The benefits of yoga exercises for back pain are well documented, but if you are suffering from, or recovering from, a bout of back pain, do not take up any form of yoga. The asanas, one of the yoga exercises for back pain, can be difficult at first, even for someone who is perfectly healthy, so it is advisable to wait until you have recovered.

Yoga Exercises For Back Pain – The Mountain

  1. Stand upright and place your feet together, with ankles level, inner heels and big toes touching. Stretch your soles and toes on the floor. Balance your weight on the back and front of the feet, on the inner and outer side of each foot, and on the right and left foot.
  2. Keeping upright, stretch up your legs and spine. With straight legs, pull up your front thigh muscles. Make sure your knees are facing forward. Keep your heels pressing down as you lift your ankles and shin bones.
  3. Lengthen your waist upward and lift your rib cage. Create space in the top chest, taking the shoulders back. Keep the shoulders and arms relaxed, letting your hands hand naturally.
  4. Comfortably lengthen your neck and balance your head above the legs, looking forward with relaxed face and eyes. Breathe evenly and smoothly, keeping your attention on the posture.

Yoga Exercises For Back Pain – The Cow’s Head

  1. Kneel with your feet flat on the floor behind you and sit on your heels. With an upright trunk, take your left arm behind your back, palm facing out, and bend your elbow so that your fingers point up your spine. Move your hand high up between your shoulder blades, still with the palm out, keeping your shoulders back. Stretch your right arm above your head.
  2. Bend your right elbow and bring your hand down to clasp your left hand. The top elbow should point straight up and both sides of the chest should be evenly lifted.
  3. Hold for 30 seconds or more, and then release your hands. Repeat with the hand and arm positions reversed.

Yoga Exercises For Back Pain – The Shoulder Stand

  1. Lie on your back, with your head on the floor and your shoulders and upper body on folded blankets. Keep your arms close to your sides. Bend your knees and bring your feet in close to your body. Check that you are straight, legs in line with the trunk, positioned in the center of the blanket, shoulders an equal distance from the edges.
  2. Bring your bent legs up and over your stomach and raise your trunk and hips. To do this, press your arms down and swing your legs up. Bend your elbows and place your hands on your back.
  3. If you can, bring your hips directly above your shoulders and stretch your legs straight up. Use your hands to support your back in a vertical position, keeping your shoulders away from the ears, elbows down and chest open. Bring your chest toward your chin and keep your neck and face relaxed.
  4. Continuing to stretch your trunk and legs up, hold the posture, breathing evenly. Usually the shoulder stand is followed by the plough, but you can come out of the pose by bending your knees and rolling back down, using your arms to control your descent.

Yoga Exercise for back pain – The Plough

  1. From the shoulder stand, take your toes to the floor. If your back is weak, keep your legs bent as you lower them. Straighten your legs and raise your hips, so that the front of your body remains extended as well as the back. If you cannot get your toes to the floor, support the front of your thighs on a chair, right.
  2. In the basic plough, the hands stay on the back. Lift your spine and extend your legs away from your trunk. Stay in the pose for 2-5 minutes without any strain in the head, neck or breathing.
  3. To come down, let your back roll on to the floor. Allow your knees to bend and use your arms to control your descent, so that you do not have to land heavily in the lower back, if you have your shoulders on a high support, you can use extra padding under where your hips will lie.

These are just a few examples of yoga exercises for back pain that is available.