by We sit at desks all day, drive cars, and plop ourselves on couches at night…
Needless to say most of us are not doing anything to help our posture or our spine. These repetitive behaviors can often cause muscle stiffness and sore backs. Here are a few simple back care yoga postures that you can add into any yoga practice to keep your spine flexible and help hydrate your vertebrae.
Back Care Yoga Sequence
1. Cat/Dog
Start on all fours, with hands under the shoulders and knees under the hips. Inhale into cat. Exhale into dog. Keep this a dynamic movement, linking breath to spinal flexion. Repeat several times.
2. Seated Twist
Sit up straight! Move into and out of the twist on an exhale. Always remember that most of the twist happens in the upper two thirds of the spine. Do not crank down on your low back/lumbar area. You can sit on a pillow, block or chair if being on the floor is not comfortable.
3. Baby Cobra
Keep feet hip width apart. Plant your hands directly under your shoulders. Engage your pelvic floor and tuck your tail bone to protect your low spine. On an inhale, press into your hands and lift the chest. Be mindful of how your low back is feeling! You do not have to lift very high to benefit from this posture.
4. Reclined Half Lotus
Place your ankle above or below the opposite leg’s knee at whatever position feels comfortable. If your knee joint feels strained, place a prop under the bent knee. Relax your pelvis and breathe into the hip joint inviting it to open. You may stay in this posture for several minutes. Always repeat on both sides.
5. Reclined Twist
Start lying on your back with feet flat on the floor. Shift just your hips to one side. Bring your knees into your chest and then drop them over to the other side. This helps create a better alignment. Finally, look the opposite direction from your legs. If you have low back pain, do not move your knees as far to the ground. This may help keep the twist in the upper two thirds of the spin. Also, use props! You can prop between the knees, or under the bottom knee. Always repeat on both sides.
6. Knees to the Chest
Bring the knees into the chest and feel the entire spine connect to the floor. Stay awhile.
7. Pelvic Tilts
Lying on your back, without lifting your hips, rock your pelvis front and back. Be sure to engage your pelvic floor and your core muscles. This gentle back care yoga movement can be done at the beginning of any physical practice to wake up the lower back and spine.
