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Lower back pain is the worst kind of pain. That doesn't mean back pain is the worst pain in the world, but many people feel so.
Every movement you make involves your back, and when it's hurt, tense, or spasming, every movement hurts. Not to mention the stress that pain causes in the mind and heart.
Back pain is often not even caused by structural problems. In fact, the most common reasons are stress and problems with the immune system. Back pain can be cured or alleviated by doing yoga - not every case of back pain, but a lot of them.
Yin yoga is a slow practice where you hold poses for a long time to help the muscles relax. It's also a form of meditation that helps with pain-related anxiety and stress.
Yin Yoga Poses & Exercises for Lower Back
Check out the following six yin yoga poses and exercises that can help you relieve your lower back pain.
1) Butterfly Pose
People with back pain often stretch in the butterfly pose. This yoga pose helps stretch and lengthen theri neck and relax the hip flexor muscles. It's also used in many types of yoga.
To do this pose: Sitting down, bring the bottom of your feet together, and open your knees. Your heels should be far enough away from your body that the space between them resembles a diamond.
Round your back slowly, and gently fold into the pose. Hold for 1-5 minutes.
2) Caterpillar Pose
Caterpillar pose, also known as seated forward bend. This pose is a great way to stretch the hamstrings and ligaments that run along the spine. It also squeezes the stomach, which helps in digestion, an added bonus.
To do this exercise: While sitting, put your legs straight out in front of you, and fold forward at the hips. Slowly arch your back, and drop your head. Let your legs loosen up, and let your feet fall in or out. Hold for 3-5 minutes.
3) Sphinx Pose
This pose is good for people who sit a lot or who have trouble with how their lower backs curve. The sphinx pose stretches the lower back and opens the chest and lungs. It's also a great alternative to the cobra pose if your wrists are weak or hurt.
To do this execise: lie on your stomach with your legs stretched out straight behind you, and the tops of your feet touching the floor. Turn your outer thighs towards the floor to turn your thighs inward. That will help your back get wider and open up your sacrum.
Put your elbows on the floor under your shoulders, with your forearms out and straight. Flat palms on the ground. Pull your lower belly just a little bit. and gently away from the floor. Keep the pose for 1-3 minutes.
4) Banana Pose
The banana pose is kind of a silly pose that stretches and lengthens the muscles on the top and bottom of the lower back. The goal is to make the shoulders more flexible and stop the pain in the lower back.
To do it, reach your arms above your head and out towards the wall behind you while lying on your back, with your legs stretched out. Grab the other arm's wrist with one hand, and pull gently.
Move the leg on the same side as the wrist you're holding towards the edge of your mat. Move your other leg towards the middle of the mat, and cross your ankle over the other leg's. Hold for 3-5 minutes.
5) Reclining Twist
Reclining twists are a great way to loosen up the lower back and stretch out your hip and gluteal muscles. Don't underestimate this common pose that people everywhere do after they work out.
To do it: Start by lying on your back flat. Bring your knees to your chest, and make a 'T' with your arms, with your palms facing up. As you exhale, let your knees fall to one side as you take a deep breath in. Stretch your back down towards the floor. Press the tops of your shoulders down towards the floor. Hold the pose for 1-5 minutes on each side.
If this yin yoga pose for back pain is too difficult when you use both legs, try putting one leg out and down towards the floor. Or, put a block or blanket under your bottom knee if it doesn't reach the ground. If you do both sides of this pose, you should feel less pain in your lower back.
6) Child's Pose
Also called the prayer pose, it's is a great way to calm down and think. This yin yoga pose for back pain is good for people of all fitness level and is a great stretch for people with lower back pain.
If you can't rest your forehead comfortably on the floor, you can put a block, pillow, or blanket there instead to do this pose.
Takeaway
Yoga can help with back pain in many ways. One of the best ways is to do yin yoga, which lets you spend time in each pose relaxing, breathing, and meditating.
You become more aware of where you're holding tension in the body and better able to let it go. Depression, anxiety, and stress are also lessened by the meditation aspect of yoga.
