Yoga for Neck and Shoulder Pain Beginners

 The Best Yoga for Neck, Shoulder Pain, and Lower Back Stretches for Beginners, According to Experts

Lower back pain can be caused by how you sleep, exercise, walk, sit, and more. And when you're dealing with aching and, often, debilitating lower back soreness, there's a good chance all you want to do is stay in bed. But research shows that combining strength and aerobic exercise with stretching two to three times a week can help prevent and reduce lower back pain. So, we chatted with the experts to find lower back stretches you can do at home to help ease lower back pain.

While not all back pain can be treated with lower back stretches, sometimes low back pain is caused by tight hips and legs, so strengthening and loosening these muscles may bring you relief. The good thing about gentle stretching is that it's possible to do when you're in pain—and often provides the fastest relief, says Jamie Costello MSc, fitness director at Pritikin Longevity Center + Spa.

And often low back pain stems from stiffness or lack of mobility in the legs, hips, or upper back, says Rami Hashish, Ph.D., D.P.T., a body performance and injury specialist. He recommends using a series of exercises that focus on core strength, posture, stability, and flexibility to help prevent and reduce back pain.

But, if your pain hasn't gone away for more than two weeks, you experience extreme discomfort or pain during rest, have a loss of sensation, have difficulty walking or moving your legs, or experience bowel or bladder dysfunction, Hashish suggests checking in with your doctor as soon as possible.

how to stretch lower back

Stretch your lower back with caution, says Costello, especially if you have an existing injury or other health concerns, and if you're in pain, consult your doctor before starting a new exercise. The Best.

Consider whether you're flexion sensitive (bending forward creates pain) or extension sensitive (the back creates pain), says Karen Litzy, PT, DPT, owner and physical therapist at Karen Litzy Physical Therapy. When introducing stretching, she suggests being extra careful when working through movements that are flexion or extension based.

Aim to hold each stretch for at least 10 seconds and preferably 30 seconds or longer, Costello recommends. The longer you hold these stretches, the greater the pain relief benefits.

Instead of racing through the moves, Costello encourages turning on soothing music and using this stretching time as an opportunity to relax and renew.

do not forget to breathe! It may sound silly, but Costello says that focusing on using your breath can help you deal with any feelings of discomfort.

In general, be sure to incorporate other activities such as walking into your every day along with these stretches, Litzi says.

Now, try these expert-approved lower back stretches.

1. Child Pose Child's Pose Back Pain Exercise

This common yoga pose gently stretches the lower back muscles, which are likely to contract when they are in pain. Plus, Hashish says that not only can it relax the lower back, but it can help open up your hips. If you find that you have issues with your hips, Litzy suggests widening your knees and going as far as you can comfortably go.

How to do a child's pose: Start in a tabletop position on your hands and knees, placing your hands directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Extend your arms in front of you, keeping your palms flat on the floor. Slowly sit your hips back toward your heels, lowering your head and chest down as your arms reach forward and reach the wall in front of you. If this stretch is too much, place a pillow under your abdomen to elevate yourself slightly and reduce the strain on the lower back muscles. Hold this pose for 20 to 30 seconds or more.

2. Cat/Cow Stretch

This dynamic movement moves the low-back muscles in two directions and creates a child's pose to help lengthen contracted muscles and soothe soreness. It can also help increase core strength and overall balance, says Hashish. Litzi adds to make sure you focus on your pelvis, acting as if you have a tailbone that you want to stick up toward the ceiling or tuck under yourself.

How to do the cat/cow stretch: Start in a tabletop position on your hands and knees, placing your hands directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips. In this position, your spine should be parallel to the ground. Then, round your back, stretching your mid-back between your shoulder blades—similar to how a cat stretches by rounding its back. Hold for five seconds, then relax and allow your belly to drop down as you gently arch your lower back and hold here for five seconds. Repeat these movements for 30 seconds or longer.

3. Supine Twist Yoga at Home: Jathara Parivartanasana Pose

This stretch helps to stretch not only your lower back but also your glutes, which can tighten when you're experiencing lower back pain, ultimately leading to more pain. It's also effective in improving overall spinal flexibility, says Hashish.

How to Do Supine Twists: Begin by lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Extend your arms out to the sides in a "T" position. Keep your shoulders on the ground as you gently rotate both knees to one side. Hold here for 20 to 30 seconds, then return your knees to the center and repeat on the other side. If the stretch is too much for you, place a pillow or stack of blankets under your knees as you twist to each side.

4. Young attractive woman in knee-to-chest stretchApanasana pose,

Similar to the other stretches on this list, this pose lengthens and stretches the low back muscles, says Hashish. Litzi says this is a great option if the child's posture is too heavy on the hands and hips.

How to do the knee-to-chest stretch: Begin by lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Bring your hands to rest either behind your knees or just below your knees. Slowly bring both your knees towards your chest, using your hands to slowly pull your knees up. Hold here for 20 to 30 seconds, and try rocking your hips up and down from side to side to help massage your lower back, then return to the starting position.

5. Pelvic Tilt Woman resting on her mat in Sunny Yoga Studio

When you suffer from low back pain, you may feel as though your entire pelvic region is immobile. This stretch can help you gradually get some movement back in the area by relieving sciatica and strengthening your abdominal muscles, says Hashish.

How to do a pelvic tilt: Begin by lying on a yoga mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Try to relax with your lower back in a neutral position (which means you should feel a slight curve in your lower back if you place the top of your hand under your back). . Activate your core muscles and then tilt your pelvis slightly upward to lower your back flat to the floor. Repeat 12 to 15 times.

6. Supine Figure 4 Stretching Muscles

This classic yoga pose helps to open the hips as much as it is good for massaging your lower back. "This pose stretches the outer glutes as well as your piriformis, both of which can contribute to lower back pain," says Hillary Wright, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology, anatomy, and physiology at Manhattan College. This is an effective stretch to relieve pain and increase hip mobility, says Hashish.

How to do the supine figure 4 stretch: Lie on your back on a yoga mat with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift your right leg, flex your right foot and cross your right ankle over your left thigh. If that's enough, stay here, or to increase the intensity, drive your left knee in and grab the back of your left thigh. Hold for 10 to 15 breaths and then switch to the other side.

7. Hand-to-Big Toe Stretch (Supta Padangusthasana) That's Extremely Gentle

"Tight hamstrings and adductors, also known as your inner thighs, can contribute to a tight lower back," explains Wright. This pose stretches things out by loosening the back of the feet, ankles, calves, and hamstrings, says Hashish. If you find that you have pain in one leg, this stretch may put too much stress on the leg and should be avoided, Litzi says.

How to do the hand-to-toe bend: Lie on your back and lift your right leg up toward your face.

Place your hands on the back of your thigh or calf, depending on how tight your hamstrings feel. Keep your opposite leg active and lower your opposite hip to the ground. Your head and shoulders should remain on the ground. Hold for 10 breaths. Now, still keeping your opposite hip on the ground, lower your right leg down to the right. Lower the right leg only as far as you can without lifting the opposite hip.

8. Cow-face pose (Gomukhasana) Young attractive woman in Gomukhasana pose,

This pose stretches your outer glutes, which when tight can cause low back pain, says Wright. It can reduce tightness in the hips, ankles, shoulders, and chest, says Hashish.

How to do Cow-Face pose: From a seated position, bring your left heel toward your right glute, keeping your left knee straight in front of you. Now bring your right leg over your left leg, keeping your knees together in such a way that both are facing straight ahead. It's okay if they aren't stacked directly on top of each other. Your feet should be on either side of you, toes pointing behind you. Stand straight and keep your spine tall, or lean forward slightly to increase the intensity.

9. Bridge Pose Tight Curves Workout

"Softening around your sacrum releases some tension around the low back and lengthening through the sit bones encourages activation of the lower part of your gluteus maximus," says Wright. Helps support the part." Hashish says it's an excellent stretch option for the chest and hips while also strengthening the back, glutes, and hamstrings.

How to do Bridge pose: Lie on your back, bend your knees and place both feet on the yoga mat. Make sure your feet are hip-width apart and your heels close to your glutes. Press into your feet to lift your hips. From here try to soften around your sacrum, and lengthen your sitting bones down to your knees. Hold on for 30 seconds.

10. Forearm Plank Sporty girl doing elbow plank exercise working on abs

Wright says this variation of the plank activates your core, which will help take some of the pressure off by strengthening the muscles around your lower back.

How to do forearm plank: From the top of a push-up position, lower your forearms to the mat directly under your shoulders. You can join your hands or bring your forearms parallel to each other, depending on how your shoulders feel. Kick through heels and engage your core. Hold for at least 30 seconds, and work your way up to a minute.

11. Pigeon post athletic woman doing pigeon pose in yoga

Tight hip flexors can lead to lower back pain, and one of the best ways to open the hips is through an extended half-pigeon pose. Hashish notes that this is an effective mobility exercise and hip stretch. A small study of people with chronic back pain found that those who practiced yoga, including pigeon pose, for 8 weeks experienced a 9% reduction in pain.

How to do Pigeon Pose: Starting in Downward-Facing Dog, inhale as you lift your right leg toward the sky for Three-Legged Downward-Facing Dog. On your next exhale, bend the knee and bring your right knee toward your right wrist. Lower your right shin so that it's parallel to the top of your mat (it may be at an angle depending on your hip flexion, and that's totally okay!) Gently lower your left foot to your mat. slide to the end. Feel free to stay here, or you can bend your arms at the top of your mat and lower your head to the top of your hands. Hold for 7 to 10 breaths.

12. Half Lord of the Fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

Also known as the seated twist pose, Ardha Matsyendrasana helps improve posture and spinal mobility in people with lower back pain. Don't let your lower back collapse when you do this asana, and remember that a little goes a long way when twisting with lower back pain.

How to master half the fish pose: Sit with your legs extended in front of you (Dandasana). Lift your right leg and place your foot on the ground near your left knee. Bend your left leg and place the left foot on the outside of your right hip. Sink down through your hip bones, and inhale as you find length through the spine. Rest your left elbow on your right knee as you reach your right arm behind you, and slowly rotate. Hold for 5 to 8 breaths.

13. Happy Baby (Anand Balasan) 

Asian woman practicing or exercising indoor Happy Baby pose while watching a video fitness workout class live streaming online on a laptop in the home living room

A relaxing pose, Happy Baby is great for inducing relaxation, while opening your hips to ease lower back pain. It also relaxes the back muscles and helps loosen the neck and shoulders, giving you relief. Hashish says it can be a helpful tool to stretch the waistline. If you can't reach your toes, Litzy suggests using a strap instead.

How to do Happy Baby Posture: From a lying position on your back on your mat, bend your knees so that your heels appear to be touching the ceiling. Grasp the outside of your feet with both your hands and tuck your elbows inside your knees. Flex your heels into your hands and stand still or feel free to give your lower back a little massage.