Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhy Yoga for Back Pain Is BeneficialPoses to Try for Back PainTalk to a Healthcare Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Why Yoga for Back Pain Is Beneficial
Poses to Try for Back Pain
Talk to a Healthcare Provider
Back painaffects more than 80% of people worldwide.Yoga stretcheshelp decrease back pain for some people, though results are similar to the benefits of other types of exercise.Many yoga poses—such as cat-cow, downward-facing dog, and cobra pose—target the back, helping to relieve pain and increase flexibility.
This article discusses how yoga poses help relieve back pain,poses to try, and tips for keeping yourself safe.
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Yoga improves strength and flexibility. Strong back muscles are essential for supporting the spine and nerves in your back. In addition, yoga is a mind-body practice, which is why the benefits of yoga poses for back pain are more than just physical.
Benefits of yoga for back pain can include:
Cat-Cow
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The cat-cow pose improves back flexibility through flexion (forward bending) and extension (backward bending).
Downward-Facing Dog
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The downward-facing dog pose stretches your shoulders, legs, and back muscles.
Triangle/Extended Triangle
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In addition to stretching your back muscles, the extended triangle pose improves your balance.
If your bottom hand stops at your shin or ankle, you are performing the triangle pose. When you reach your big toe or place your hand on the floor next to your foot, you have assumed the extended triangle pose.
Sphinx Pose
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The sphinx pose gently stretches your spine into extension.
Cobra Pose
The cobra pose is a more advanced back-bend pose.Progress to this pose only after you can perform the sphinx pose comfortably.
Locust Pose
The locust pose can help improve posture and decrease low back pain.
Bridge Pose
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The bridge pose incorporates extension for a gentle back bend stretch.This can serve as an alternative to sphinx or cobra pose if you have difficulty lying on your stomach.
Half Lord of the Fishes
The half lord of the fishes pose provides a rotating stretch, improving overall mobility.
Two-Knee Spinal Twist
The two-knee spinal twist—also called the abdominal twist—can help improve digestion and stretch your back muscles.
Child’s Pose
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Child’s pose stretches your spine from your neck to your tailbone.
Does Yoga for Back Pain Really Work?Research has shown that yoga can help to reduce back pain symptoms. However, these results are similar to the effects of other types of exercise.
Does Yoga for Back Pain Really Work?
Research has shown that yoga can help to reduce back pain symptoms. However, these results are similar to the effects of other types of exercise.
Back pain can indicate an underlying condition that needs medical treatment. To help prevent your symptoms from worsening, talk to a healthcare provider—such as aphysical therapist—before trying yoga to relieve your back pain.
Seek immediate medical attention before attempting yoga if you have had back pain for more than a few weeks or you have the following signs or symptoms:
Tips for Protecting Yourself on the MatAvoid poses that increase your pain or other symptoms to avoid worsening your back pain while doing yoga. Consider working with a certified yoga instructor who can modify your poses to help keep you safe.
Tips for Protecting Yourself on the Mat
Avoid poses that increase your pain or other symptoms to avoid worsening your back pain while doing yoga. Consider working with a certified yoga instructor who can modify your poses to help keep you safe.
Summary
Yoga poses can help reduce back pain and improve strength and flexibility. However, research shows that the benefits of yoga for back pain are similar to those of other types of exercise. To avoid worsening your symptoms, consider working with a certified yoga instructor who can tailor poses to your needs. Talk to a healthcare provider before trying yoga for back pain.
15 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sayed D, Grider J, Strand N, et al.The American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN) evidence-based clinical guideline of interventional treatments for low back pain.J Pain Res. 2022;15:3729-3832. doi:10.2147%2FJPR.S386879Grooten WJA, Boström C, Dedering Å, et al.Summarizing the effects of different exercise types in chronic low back pain—a systematic review of systematic reviews.BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2022;23:801. doi:10.1186%2Fs12891-022-05722-xHarvard Health Publishing.The safe way to do yoga for back pain.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Yoga for pain: what the science says.American Council on Exercise.Cat-cow.American Council on Exercise.Downward-facing dog.Mercy Health.Yoga for beginners: how to triangle pose.Outside Yoga Journal.Sphinx pose.Outside Yoga Journal.Cobra pose.Outside Yoga Journal.Locust pose.Yoga Journal.Bridge pose.Outside Yoga Journal.Half lord of the fishes pose.Yoga International.Jathara parivartanasana—the abdominal twist.American Council on Exercise.Childs pose.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Low back pain.
15 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sayed D, Grider J, Strand N, et al.The American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN) evidence-based clinical guideline of interventional treatments for low back pain.J Pain Res. 2022;15:3729-3832. doi:10.2147%2FJPR.S386879Grooten WJA, Boström C, Dedering Å, et al.Summarizing the effects of different exercise types in chronic low back pain—a systematic review of systematic reviews.BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2022;23:801. doi:10.1186%2Fs12891-022-05722-xHarvard Health Publishing.The safe way to do yoga for back pain.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Yoga for pain: what the science says.American Council on Exercise.Cat-cow.American Council on Exercise.Downward-facing dog.Mercy Health.Yoga for beginners: how to triangle pose.Outside Yoga Journal.Sphinx pose.Outside Yoga Journal.Cobra pose.Outside Yoga Journal.Locust pose.Yoga Journal.Bridge pose.Outside Yoga Journal.Half lord of the fishes pose.Yoga International.Jathara parivartanasana—the abdominal twist.American Council on Exercise.Childs pose.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Low back pain.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Sayed D, Grider J, Strand N, et al.The American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN) evidence-based clinical guideline of interventional treatments for low back pain.J Pain Res. 2022;15:3729-3832. doi:10.2147%2FJPR.S386879Grooten WJA, Boström C, Dedering Å, et al.Summarizing the effects of different exercise types in chronic low back pain—a systematic review of systematic reviews.BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2022;23:801. doi:10.1186%2Fs12891-022-05722-xHarvard Health Publishing.The safe way to do yoga for back pain.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Yoga for pain: what the science says.American Council on Exercise.Cat-cow.American Council on Exercise.Downward-facing dog.Mercy Health.Yoga for beginners: how to triangle pose.Outside Yoga Journal.Sphinx pose.Outside Yoga Journal.Cobra pose.Outside Yoga Journal.Locust pose.Yoga Journal.Bridge pose.Outside Yoga Journal.Half lord of the fishes pose.Yoga International.Jathara parivartanasana—the abdominal twist.American Council on Exercise.Childs pose.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Low back pain.
Sayed D, Grider J, Strand N, et al.The American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN) evidence-based clinical guideline of interventional treatments for low back pain.J Pain Res. 2022;15:3729-3832. doi:10.2147%2FJPR.S386879
Grooten WJA, Boström C, Dedering Å, et al.Summarizing the effects of different exercise types in chronic low back pain—a systematic review of systematic reviews.BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2022;23:801. doi:10.1186%2Fs12891-022-05722-x
Harvard Health Publishing.The safe way to do yoga for back pain.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Yoga for pain: what the science says.
American Council on Exercise.Cat-cow.
American Council on Exercise.Downward-facing dog.
Mercy Health.Yoga for beginners: how to triangle pose.
Outside Yoga Journal.Sphinx pose.
Outside Yoga Journal.Cobra pose.
Outside Yoga Journal.Locust pose.
Yoga Journal.Bridge pose.
Outside Yoga Journal.Half lord of the fishes pose.
Yoga International.Jathara parivartanasana—the abdominal twist.
American Council on Exercise.Childs pose.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Low back pain.
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