Fit to Print Volume 24 Issue 4 December 2015 | Page 19

Mind Body Spirit

by Karen Britton

Got Your Back
Yoga Can Provide Relief for Your Back Pain

S

tretching is a valuable component of
a treatment plan for anyone plagued
by back problems. Supple, wellstretched muscles are less prone to
injury, while less flexible muscles and
connective tissues restrict joint mobility,
which increases the likelihood of sprains
and strains. In particular, stretching the
hips and gluteus muscles, along with
strengthening your core, will not only
increase flexibility but may relieve back
pain, help prevent injury and allow you to
recover from injuries more quickly. That's
because the muscles of the hips and
gluteus attach to your spine, and if they
are tight, that can cause back problems.
For many, yoga can provide relief. You
might be thinking, yoga? I'm not flexible
enough for yoga." Remember my mantra:
You do not need to be flexible to start
yoga, yoga will make you flexible! It's like
saying you're not strong enough to lift
weights.
If you have back issues, it's always a good
idea to check with your chiropractor, back
specialist, etc. to obtain a diagnosis of
what's going on with your back before
starting yoga. Different back conditions
will respond to certain yoga postures and
while others should be avoided. A
professional diagnosis will help determine
the appropriate yoga postures. For
example, twists and backbends may be
good for some individuals, but they may
not be appropriate for others. There are
even static holding poses in yoga that
focus on posture and breath that can be
done in a chair or on the floor. So the key
to using yoga to treat your back pain is
first to understand the cause of your
condition.
Sciatica, for example, is not a condition;
it's a symptom of an underlining
condition. Check with your doctor if you
are having sciatica pain. Many people
with this symptom can practice yoga,
which may help heal the underlying
condition. Others may need a more
modified yoga practice while they
continue to work with a doctor,
chiropractor or other back specialist.
Here's an example of how your condition
might modify your practice: if you have
sciatica you may need to avoid doing a
downward facing dog or forward bending,
or you may need to modify the pose by
bending your knees and coming down only
half-way. Or perhaps a different posture
will be beneficial to you. Another posture,
sun salutations, which are a type of warm

up in yoga, may need to be avoided or
modified. The key is to always let the
instructor know your symptoms and
conditions. There are other forms of
warming up that might work for you.
The general rule should be: try a
posture, but if it does not feel right, do
not do it. Your body knows! If your body
does not agree, don't do it. If your body
agrees, move within your own limits.
Don't be concerned with how you
look—be concerned with how you feel.
Hip and gluteus stretching along with
core strengthening may be very safe
and effective when practiced this way.
It's very important to note that while
stretching, breathing is extremely
important. Without proper breathing,

“Listen to your body, it’s
the only one you have. If
you don’t, your body will
remind you and perhaps
not so pleasantly.”
stretching will not be as effective, and
could cause injury - the last thing you
want when you are trying to heal
yourself! Breathe mindfully, remaining
focused in the moment, and become
aware of your sensations, such as
tightness or pain. Do not push or force
your way into the posture, but rather
stop, take notice, breathe into it.
Feeling the breath and how it affects
your body is of utmost importance.
Also, stretches need to be held for a
period of time and not rushed. Try not
to have conversations while stretching
unless it’s with your instructor so you
can focus fully on you.
While there are several muscles that
connect to the spine, one particularly
important one is the psoas. It’s a
primary connector between the torso
and leg. It is a deep muscle, connecting
the lumbar to the femur. It affects
posture, helps stabilize the spine, and
if not stretched, can be a significant
contributor to low back and pelvic pain.
The psoas major plays a big role in a
group of muscles called hip flexors.
Together they contract to pull the thigh

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and torso toward each other. Hip flexors
can become short and tight if you spend
most of your time sitting, as many of us
do, or by repeatedly working them in
exercises such as sit-ups, bicycling, and
certain weight training. Tight psoas can
cause serious postural problems. Standing
up, it pulls the low back vertebrae
forward and down toward the femur,
often resulting in overarching the lumbar
spine, called lordosis, a common cause of
low back pain and stiffness. Tightness of
the psoas may also contribute to arthritis
in lower back joints.
It’s also important not to over-stretch the
psoas and weaken it, which can cause
another postural problem, in which the
pelvis is pushed forward of the chest and
knees. This misalignment, along with tight
hamstrings, can pull down on the sitting
bones, resulting in a vertical sacrum
(instead of a gentle forward tilt), a nd a
flattened lumbar spine. Without the
normal curve of the lower back, it can
become weakened and prone to injury,
especially the intervertebral discs. To
avoid misalignment from overstretching
it's very important to be focused and feel
how your body it reacting. Slightly
engaging your lower belly while doing
some postures will not only help the back,
your core will also strengthen and tone. In
some postures, the pelvis is tilted, but
one must remember to tilt it only slightly
and not to tilt the pelvis too far forward or not tilt at all, just engage the lower
abdomen. Your instructor can help you
with the specifics depending on the pose
and your condition.
The beauty of yoga is that it provides
stretching while also strengthening the
body. Various postures require you to
engage the lower abdomen while holding
the pose while other postures focus more
on the core. And breathing exercises
cleanse the body by massaging the organs
as well as tone the abdominal muscles.
Even if you are limited in doing some
postures, you can do breath work and still
attain positive results. All told, yoga
offers a wonderfully balanced and
complete approach to coping with and
overcoming back pain. Give it a try!

Karen Britton is a certified Yoga Instructor and a regular
contributor to these pages.
She teaches Yoga classes and programs at Fitness Incentive.

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