Back pain is a consistent issue that can disable or slow you down, and many industries spend billions of dollars trying to relieve people of recent or chronic back pain.

Back pain can be challenging to heal your spine involves many moving parts like ligaments, bones, muscles, tendons, nerves, soft tissues, and much more. All parts of our body are connected to different systems, so having pain in one area could affect other areas.

You want to focus on long-term solutions—exercises and treatments that focus on relieving back pain for good.

Some ways to prevent and treat back pain are working out and stretching your body using yoga and Pilates. Both are proven techniques that help people connect with their bodies, slowly address back pain, and gain strength and flexibility.

Yoga

You don’t have to be an experienced yoga practitioner to jump into it. Many poses are great for beginners, and setting a consistent routine can allow you to fully stretch your body, including your neck, shoulders, and back.

Here are a few yoga positions that you can try to alleviate back pain:

• Downward Facing Dog
• Planks
• Cat/Cow Pose
• Child’s Pose

Pilates

Like with yoga, it’s not necessary to be experienced to try a few positions, and the goal is to keep your back strong and flexible.

Here are a few pilates positions that may help relieve back pain:

• Pelvic Tilt
• Spinal Twist
• Chest Lift
• Spine Stretch

Walking

In the case of back pain, Newton’s first law of motion holds true: an object in motion stays in motion. When you have back pain, laying on your back can actually make your pain worse, and being rigid makes it harder to be fluid.

Try walking every day for at least 10 to 15 minutes to give your back an excellent, gentle workout.

Swimming

Swimming can be a great workout for those with arthritis, joint pain, and injuries. Depending on the extent of your back pain, this may be an ideal way to gently stretch and work out without overexerting yourself.

Only 150 minutes of moderate swimming can help you lose weight, sleep better, relieve pain, and much more.

Tips To Protect Yourself

Practicing a mind/body workout can improve your quality of life, but it’s essential that you take it slow and protect yourself from further injury:

• When you twist your spine and body, avoid extending as well
• If you can’t touch your toes, either slightly bend your knees or use a prop to help. Never force a pose
• Always stop any activity immediately if you feel pain or uncomfortable

Everyone’s body and health are different; there is no one-size-fits-all to relieving and addressing back pain.

Beginners may want to join a yoga or Pilates class for guidance and support; it’s possible to misunderstand directions and perform a position incorrectly. Teachers can improve your posture and give tips, plus you can ask them for specific poses to relieve back pain. Of course, if back pain becomes more frequent and severe, it might be a good idea to visit your chiropractor. Everett Spine & Rehab is located in Snohomish County–we are here to help you with your back pain and injury rehabilitation.

The good news is that studies have evidence that yoga may indeed help relieve back pain. A Boston University Study of 320 participants found that “Yoga is effective for mild to moderate chronic low back pain (cLBP)...” In a separate study conducted by Dr. Erik J. Groessl and his team from the VA San Diego Healthcare System, 150 veterans with chronic low back pain were tasked with completing a 12-week yoga program. The 12-week yoga intervention was based on hatha yoga (this branch of yoga focuses on postures and breathing techniques). The results? The veterans had “better scores on a disability questionnaire, improved pain intensity scores, and a decline in opioid use.” 

While you may, with good intentions, get ready to hop into yoga right away, you should assess the severity of your back pain. It’s possible that your pain is too severe for you to complete yoga postures (or even worse, ironically incur injuries if your body cannot handle it or if not done properly). It’s best to consult with your physician before starting a new physical regimen.  

Online Yoga Resources 

The 10 Best Yoga Poses for Back Pain 

16 Yoga Poses to Ease Back Pain