Yoga For Back Pain: The 5 Best Exercises To Do At Home

1. Cat And Cow

Yoga – Start on your hands and knees with your wrists directly under your shoulders. The knees should be hip-width apart. Make sure the front of your ribs aren’t sagging toward the floor. Now straighten your spine and inhale while arching your back down first while looking ahead. Then, as you exhale, arch your back like a cat’s back and look down.

Do five to ten cycles of cat and cow—or just as many rounds as you need to get rid of back pain. Move slowly while intensifying your breath. Make sure you only do movements that feel good on your back. End the exercise with your spine and pelvis neutral and hold this position for one breath.

2. Wall Down Dog yoga

Stand about a leg’s length from a wall. Bend forward and place your palms against the wall so your back is parallel to the floor. Now straighten your arms and straighten your back. Bend your knees enough to tilt your pelvis up to relieve your lower back.

Be careful not to arch your mid-back too much. Hold this posture for five to ten deep sniffs.

This non-carrying variation of the dog provides all of the positive physical effects of the pose—but forgoes the difficulty of keeping it on the mat. With the Wall Down Dog you have enough time to hold the exercise sufficiently to relieve and relax your back.

3. Low Lung Variation

Standing upright, lunge forward with your right leg and place your left hand on the floor to your left as far as you can. It’s important to keep your hips straight and your front knee pointed over your foot. Swing your right arm next to your right ear and rotate your chest up. Look at the ceiling under your upper arm. Hold the pose for numerous breaths and repeat on the other side.

By varying the lunges, the upper body and side ribs are stretched – which can help with back problems. It is precisely in this area that people often shorten their posture and injure their backs.

4. Bridge With Block

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Make sure your ankles are under your feet and your feet are pointing straight ahead. Place a yoga block amid your inner thighs.

Squeeze the block and slowly lower it toward the floor—but only as far as you can hold the block between your thighs. Hold this position for five breaths and slowly lower your hips back to the floor.

The bridge is a great way to open your back and relax – if done correctly. Misaligning your back bend by rotating your feet, knees, and thighs can cause additional pain. The block helps keep the inner thighs tucked in and protects the back.

5. Soup Twist

Lie on your back. Bend your knees and home your feet wide apart so they are at the side of the mat. Now drop both knees to the right like a windshield wiper and hook your right ankle over your left thigh.

Extend your arms to either side, bend your elbows and turn your palms up. Look slightly to the left and keep both shoulders on the floor. Hold this pose for five breaths and repeat on the other side.

Turning creates space on the sides of the body, which are often subject to additional stress. This gentle rotation provides stability so you can focus on your alignment and control lengthening of your back.