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Linda Wilkerson
5 Reasons Why Yoga is Good for Your Back
Many practicioners in the Yoga community will tell you that Yoga can relieve back pain. Teachers see it first hand and often have experienced it first hand.
A recent study confirms these observations. This study was financed with $400,000 and shows that Yoga provides relief from back pain. Not only does Yoga work better than conventional pain therapy, it also makes you feel better--Yogi's are "less depressed."
Put in Yogic terms, practioners are happier!
With this research in mind, here are some reasons why Yoga may make your back feel better.
Posture
This is a no brainer. Yoga poses are about posture. Yogi's even call them 'postures'. The asanas evolved for the express purpose of bringing integrity to posture so that the body can be structurally firm, yet relaxed.
Strengthening
Yoga poses tend to strengthen the muscles that hold you up. Many forms of exercise ignore these important core muscles in favor of developing superficial muscles which give the body a 'hard' tone. Yogi's ask, "What's the point of eye-popping gluts if your back is killing you?"
Stretching
If strength is one side of the coin, flexibility is the other side. Modern lifestyles encourage a lot of sitting. Over time, postural muscles shorten and pull you out of allignment. Other muscles have to work harder to compensate for the shortcomings and eventually start to ache. Stretching relieves the burden of cramping, over-worked muscles.
Relaxing
Tension is a habitual state of being for many. Stress contracts the body, effects you emotionally and can cause muscles to ache from exhaustion. If you learn to relax, your suffering body will relax and vice versa.
Breathing
This goes hand-in-hand with relaxing. The practice of deep breathing directs your attention to muscles that are impeding the breath and encourages you to relax them. Relaxed muscles aren't prone to ache.
Remember, a Yoga practice can be stunningly difficult or the most relaxing experience of your life. Do you and your back a favor by finding a suitable class that you can enjoy. Consistency is key to reap the optimal benefits.
Photo by Rachel.
Comments
yoga is good for your back
People often ask me when I started yoga and what led me to the practice. While there are many reasons why people seek out yoga my main reason was a persistant pain in the middle of my back. I was always active, but after having 2 kids in 3 years time I was a mess. I was always bent over! I started hot yoga in a little studio in South Tampa and I have never looked back. Yoga has helped me in so many ways, but being pain free is just one of the wonderful gifts yoga has to offer. yoga has become part of my daily routine and has kept me in good shape for the last 15 years. I still get sore form some types of yoga and feel my muscles in different ways, but there is no pain. I just love my practice!
Amen to pain free
If that was the only reason for doing yoga, it would be more than sufficient. I feel I get pain free plus a lot more: more relaxed; more optimistic; and on and on.