YOGA as a Back Pain Remedy
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Carla Mkarzel: An accredited yoga instructor by the FNEY (National French Yoga Federation).She contributed in several workshops in Europe, USA, and Lebanon
For over 20 years of tuition yoga in several schools, universities and clubs, Carla is skilled and certified in different styles of Yoga
Magazine: Fit'N Style
Issue : 30 june 2009
Lebanon
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Back pain is widespread… 75% of adults are indeed sufferers of this notorious problem. Noteworthy to mention, the pain can be enormous. Throughout the years, physicians have carried out all sorts of attempts to discover the underlying causes. In most cases, medications unfortunately only provide temporary relief. Surgery – in most cases – take the back seat, while yoga occupies the front row, as a sound and safe remedy.
- Back and standing position:
If your life requires from you to stay standing for a long time, you should straighten the chin, make the back straight, to retro verse the pelvis while keeping the legs spaced as per the length of the pelvis in order to distribute the body weight over the two legs.
- Back and sitting position:
Three golden rules to be respected for assuring that you are sitting well:
- The knees must be slightly higher than the hips.
- The buttocks must be fitted slightly within the edges of the chair.
- The back region must be well supported.
We must place our bottocks to the back of the seat, tightening the abdominal muscles to straighten up the back, while keeping the head in the prolongation of the vertebral column.
Yoga, a way of being, is one of the simplest disciplines. It allows us to take charge of ourselves. The breathing which accompanies each of the exercises produces a sort of internal massage, and oxygenates tissues.
The following are some stretching and respiration exercises to assist you in toning up muscles and cease intense pains. An awareness session is necessary before commencing this exercise to readjust the body plan.
- Back of the lie back position:
Whether on the back or on the side, we should maintain the vertebral column axe perfectly straight. Don’t hesitate to slip a small pillow under the head for keeping the back of the head in the prolongation of the column. In cases of lumbar fragilities, place another pillow under the knees for keeping the lower part of the back well spreaded on the surface.
We should stretch progressively while respecting the body limits, and breathe correctly while performing the movements. It is preferable that the room is warm and lightly lit.
Preparation of the cervico-back region
- Sit with your back straight, with the posterior of your head tilted backwards; breathe in before the move and breathe out during it.
- Breathe in while maintaining the central position; breathe out while turning the head slowly to the right and try to place your chin at the same level as the right shoulder. Stay for 3 seconds, return the head to the center and then turn to the left side.
- Breathe in while maintaining the central position, breathe out while bending the head slowly to the right. Feel the move…
feel it while loosening the effort strength, and then straighten up the head; now bend your head towards the left side.
- Rotate the head clockwise towards the left, and then repeat this semi circle in the opposed direction to untie the cervical region. (Avoid returning the head to the back).
- To tone up the muscles of the neck, grasp your hands together, and place them behind the head keeping the back of the head high.
While breathing in, open the elbows and the shoulders and push the head towards the fists, hold without breathing for three seconds, on exhaling loosen the head towards the chest while keeping the weight of the arms high.
- Drawing circles with the shoulders permits you to loosen the upper part of the back in the two directions. This process should always be guided by your breathing.
For relief of the lombalgies:
- Lie down on the back on a flat surface, knees should be bent. Put the right hand on the abdomen, breathe in profoundly, and while breathing out, bring in the stomach gently while squeezing the muscles of the pelvic bottom, retro verse the pelvis. This easy movement guided by the breathing permits us to tone up the abdominal musculature, which maintains a better protection of the back.
- In the Same position on the back, legs bent, raise the head and the shoulders while exhaling, stretch the arms ahead and try to touch the knees, on the next inhalation, lie down the back.
- Always lying down on the back, the feet are flat on the surface, knees are bent. Arms along the body, palm against the surface, breathe in profoundly and while exhaling pull out the knees bringing them towards the chest without removing the body from the surface.
- Always laying down on the back, stretching the legs in the prolongation of the thighs while breathing in, point the toes of one leg and while breathing out bend the toes towards tibia bringing the leg to be vertical, (keep the legs flexible, in case of fragile or sciatic back ). Repeat the movement many times then repeat the same with the other leg.
- Always on the back, feet parallel, squeeze the buttocks on inhaling, raise the back slowly along with the breathing, keep the posture while holding the breath and on exhaling return each vertebral of the back one after the other gently. The posture permits to stretch the column slowly.
- Again on the back with the legs bent, pull out the knee with two hands towards the stomach while breathing out. Hold without breathing for few seconds and loosen up,
then pass to the second leg, repeating the movement with the breathing permits us to stretch the lower part of the back .
- While on your hands and knees, completely loosen up the vertebral column, curve the
back, loosen up at the level of the back of the neck. Regain the consciousness of the four pillars with the arms and the legs. Breath in while opening the chest curving the upper part of the back, breathe out while returning the stomach and squeezing the buttock while rounding the back, the head bringing in between the two arms, with the body weight on the thighs.
Repeat many times as long as the movement is in conformity with the breathing.
- Rest against the wall, while descending slowly bend the knees till 90 degrees, keep the back of the neck high, and the head and the column pressed against the wall, while breathing out. Be conscious of the breathing and the control of abdominal muscles. Maintain this position as long as you can. Repeat three times.
The end of our session is as important as the beginning. Most of people like music. Music lifts the morality, promotes relaxation and has a magical effect. It intervenes in the process thus helping the patient to recover, and can contribute in stretching your tight and painful muscles... There are many methods for facing and defeating the pain. The most important is to remain positive and to listen to our bodies.
Carla Mkarzel
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