This is a short series of yoga classes designed to help relieve back pain.
Keeping in mind that back pain is a complicated issue with many possible causes, you may want to speak with your doctor or chiropractor before starting a yoga program.
A couple of years ago, I went through several months of terrible back pain. I’m not sure what brought it on, but I know from experience that it was not fun. I did yoga throughout that time period, and there were lots of poses that weren’t accessible to me, especially back bends. So I did what I could, and that’s what I encourage you to do, too.
And there’s more! A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in March 2016 showed that mindfulness-based stress reduction (like yoga!) can help reduce back pain.
Yoga for Back Pain 1: Easy Does It
This is the gentlest of all three of the classes that will be on this page. If you’re new to yoga and back pain management, start with this class. Practice it regularly until you feel some improvement, then go on to the next class. With its gentle poses and slow transitions, it’s a great class for a beginner, too, whether you have back pain or not.
Yoga for Back Pain 2: Open Up
In this class, we incorporate some of the nurturing poses we did in the first class with additional poses focused on improving flexibility, particularly in the hips and muscles that, when tight, can contribute to back pain.
Yoga for Back Pain 3: Strong and Steady
Hopefully by now, perhaps after a few weeks of practice with classes 1 and 2, you’re noticing some improvement! In this class, we start to work on some more strengthening exercises to address the muscles that, when weak, can contribute to back pain. We’ll incorporate some flexibility and nourishing poses, as well, while we continue working on our mindset, forever visualizing a healthy, pain-free back.