Monday, March 17, 2014

6 yoga poses for pain relief

Many people suffer from back pain
Yes, some of us have injuries from accidents or physical strain related causes, BUT, many of us are feeling pain as a result of mental and emotional stresses that over time lead to pain due to holding on to stress IN OUR BODY'S. pore posture habits sometimes as a result of long hours in chairs at work or home also lead to pain.
SOOOOOOO... the pain I am refering to here is BACK pain DUE TO pressure on the SPINE and/or NERVES.

Yoga is more of a preventive practice, an opportunity to LET GO of things and at the same time keep the body and mind active and healthy but it can be used for therapy as well and even pain relief in some cases, even some practices of meditations can heal the body but this is another Blog altogether, I'll just say this for now; "MIND OVER MATER" (it's the mind the caused the pain to begin with)
ANYWAY...
YOGA POSES to relieve PAIN



1. Downward-Facing Dog

 Downward-Facing Dog
This classic pose is excellent for total body stretch, spinal traction and maintaining lower back health.
keep your spine neutral. Tilt your tailbone towards your heels, push heels to floor and press back through your legs.
Extend your spine and head towards the space between your hands.

2. Uttanasana - Forwards bend
there are MANY variations, as with all yoga poses, and the main thing to keep in mind is EASY DOSE IT!! don't push the pose, let it happen, if you are tight, keep knees bent and even rest your hands on thighs above knees. try to relax the neck and slowly let go... lifting tail bone to sky, dropping head down and stay for a while... in the breath. This will lengthen and relax the back mussels, relieving tension from the vertebra's as well.     

3. Plank (Modified for Standing)

Stand in front of a wall with your hands flat against it. Keep your fingers wide, fingertips pointing towards the ceiling.
Draw your navel back as you lengthen your tailbone towards the floor. Lift your ribs from the pelvis. The goal here is to keep your low back as neutral as possible, using your core muscles to help stabilize your posture.
Keep your spine aligned while you walk your legs back. Bend at the waist and walk your hands down the wall as you go. Eventually your body will form the shape of an ‘L’. If you feel any pain or stress in your lower back, bend your knees to maintain the proper spinal alignment.
Maintain this pose for the length of 10-15 breaths. It will help build strength in your core muscles, thereby taking some of the load off of your spine, while supporting length and flexibility in your back muscles.

4. Legs Up the Wall (Viparita karani)


If you are using a bolster or pillow, place it under your hips and lift your legs up a wall. Otherwise, lie with your tailbone as close as possible to the wall and lift your legs.
Flex your toes towards your body and extend your arms out to your sides with your shoulders pulled back so that your shoulder blades are as flat against your mat as possible.
Relax and breathe deep into your belly.
This pose releases low back pressure, elongates the spine, and develops flexibility of the leg muscles and ligaments that helps support a natural, back-healthy gait.

5. CAT COW POSE
Inhale look up, drop belly and lift tail bone
Exhale forehead to hips, hips to forehead and arch back to sky
do a few SLOW rounds and rest in Child's pose.. then again...
This pose incises mobility of the spine, stretches the front torso and neck and even Provides a gentle massage to the belly organs.


6. Child POSE
Child
Use any variation for this pose and even some pillows or bolsters to make yourself comfortable.
Your knees can be wide apart or closed, arms stretching or folded next to feet, palms up.
head on floor, or pillow... what ever, just make it so you are RELAXED
Breathe into your back as you inhale and exhale deeply.
Breath in to the belly and lower back... go deeper with each breath and release tension with each exhale
Feel the space between each vertebra grow as you relax deeper into the pose.

"pain is inevitable suffering is optional"
may all beings be free from suffering!
Namaste ;)
SjD


8 comments:

  1. Thank you! I thought I was doing some of these stretches before, but after following your instructions and getting a MUCH better stretch, I realize I was not doing them correctly at all. Excellent explanations and pictures. I will be checking out your other posts.
    Yoga Bali

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