Hatha Yoga Poses For Back Pain

One of the biggest complaints people have about body aches and pain is back pain. This can be due to your job, especially if you work in a manufacturing or labor industry. You may also have back pain due to extreme weight gain or loss, an accident, or because you are sitting for too many hours a day in a non-ergonomic environment. Regardless of the reason for the pain, there are some ways to help it. If you use yoga at all, consider these Hatha yoga poses for back pain.

Downward Facing Dog

One of the more common poses is downward facing dog. It is used in a number of traditions, including Hatha. The downward facing dog pose starts with your feet together and flat on the floor. You will breath in deeply and exhale as you fold forward. Once your hands are on the floor, you will crawl outward until your body is in a triangle pose. This is downward facing dog.

Standing Forward Bend

You can move from downward facing dog into the next pose that is good for back pain, the standing forward bend. Walk your way slowly back up until you have your fingers at your toes and your face at your legs. You are bent over the same as you would be if you were sitting down and bending forward. Do not over strain in this position. The idea is to stretch out your back muscles. Some tension may be there, but if it does start to hurt, slowly raise up until the pain stops.

Bridge Pose

After you have completed downward facing dog and standing forward bend, move onto the floor on your back. You will want to sit on your knees for this pose. Once you are on your knees, slowly bend back and arch your back. You are going for a back arch that is like a bridge hump. This pose will bend your back a bit and help you to stretch muscles in a different direction and work out some of the tension that may be causing your back pain. 

These are the most common poses in Hatha yoga that aid in back pain and pain management. If you find you need to add more to your routine, consider seeing a Hatha yoga instructor for some one on one training. They can help you find the right poses for your needs and make sure you are executing them properly.
