Do you have lower back pain? If so, you are not alone. About 80% of adults will experience some form of lower back pain at least once in their lifetime according to the National Institutes of Health. Luckily there is a natural way to relieve your lower back pain without drugs or surgery! Yoga is an excellent way to strengthen the muscles that support the spine and alleviate discomfort in your back
Types of Lower Back Pain
There are various types of lower back pain including:
Extension-dominant back pain
This type of back pain is characterized by pain in the lower back that worsens when you bend backward.
Flexion-dominant back pain
This type of lower back pain is characterized by pain that worsens, or becomes more intense, after sitting for long periods of time. This may be due to tightness in your hamstrings and/or hips which can cause increased
Neurogenic claudication
Mostly affecting older people (60+ years old), this type of back pain is caused by a compression of the spinal nerve roots. This can lead to pain, numbness, and tingling in your back, buttocks, legs, and feet.
Inflammatory back pain
Inflammatory back pain is a type of back pain that is caused by an infection or autoimmune disorder. Symptoms may include fever, night sweats, and fatigue.
Yoga for Relief from Lower Back Pain
It improves body posture
Improper body posture can, over time, lead to lower back pain if not taken care of. Yoga teaches you how to improve your posture so that it is not as stressful on your back.
Yoga strengthens the core muscles of the body
The abdominal and lower back muscles are strengthened because they provide support for the spine while doing yoga poses which can help relieve low back pain.
It increases flexibility in hips, hamstrings, and lower back
Yoga increases the flexibility of these three areas because it is essential to do many yoga poses that require you to bend backward or forwards. This increased range of motion in your hips, hamstrings and lower back can help decrease pain in these regions when doing everyday activities like bending over at work.
It teaches better breathing patterns
Breathing deeply and slowly during yoga helps to oxygenate the body which can help reduce inflammation. This is especially beneficial for those with inflammatory back pain.
It improves body alignment
Body alignment, just like posture, is very important in preventing lower back pain. Yoga helps to improve your body alignment so that the stress on your spine is minimized.
Yoga improves balance
Balance also plays a critical role in preventing lower back pain. Yoga helps to improve your balance so that you are less likely to fall and injure your back.
If you suffer from lower back pain, give yoga a try. It may not cure your pain completely but it can certainly help to lessen the discomfort. And who knows, maybe you’ll even enjoy doing yoga.
We hope this article has been helpful. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below.
