5 Poses to Help Relieve Lower Back Pain

I think we have all experienced lower back pain at some point in our life! There are so many causes, lifting an object wrong, bending over incorrectly, sitting for too long, a sport or work injury and the list goes on! We can all agree that this discomfort affects the way we go about in our day to day life. 

Before I go on *I strongly advise that you first go see a professional such as a doctor or a physio to check the severity of the injury and to be cleared for the following yoga poses!*

Below I have listed 5 of my go to poses which help relieve tightness and lower back pain.

1. Cat/Cow Flow

This is a beautiful way to warm up your spine and at the same time stretch your lower back. 

Begin by starting in table top pose - wrists are under your shoulders and knees are under your hips, your spine is neutral and straight (you are still engaging in this pose). 

Cow Pose

To begin inhale for cow pose, looking up and opening your chest, roll your shoulders back and arch your back. 

Cat Pose

Then exhale for cat, tucking chin to chest, rounding spine and pushing out of your shoulders. 

Continue to repeat this flow with your breath for as long as you feel. It is a beautiful way to warm your body up before any yoga session. 

2. Thread the Needle Pose

I love this pose as it is such a yummy twist, getting into your shoulders and stretching your lower back. 

Again begin in table top pose - wrists are under your shoulders and knees are under your hips, your spine is neutral and straight (you are still engaging in this pose). 

Thread the Needle Pose

Then plant through your left hand and knees, take your right hand palm up and thread under you left arm following all the way down to your right shoulder and the side of your face, twisting from your navel. 

Breathe here embracing the beautiful twist and shoulder release. Twists poses also help with digestion as they compress your stomach and intestines. 

Then plant down through the left hand and slowly unthread the right arm, returning to table top pose. 

Now repeat on the other side plant through your right hand and knees, take your left hand palm up and thread under you right arm following all the way down to your left shoulder and the side of your face, twisting from your navel. 

Breathe here and when ready to release plant down through the right hand and slowly unthread the left arm, returning to table top pose.

3. Squat Pose

This pose is another great pose to help with digestion, it is also great for ladies who are pregnant (after being cleared by your doctor). 

There are two options for squat pose, please listen to your body and choose the one that is most suitable. We need to find a balance between comfort and challenge but we should never feel any pain!

Modified Squat Pose

The first option is to stay on the balls of our feet and have finger tips touching the ground out in front. Ensure that you are engaging your core and your spine is long. Breathe and stay here for as long as you need enjoying the stretch in your lower back and release in your hips. 

Squat Pose

The second option which is a bit deeper is to be on the flat of your feet, with your hands in prayer pose at your heart. Again your core is engaged and spine is long, looking out in front. Breathe and stay here for as long as you need. 

4. Pigeon Pose

This my absolute favourite pose to stretch my lower back and release my hips! This pose is a bit more advanced compared to the other poses. If you don’t feel comfortable please skip this pose until you feel you are ready. 

Pigeon Pose

Begin by starting in downward facing dog, feet are hip width apart, sit bones high, ribs to spine, arms by your ears. Then plant through your hands and left foot and inhale right leg up and tuck into your chest, then lower the outside part of the leg down, right knee to right hand and right foot to left hand. The closer your right foot is to your left hip the easier the pose, the more parallel your right leg is to the top of your mat the deeper the stretch. Ensure that your right foot is flexed to protect your knee. Your hips should be square, if you are having trouble lowering your right hip down you can place a blanket or block under it. Once you have checked your alignment you can stay there with hands out in front or you can lower down, stacking your arms for your head to rest on them or extend arms out in front. Breathe here, this will be a strong stretch for the first couple of times so when you feel ready to come out, lift your head up, plant your hands and take your front leg back to downward facing dog. 

Repeat on the other side plant through your hands and right foot and inhale left leg up and tuck into your chest, then lower the outside part of the leg down, left knee to left hand and left foot to right hand. The closer your left foot is to your right hip the easier the pose, the more parallel your left leg is to the top of your mat the deeper the stretch. Ensure that your left foot is flexed to protect your knee. Your hips should be square, if you are having trouble lowering your left hip down you can place a blanket or block under it. Once you have checked your alignment you can stay there with hands out in front or you can lower down, stacking your arms for your head to rest on them or extend arms out in front. Breathe here, this will be a strong stretch for the first couple of times so when you feel ready to come out, lift your head up, plant your hands and take your front leg back to downward facing dog. 

5. Reclined Spinal Twist

This is a lovely relaxing pose, a great one for just before bed to help calm your mind and body. 

Reclined Spinal Twist

Begin by laying on your back hugging your knees into your chest, you can rock from side to side for a lower back massage. Then extend both arms out to the sides at shoulder height and keep knees bent and stacked and slowly lower to the left and turn your head to the right (unless you feel neck pain/discomfort). Breathe here and enjoy this release! When ready return your head to centre and bring knees back to your chest, you can rock from side to side again. Then extend arms out again at shoulder height and lower knees stacked and bent to the right, turning your head to the left. Stay here for as long as you like. Then return head to centre and bring knees back to your chest, rocking side to side. 

I hope that these 5 lower back stretches will bring you some relief to your discomfort. If you have anymore question please feel free to email any questions! Please, please, please remember to respect your body and listen to it! This is YOUR yoga journey!

xx Monique 

@flow_flourish_yoga