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The lower back is a sensitive area for many people. Although there can be a bunch of causes for lower back pain: a weak heart and poor posture from sitting all day (and therefore contraction of the hip muscles, which then pulls on the lower back) are two really common contributing factors to back pain and discomfort. It's always important to find out what's causing the pain so you can prevent it from recurring. But in most cases, doing yoga exercises to strengthen your lower back can help alleviate your condition.
“Yoga for back strengthening is great for working on core flexibility and stability, posture, and breathing—all of which are essential for a healthy spine,” says Sasha Kirelson, clinical director of the Institute for Professional Physical Therapy in Sickerville, New Jersey. She adds that yoga for back pain is safe, even daily. It is important, however, to make sure that you are in tune with your body and not doing anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. “Never stretch to the point of pain. Pain is how our bodies tell us that something is wrong, so yoga for beginners is a sensitive matter and requires attention.”
If you have any kind of lower back injury, spinal disc problem, or pain that lasts more than 72 hours without improvement, Kirelson suggests consulting with a physical therapist before doing any exercise, including back exercises. If you have a problem that requires medical attention, it's best to see a doctor before the pain gets worse, otherwise yoga to strengthen your back may make it worse.
If your back and lower back muscle pain is more related to general soreness or discomfort, it may be worth trying some yoga poses. We asked yoga instructor Shanna Tyler to handpick and demonstrate some of her favorite yoga poses for strengthening your back muscles at home. She recommends doing asanas to relax the spine, holding each pose for one to three minutes.
The benefits of yoga for the back
The value of asanas for the body is as follows:
- Exercise helps prevent back and neck diseases. It is always better to prevent problems than to deal with them later. It is worth starting to do yoga for preventive purposes, while illnesses have not yet made themselves felt.
- Exercising is healing. It is impossible to restore cartilage and vertebrae, but you can work on strengthening the muscular frame that will reliably support the body.
- Yoga classes can help you get rid of fatigue. Indian sages developed exercises that are useful not only for the body, for the muscles, but also for the nervous system, for the mind.
- Regular exercise improves your posture. This is confirmed by practice. Positive effects are noted by people who started practicing yoga to get rid of health problems.
- Exercises train endurance, since not all asanas are easy to perform.
- Yoga helps to restore strength faster, normalizes metabolism, and improves sleep.
- Exercises help improve stretching. This also has a positive effect on the spine.
Interesting fact! Yoga is addictive. Usually those who have attended several training sessions cannot stop. They discover a new philosophy through the practice they receive.
The benefits of yoga for the musculoskeletal system
Unlike physical therapy, yoga is not only aimed at improving physical well-being . Here we are also talking about achieving inner harmony, peace and relaxation of the mind. Much attention is paid to breathing during exercise.
Yoga is aimed at improving not only physical, but also mental well-being
It must be stable and deep to completely saturate the muscles with the oxygen they need. It is worth remembering that sudden movements are undesirable here - all practices are performed slowly so as not to cause harm. Muscle stretching occurs smoothly, evenly and without pain.
Back pain occurs when the spine is in an incorrect position for a long time . This may be due to sedentary work without a properly equipped workplace, heavy lifting, or prolonged hypothermia of the body.
The smart human body has the main goal of preventing deterioration of well-being in time, therefore, when the vertebrae move out of their position, are slightly displaced or this happens to the intervertebral discs, the back muscles contract, fixing the location of the problem in order to prevent further development of the displacement. This way, tense muscles protect the spinal cord and nerve endings running through the spine from damage.
Relaxing them is possible by massaging, but this action will not eliminate the cause of the problem , which lies much deeper. Most often it is associated with osteochondrosis - ossification of the interarticular discs. In this case, the discs themselves remain in place, but their sharp edges can injure nearby nerve endings and muscle tissue. This is why osteochondrosis is so dangerous.
Any back pain should be treated carefully, as it occurs due to problems in the spine . Considering that it is responsible for the correct distribution of the body's load during movement, and that many nerve endings pass through it, it is unreasonable to perceive such conditions, which regularly appear, as normal.
In addition, the functioning of the internal organs depends on the correct position and functioning of the spine . Yoga can help the spine take the correct position, evenly distribute the load while walking and doing work, while it also helps to strengthen all adjacent muscles, both deep and superficial.
Who should not do the exercises?
Like any other type of physical activity, yoga has a number of contraindications, which you should definitely familiarize yourself with before starting training. It is also advisable to visit a doctor first to avoid a ban on classes.
So, the list of contraindications includes:
- exacerbation of spinal disease;
- serious injuries;
- infections, inflammations;
- recovery period after surgery;
- malignant tumor;
- high or low blood pressure, similarly with body temperature; migraine
- period of menstruation.
- mental illness;
- inguinal or vertebral hernia;
- traumatic brain injuries;
- scalene displacement of the vertebrae;
- arthrosis;
- suppuration;
- ARVI and acute respiratory infections;
Age is not prohibited when starting classes. Yoga is beneficial for both young and old people.
Why does pain occur in the neck and shoulder area?
The reasons may be different. “Among the main ones are incorrect posture (including incorrect neck position during sleep), a sedentary lifestyle, spinal injuries, prolonged tension in the cervical vertebrae and hypothermia,” says Sofya Serafimovich, yoga instructor at Zaryad.studio.
Psychological factors also matter. “We “collect” all the stress, all the overload at work during the day in the cervical spine, this leads to chronic muscle tension,” explains Liliya Osipova, a yoga teacher and Fly-yoga trainer for the Taste & Color project. “This causes headaches, the face quickly ages, we get more tired during the working day, it becomes difficult for us to walk and stand.”
These are the most common causes of pain in the cervical-collar area. But not all. “They can also be caused by degenerative changes in the vertebrae, hypermobility or hypomobility of a particular vertebra (in this case, it appears to be “squeezed” by muscles or ligaments, hence the nagging pain), explains Tatyana Illarionova, senior trainer and methodologist of the network. - Plus, the cause of neck pain can be hernias and protrusions. Here you need to find out what this is connected with: again, with muscle overstrain or weakness, or is it all a consequence of incorrect posture and should be dealt with first of all.”
Recommendations for Beginners
They are as follows:
- Choose comfortable clothes: not too loose, but not too tight.
- Buy a non-slip mat based on your height. You cannot exercise on a bare floor or on a fleecy carpet - your feet will slip. At best, you won’t be able to complete the exercise; at worst, you will get injured.
- Bring a towel to class. You will need to use it as a bolster to perform some exercises.
- Think about the best training time for you. Whether to study in the evening or in the morning - everything is individual here. There are no strict rules. Who likes what.
- Ventilate the room before starting classes and do not place the mat in direct sunlight.
- Do not eat for several hours before starting exercise. You can drink, but not a lot.
- Don't do yoga unless 60 minutes have passed since you woke up. You shouldn't exercise before bed either.
- During classes, concentrate only on them, do not be distracted by anything.
- Perform asanas that strengthen the back muscles first, and those that relax the body last.
- Start with a few exercises that seem easiest to you. Gradually expand the complex.
- Maintain all poses until discomfort and pain appear. Only under this condition is the desired result achieved and treatment occurs.
- If you feel severe discomfort, stop exercising.
- Before training, do a short warm-up for your muscles and joints to avoid injury.
- Perform the exercises smoothly and breathe the same way.
- Allow up to half an hour for gymnastics.
- Pause for a minute between asanas. At this time, it is recommended to engage in breathing practices.
- After yoga, take a hot shower to relax.
- Contact a trainer if you are a beginner. You can watch the video at home and repeat the asanas. But only in classes with a trainer you will receive feedback, tips, recommendations based on your level of training and characteristics. At the La Salute club in Moscow, professional instructors will be happy to help inexperienced yogis begin to master the practice.
As in medicine, one of the main principles is to do no harm. Monitor your condition while performing poses. Listen to your body in every session.
Exercise therapy as a treatment method
A special place in the treatment of osteochondrosis is occupied by physical therapy or exercise therapy, as it is commonly called in its abbreviated version. In itself, it is, rather, not a method of therapy, but a good addition to the main treatment program. It is aimed at training and forming a muscle corset, and strong and strong back muscles will help avoid relapses of the disease.
Exercise therapy improves the mobility of the thoracic part of the spinal column, pumps muscles, and improves the functioning of the respiratory system. It can also eliminate some of the main symptoms of the pathology and restore the correct curves of the spine.
Physiotherapy
Attention! Physical therapy exercises will help prevent the appearance of compression of nerve endings. The main thing is to do them correctly.
A set of yoga exercises for the spine and neck
You can start with the following few asanas.
Cobra pose
Useful for the spine in case of scoliosis, if there is a displacement of the vertebrae. The asana is simple.
Execution order:
- Lie face down on the floor.
- Stretch your body and feet.
- Tighten your knees, hips, and glutes.
- Place your palms on the floor, fingers facing forward.
- As you exhale deeply, press yourself into the ground.
- Lift your body up, moving your shoulders back.
- Hold the pose for half a minute.
- Bend your elbows and return to the starting position.
The asana must be repeated 2-3 times.
Downward facing dog
A relaxing pose that should help those who are constantly on their feet. It makes the vertebrae in the interscapular area more mobile.
Execution order:
- Lie on your stomach so that the distance between your feet is 30 cm.
- Place your palms at chest level, press your elbows to your body.
- Exhale. Raise your body up, resting your hands and feet on the floor. Place your head between your elbows.
- Hold the pose.
- Breathe in. Get into a plank position. Fix your body position.
- Return to the starting position.
Upward facing dog
The asana helps to straighten your back, strengthen the muscles around the spine, and make it more mobile.
Execution order:
- Lie on the floor with your stomach down. Hands at the shoulders. Legs extended.
- Push your hands off the ground, arch your back, and pull the top of your head up.
- Distribute the load so that it falls on your fingers and toes.
Camel Pose
Helps make your posture correct.
Execution order:
- Get on your knees.
- Place your legs hip-width apart and press the insteps of your feet to the floor.
- Lean back, pull your chest forward and up.
- Lower your palms to your heels.
- Direct your shoulders down so that your shoulder blades come together. Continue to direct your chest upward. The head should be thrown back.
- Transfer the load to your arms and legs.
Sphinx pose
It is beneficial for the spine, especially the cervical region. Attention: if you perform the asana incorrectly, there is a high risk of damaging your lower back. Take this seriously.
Execution order:
- Lie on your stomach.
- Bring your feet together so that your heels are on top.
- Bend your elbows, straighten your forearms.
- Inhale and push your chest forward, try to close your shoulder blades.
- Stretch your crown upward.
It is recommended to hold the pose for 2 minutes.
Plank
Strengthens the extensor muscles of the back, neck, and relieves lower back pain.
It is convenient to move to the plank from downward-facing dog asana.
Execution order:
- From dog pose, move your body forward.
- Stretch your neck, keep your body straight.
- Straighten your legs, tighten your stomach.
Hold the pose.
Locust Pose
It is believed to be very useful for the prevention of spinal hernia.
Execution order:
- Lie on your stomach. Press your legs towards each other and your arms towards your torso.
- Smoothly lift your legs and upper body.
- Make sure your stomach is your only support.
- Stretch your neck, look down.
Locust pose, among other things, strengthens the muscles that support the spinal column.
Child's Pose
It relieves pressure from the spinal discs and stretches the back muscles.
Execution order:
- Get on your knees. Feet together.
- Press your pelvis toward your shins.
- Bend over and touch the mat with your forehead.
- Stretch your arms back with your palms facing up.
You can remain in this position for as long as is comfortable.
Table Pose
It is recommended to do it to correct posture and relieve back pain.
Execution order:
- Lie on your back face up.
- Bend your knees.
- Push your body forward using your arms.
- Breathe.
- Go down.
Repeat the exercise several times.
Extended Triangle Pose
Strengthens and stretches the back muscles.
Execution order:
- Place your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Bend sideways - in any direction.
- Extend your hand to your leg, pull the other limb up.
- Repeat the same, but on the other side.
There are a lot of yoga exercises for the back and spine for beginners. You can perform the above-mentioned poses for the first time, gradually mastering new asanas. If you work with a trainer at the La Salute club, the specialist will tell you which poses will be useful in each individual case:
- for prevention;
- pain relief;
- muscle strengthening;
- beauty of the back and so on.
Benefits and harms
A person who practices yoga will definitely tell you a lot of advantages that make it worth starting to do the exercises. The main ones are:
- strengthening muscles, making them flexible and elastic. Try to set a goal for yourself - to get on the bridge in a few months. This is quite realistic, especially if you have already done gymnastics. The muscles of the back and abdomen will quickly remember how they stretched;
- reduction in body weight. Dynamic exercises help strengthen metabolic processes in the body, which leads to weight loss. In addition, the resulting effect can be observed over a long period;
- formation of royal posture. Yoga therapy of the spine perfectly combats curvatures: scoliosis, pathological kyphosis or lordosis, and is also used to strengthen the back;
- reducing bone fragility. After yoga, you can observe significant improvements in bone condition with the initial development of osteoporosis and arthrosis;
- reducing the risk of developing certain diseases. Exercise helps normalize blood pressure, the functioning of the digestive system and the cardiovascular system. Prevents the development of diabetes;
- control of the production of cortisol, which is produced during physical or mental activity. For example, during yoga for lower back pain it is possible to trick the brain and calm the nervous system;
- anesthesia. During meditation, pain in the neck, lumbosacral region, and lower abdomen significantly decreases;
- gives vigor and energy for the whole day. Also, after home therapy, there is an uplift in mood and a surge of strength;
- the ability to control your body. Movements become more coordinated, clear and confident;
- assistance in gaining self-confidence and emancipation. A person becomes more contactable, ready to help others. Thus, he predisposes other people towards himself.
It is possible that people who practice yoga later acquire some supernatural abilities. There are many cases where a yogi becomes a healer who knows how to control his mind. Some of them can live without food and water for several days.
Important! To have a healthy spine and get rid of back pain, you need to exercise 3-4 times a week for at least 60 minutes. The first results will be noticeable after about 14 days.
As for the harm, do not forget that yoga is a traumatic and dangerous sport, especially for beginners. You should be especially careful when performing asanas and not overexert yourself while stretching the muscles of the back, legs and other groups.
Complex for osteochondrosis
The following options are suitable for beginners:
- Majariasana. A pose that looks like a cat. Kneel down and alternately bend your body to the right and left - the dog is trying to bite its tail.
- Palm tree lying down. Simple asana. You need to lie on the floor face up, extend your arms and slowly bend left and right.
- Locust pose. The technique has already been described.
- Half a boat. Lie on your back, bend your knees, press your heels to the floor and place them as close to your buttocks as possible, stretch your arms forward. As you exhale, stretch your upper torso toward your knees, keeping your lower back pressed to the floor.
All these exercises can be performed both to prevent chondrosis and to relieve pain.
After all the asanas, it is recommended to lie down on the mat for a while, face up, with your legs slightly spread. Don't think about anything during this time. Just relax.
Anatomical structure of the lumbar region
The lumbar vertebrae (from the Latin vertebrae lumbales) are the five vertebrae from 20 to 24, counting from above. The upper vertebra connects the lumbar spine to the thoracic spine, and the lower one connects it to the sacral spine. The spinous processes of this section are short, located horizontally and have a large distance between them, due to which we make a slight deflection when performing bends. Another action in which the lumbar region is involved is rotation and twisting.
The sacrum and thoracic spine are inactive; turns and tilts of the body are carried out by strong lumbar muscles. The lumbar spine has lordosis (bending forward), the formation of which appears in the first year of life under the force of gravity during the child’s mastery of sitting, standing and walking. In addition to the motor function, this part of the spine performs shock absorption when moving the body. If we compare the lumbar vertebrae with other parts of the spine, they are the most massive and largest, which once again confirms that there is a heavy load on them. The iliopsoas muscle connects the legs to the lumbar spine and pelvis. It is this muscle that, when contracted, produces lordosis in the lumbar region. And with a long sitting position, shortening of this muscle causes pathological changes in the spine, and pain appears.
How to build a practice
- Exercise every day in the morning . “The practice will only take you 10-15 minutes
, after which you will feel cheerful and your face will look fresher,” says Liliya Osipova. - Perform the exercises sequentially , repeating each movement 8-10 times
. - Move smoothly, without jerking or pain. “There should be no discomfort during the session. These are anatomically correct movements, so after about a week of practice, the body itself will begin to “ask” you for such exercises,” Lilia reminds.
- Take your time, breathe deeply and calmly.
To complete the complex you will need a mat, but you can do without it.
Back muscle training
There can be many reasons for back pain, and therefore there is no ideal set of back exercises that would be guaranteed to get rid of it. You can strengthen your back by walking, jogging, cycling, and spending time doing yoga, Pilates, swimming, and water aerobics.
It is important to get your doctor’s recommendations in advance about the optimal load for you. You don't have to force yourself. This is not a call for laziness, it’s just that too much stress can only cause harm, and after some injuries, certain types of exercises are contraindicated, for example, with twisting or bending. Don't forget about exercise, it should train your strength, endurance and flexibility. It is better to do small but regular workouts, in total at least 2.5-3 hours a week.
Who is yoga contraindicated for?
Yoga is contraindicated for cervical osteochondrosis in the following cases:
- exacerbation of osteochondrosis, the presence of acute pain, hernia, protrusion;
- acute infectious process;
- exacerbation of chronic diseases;
- recent surgery;
- hypertension;
- stroke that occurred less than six months ago;
- increased body temperature;
- joint hypermobility;
- serious cardiac pathologies;
- oncology;
- severe joint deformities due to arthrosis.
What is hatha yoga
Hatha is one of the branches of yoga.
It includes asanas (postures), pranayama (breathing practices), bandhas (locks), and meditation. The global goal of hatha yoga is to influence the body to gain control over the mind: reduce tension, get rid of obsessive thoughts, and become calmer. This is achieved through movement: during practice, we learn to control our body, track the slightest changes in it, and coordinate movements with breathing. Gradually, this leads to the fact that we gain control over our thoughts, we begin to better track and understand our impulses, etc. This process is quite lengthy, but the first results (for example, a decrease in anxiety) can be obtained after 5-6 weeks of regular practice.
However, you can practice hatha yoga without reference to psychological results, but, for example, to improve your well-being. The practice of hatha yoga contains asanas aimed at stretching muscles and ligaments, opening the chest and hip joints, and developing strength.
Yoga + Osteomed Forte: formula for a healthy spine
Like yoga for cervical osteochondrosis, the vitamin and mineral complex Osteomed Forte is used to strengthen muscles, activate metabolic and restoration processes in the tissues of the spine. Therefore, taking this drug against the background of yoga, as well as with daily exercises consisting of physical therapy exercises, will give the most noticeable and quick results.
Osteomed Forte , in addition to calcium, vitamins D3 and B6 (they are found in many similar preparations), includes a unique component HDBA organic complex, which:
- stimulates bone and muscle anabolism by normalizing and maintaining a balanced state of human hormonal levels - this is facilitated by prohormones and amino acids of bees;
- strengthens the biological activity of vitamin D, allowing therapeutic effects to be obtained from small and safe doses of this vitamin;
- itself is the richest source of natural vitamins, microelements, all essential plus more than a dozen essential amino acids in a free, unbound (and therefore maximally bioavailable!) state.
Natural insect prohormones and amino acids are especially valuable for osteochondrosis. From the first, the human body builds its own hormones in the quantities and proportions it needs. And as you know, it is hormones that control renewal processes in tissues. Free amino acids are used for the production of collagen structures, which act as a matrix both in the bone tissue of the vertebrae and in the cartilage and fibrous tissue of the discs.
Thus, it is thanks to the presence of the organic complex in the HDBA preparation that regeneration is accelerated in the tissues of the spine. Vitamins D3 and B6 help integrate calcium and other minerals into the newly formed structures. In general, mineral metabolism in the body is normalized, which has a positive effect on the functioning of other systems and organs, for example, the risk of calcium deposits in blood vessels is reduced.
Thanks to this unique action, Osteomed Forte was included in the Rospatent list of “100 Best Inventions of Russia” and was awarded the leading pharmaceutical award of our country “Green Cross”.