity improves spinal flexibility and provides relief from lower back discomfort.
3. Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana): On hands and knees, lift hips toward the ceiling, forming an inverted V-shape. Strengthens the entire back and stretches the hamstrings, reducing stress on the lower back.
4. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana): Lie on your stomach, place hands under shoulders and lift your chest while keeping your pelvis on the floor. Strengthens the lower back muscles and promotes flexibility.
5. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana): Lie on your back, bend your knees and lift your hips toward the ceiling. Strengthens the lower back, glutes and hamstrings, reducing lower back pain.
6. Forward Bend Sitting (Paschimottanasana): Sit with your legs extended, hinged at your hips, and reaching for your toes. Promotes flexibility in the lower back and hamstrings.
7. Knees to Chest Pose (Apanasana): Lie on your back, bring your knees to your chest and hold them with your arms. Gently stretch the lower back, which will relieve discomfort.
8. Standing Forward Bend (Padahasthasana): Stand with feet hip-width apart, hinge at hips and reach toward the floor. The entire back, hamstrings and calves get stretched, which reduces lower back pain.

Himalayan Siddha Akshar concludes, “Regular practice of these yoga asanas can contribute to the improvement of lower back pain by increasing flexibility, strengthening the core muscles and promoting overall spinal health. However, it is essential to perform these asanas with caution, avoid excessive exertion, and consult a health care professional if there are existing health concerns.