Suffering from Back Pain? Here are some Stretching Poses that You Should definitely try

Back pain is like a plague everybody is waking up to. Irrespective of age, gender and work; back pain is a prevalent problem in most of the people, which under any circumstance shouldn’t be considered usual. Blame it on the new normal’s work from home, a predominant sedentary lifestyle or a  careless attitude about sitting and sleeping posture- having a pain in the back needs addressal, for it can create a hindrance in a lot of regular activities. 

Yoga for back pain has been appreciated for a long time now. This ancient practice will help you release all the tensions from the spine, if done regularly. Read on to find out more. 

• Bow pose(Dhanurasana):

Bow pose is a backbending asana in hatha-yoga. It stretches the front of the body while also strengthening the back. This practice improves posture, and the flexibility of the spine. 

How to: 

• Start by lying straight on your stomach, with your chin on the mat. 
• Exhale and bend your knees(hip-distance apart), with your heels as close as possible to the buttocks. 
• Reach back with both your arms and hold onto the outer ankles. 
• Inhale and lift your chin up, facing the ceiling. 
• Lift up your chest and upper torso off the mat. 
• Try to go as high as possible with the thighs and draw your shoulder blades away from the ears. 
• Hold on for 30 secs, breathing shallowly and release.

Downward facing dog(Adho Mukha Svanasana):

This practice uses the strength of the legs and arms to stretch your spine. It opens up the chest, shoulders and tones your arms and abdominals. 

How to: 

• Start in a tabletop position.
• Curl your toes in and push back through your hands, lift your hips and straighten out your legs. 
• Rotate your fingers outwards to broaden your collarbone.
• Move your shoulder away from the ears towards your hips. 
• Engage your quadriceps. Rotate your thighs inward and continue lifting your hips. Sink your heels towards the floor. 
• Hold this position for as long as comfortable.

• Two-knee spinal twist:

This asana promotes movement and mobility in the spine and back. It stretches the spine, back, and shoulders. Practicing this, can help relieve any pain and stiffness in your back and buttocks.

How to:

• Begin by lying on your back with your knees drawn into your chest and arms extended to the side. 
• Steadily lower your knees to the left, keeping them as close as possible. 
• You can either keep your neck straight, or turn it to the right. 
• Focus on your breath, and hold this position for 30 seconds. 
• Repeat on the other side.

Cobra pose(Bhujangasana):

Cobra pose has multitude benefits. It strengthens the spine, tones the buttocks, and relieves the stress. 

How to: 

• Lie straight on your stomach with toes pointed out. 
• Place your palms on the mat, below and slightly outside the shoulders. 
• Elbows should be hugging into your sides. 
• Inhale and lift your chest off the floor and low ribs on the floor. 
• Keep the neck neutral and gaze on the floor. 
• Keep it for as long as is comfortable.

Cat-cow pose: 

This backbend mobilizes and stretches the spine. While also stretching the torso, shoulders and neck. 

How to: 

• Get on all fours balancing your weight evenly on all four points. 
• Inhale and look up, letting your shoulder drop down towards the mat. 
• Exhale, and tuck your chin into your chest. 
• Draw your navel towards the spine and arch it towards the ceiling. 
• Focus on releasing the tension.
• Do it for a minute. 

Over to you: 

Taking care of your back muscles is important as they coordinate all your movements. Include these simple yoga asanas to get a relieve from the pain.