Yoga For Back Ache

It’s no joke, back ache. Whether it’s a gentle niggle or pain that takes over your day, it affects your life. You ever been there?

So what do we do? Lie on a hard floor? Probably not. Movement is probably your best bet when it comes to healing back pain (that, and really good physiotherapists or chiropractors). And we’ve not only been there, we’ve done that. And hundreds of The Yoga Revolution students have, too.

Here are my number-one poses way to get you up and alive again, back-pain free.

The Yoga-For-Back-Pain Saviour: Cat & Cow

Cat Pose

Come onto your hands and knees, making sure your knees are hip-width distance apart, and your hands are shoulder-width distance apart.

Then focus on bringing your forehead towards your belly button. Press into your fingertips to really contract the front of your torso.

Do this with an exhale.

Cow Pose

From the same starting position, move in the opposite way. This means focusing on bringing the back of your head and tailbone toward each other, broadening out the front side of your torse.

Do this with an inhale.

Bonus: Cat & Cow For Back Pain Relief

So you’ve nailed your cat and cow, now’s when you get to make it work even harder for your back pain relief.

Side-To-Side Movement

As you breathe in and out whilst moving from cat and cow, try adding in a circling of your ribs or hips. This movement means you’ll be shifting your torso to the left and right, finding stretch down the outer lengths of your spine.

Cat & Cow From Lunging

Another great one to try is the same movement-with-breath pattern, but from a high or low lunge (with your knee on the mat). Try pulling your elbows toward your belly button as you round the spine on an exhale. As you inhale, pull your elbows wide and press the middle of your chest forward and up.

Try to do this without moving through the hips.

Cat & Cow From Supine

Try the same movements on your back, it’s a really subtle and gentle spinal reset.

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the mat, about hip-width distance. Notice the small of your back – the part that’s naturally lifted away from the mat. As you inhale, press that part of your spine down into the mat and notice how your tailbone lifts an inch or two.

Then, as you exhale, press your tailbone down into the mat and feel your lower back lifting gently away from your mat.

Your hips don’t lift here, but you’re finding the extension and flexion of your spine from another position. Another amazing spinal reset we practice in yoga that should help with back pain.

Practice With A Dedicated Back-Pain Relief Yoga Class

There are plenty of yoga classes out there, but make sure you’re practicing alongside a class that’s supporting your relief from back pain. We’ve got plenty in our library that do just that, and my favourite is Love Your Back, a 30-minute back-loving session to help you feel WAY better.