Do you struggle with lower back pain?

Yoga could be the answer. Yoga can renew your body and mind, improve your health and flexibility, and eliminate joint and muscle pain.

You don’t need to be an expert yogi to get the benefits. In this post, we’ll give you seven yoga poses that you can practice to get lower back pain relief.

Get Lower Back Pain Relief with Yoga

Read on to find out more about these yoga poses and their benefits.

1. Child’s Pose

Everyone can do this one.

Not only is this pose super easy, it’s also surprisingly good for your lower back. You’ll feel your spine become aligned and extended, and as you do so, your back muscles will get a great stretch.

• Place your knees hip-width apart and kneel down on a yoga mat.
• Put your feet together behind you and sit your hips back and down.
• Lower your upper body down to the floor, laying your arms fully extended outwards in front of you.
• Rest your palms and your forehead on the floor.

2. Cat and Cow Pose

This combination of two poses will give you lower back pain relief and mobility by flexing and extending the area. It can help improve your posture, too!

You start with the cat pose, move into the cow pose, and alternate for a few minutes.

Cat Pose

• Begin on all fours on your yoga mat, making sure your hands are directly under your shoulders, and your knees are directly under your hips.
• Once you’re aligned, take a deep breath.
• As you exhale, round out your spine and shoulder blades, drawing your stomach upwards and your head downwards.

Cow Pose

• From the cat pose, take a deep breath.
• As you inhale, arch your back.
• Draw your head, chest, and tailbone towards the ceiling.
• Keep your abdominal muscles relaxed.

Keep switching between these two poses. You can time yourself for a few minutes, count up to 25 reps, or just keep going until you feel relaxed.

3. Garland Pose

Now we’re getting a little more advanced. This pose will challenge your balance and flexibility, but it’s worth it.

As well as stretching the lower back, it will also really work on the hip flexors, glutes, and inner thighs. If your lower back pain is a result of sitting down for long periods of time, you’ll have tightness in these areas, too.

• Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, facing slightly outwards.
• Squat down as low as you can while keeping your heels flat on the floor. If this is difficult, try placing them on a folded yoga mat for some extra support.
• Turn your knees out and lean your torso slightly forward.
• Place your elbows on the insides of your knees, bringing your hands together in a prayer pose in between.
• Remember to keep your spine neutral and your shoulders back throughout the pose. Don’t hunch over!

4. Supine Twist

You have a chance to lie down with this pose.

It will lengthen and relax your entire spine, using gravity to relieve tension in the lower back muscles.

• Lie down on a yoga mat with your back flat against the floor and your arms outstretched to your sides.
• With your feet and legs together, slowly bring your knees towards your chest.
• From there, lower your knees down to your left side.
• Keep your shoulder blades resting on the floor and turn your head to the right to feel the stretch.
• If you’re having difficulty, use one hand to gently pull your knees towards the floor.
• Bring the knees back to the center and repeat on the right side.

Stay in one position from 30 seconds to two minutes, then continue to switch sides several times.

5. Triangle Pose

Stretching is one of the golden rules of health and fitness.

To help out your lower back, you need to stretch the muscles in the rest of your body, too. That’s why you need to practice the triangle pose. It gives a whole-body stretch.

When one area of the body is tight, it can create a domino effect, causing pain elsewhere.

Triangle stretches the muscles in the legs, hips, shoulders, and chest, which are all important for lower back pain relief.

It also strengthens the back muscles, which is essential. As well as stretching, building strength is key for preventing back pain.

• Start by standing in the center of your yoga mat with your feet hip-width apart.
• Step your feet out wider, creating 4-5 feet of space. Make sure they’re aligned as you do so.
• Turn your right foot outwards at a 45-degree angle. This foot should be facing outwards while the left is pointing directly forwards.
• Bring your right hand down towards the floor, resting it on your ankle if you can.
• Raise your left arm up straight, directly above you.
• Turn your head up to face the ceiling, opening your shoulders and chest.
• Hold for 5-10 breaths, then repeat on the other side.

6. Marichi’s Pose

This pose brings you to a seated position. It targets the lower back muscles specifically, giving you a really good stretch.

• Sit on your yoga mat with your leg stretched out in front of you.
• Bend your right leg, bringing your foot to the floor and your heel as close to your body as possible.
• Twist your upper body, bringing your opposite arm towards the bent leg. Your tricep should rest on the outside of your knee.
• Turn to face behind you, placing your other hand on the floor for support.
• Repeat on the other side.

7. Standing Forward Bend

This position is also called a forward fold. It will lengthen your spine, stretch your hamstrings, and activate the muscles in your inner thighs.

• From a standing position, exhale, slowly reaching down to your feet as you do so.
• Try to keep your legs straight. If you’re not able to reach the floor that way, bend your knees slightly.
• Completely relax your upper body, letting it hang down.
• Point the top of your head towards the floor to elongate your spine.

Yoga is for Everyone

While lower back pain relief might be most valuable for the elderly and adults with sedentary jobs, it’s not limited to any age group. The same goes for yoga.

Everyone can benefit from yoga, no matter what their age. That’s why we all need to practice it. It’s particularly great for kids, as it can bring their energy down, increase their focus and build their confidence.

Learn more about how yoga can benefit children and put it to use in your household.