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If you consider how often we sit (ahem, slouch), it's not a huge surprise that many of us suffer from minor upper back pain. I mean, we probably spend the majority of our day seated whether we're driving, at our desks, eating or watching tv. No bueno, my friends, because I'm willing to bet that many of us are hunched over. This puts a lot of strain on the upper back, shoulders and neck, and weakens the chest over time. To counter that, I've put together 5 yoga poses to alleviate minor back pain.
I need to just give you a heads up that if you are suffering from major back pain, you should probably go see a doctor or massage therapist or something. But if it's minor, these poses may help.
Yoga Poses for Upper Back Pain
1. & 2. Cat/Cow poses. Cat and cow poses are always class favorites because they're such feel good poses. They may not look like much, but they stretch the whole front body and whole back body, and help to warm up the spine, which is why they're often found at the beginning of yoga sequences.
3. Seated twist. This is a fantastic poses for wringing out the stiffness. It also compresses the internal organs, making it beneficial for digestion. If you can't come into a bind as shown, just leave the left hand in the air with the elbow hooked on the outside of the right knee, and bring the right hand to the mat.
4. Child's pose variation. This variation (last seen here in Yoga to Zap Stress) is a gentle twist that always stretches the outside of the arms and the shoulders.
5. Bow pose. Bow pose can be modified by wrapping a strap around your feet, and works to open up the chest, and shoulders, and gives a nice stretch across the whole front body. Bonus: It's a good one for the ankles as well (runners will benefit!)
Let's talk: Do you suffer from any aches and pains? What do you think causes them?
Related: Yoga for improved posture, and a 15 minute yoga video for tight hips.