Updated on December 3, 2024.
Most people will experience low back pain at some point. It’s a top cause of missed work days and a leading cause of disability worldwide. But if you’re able, trying some simple yoga moves could help ease your discomfort.
Remember to speak with a healthcare provider (HCP) before starting yoga or any new exercise routine, especially if you have mobility issues. They can help you figure out what physical activity is right for you.
Benefits of yoga
If you’re familiar with yoga, then you may already know that it can help improve your flexibility and balance. Research suggests that yoga has a variety of additional health benefits, as well. Among its many perks, yoga can help:
- Improve sleep
- Manage weight or lose excess weight
- Help ease anxiety and depression
- Manage symptoms of chronic diseases
- Relieve symptoms of menopause
Research also shows yoga may help ease low back pain. Here’s what to know.
Yoga for low back pain relief
In a 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis published in the journal PAIN, researchers found that compared to people who weren’t getting any exercise, those who practiced yoga had short- and long-term improvements in:
- Intensity of pain
- Pain-related disability
- Physical functioning
It also improved short-term mental health.
But there was a catch. When people who practiced yoga were compared to other people actively involved in another (non-yoga) exercise, there was no measurable difference.
Some other research has come to similar conclusions, like a 2022 systematic review of 445 systematic reviews published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. Researchers looked at the effectiveness of a variety of exercises for helping low back pain. Once again, each exercise was effective compared to not getting any activity—but there were few differences between the exercises.
Strike a pose
If you’d like to use yoga to help improve your back pain, remember that it can involve bending and twisting, and like any exercise, may cause injuries. Make sure not to hurry through poses. Instead, give your body time to slowly lengthen or stretch into a yoga posture. If a yoga instructor is helping you, make sure they are certified and can advise you on modified versions that can meet your ability level and health needs.
If you have low back pain or other health conditions, always consult with your healthcare provider (HCP) before beginning a new exercise routine.
In the meantime, here are some poses you may find helpful.
Mountain pose
Stand tall at the front of the yoga mat with your feet hip-distance apart. Bring your shoulders up, then back. Pull your chest up and your chin in, but keep looking straight ahead. Breathe in as you lift your arms above your head, palms facing each other. Hold for 10 seconds, then breathe out as you lower your arms to your sides.
Standing forward bend
Stand up straight. Your legs should be touching. Breathe in as you slowly lift your arms over your head, then breathe out as you slowly bend forward, hinging at the hips while moving the heart forward and down. Your arms should reach out toward the mat, or take hold of your calves or ankles. Hold for a full minute, breathing slowly in and out. Then, with your head and arms still hanging down, slowly roll up to bring your upper body back up to standing.
Downward facing dog
Resting on your hands and knees, walk your hands forward while keeping them shoulder-width apart. Press into your palms, push your heels toward the floor, and lift your hips up toward the ceiling, picking your knees up off the floor. You should look like an upside-down V, with feet hip-width apart. Your gaze should fall between your feet. Be mindful to push forward through your hands while pressing back through your thighs to keep the weight of the body lifting up through the hips.
Bridge pose
Start flat on your back, with your feet planted on the floor. Raise your hips up off the floor while tightening your core and glute muscles. Lean back into your shoulders and hold for 20 seconds. Slowly lower your back to the yoga mat.
Cat-cow pose
Starting on all fours, breathe in deeply while slowly bringing your neck up and your belly down. This is the cow pose. Then as you breathe in, do the opposite—bring your belly up and lower your neck to a comfortable resting position in line with your spine. This is the cat pose. Repeat five times.
Seated figure four
Sit on a yoga mat with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Place your hands behind you on the yoga mat and lean into them a little. Bring one ankle over the knee of the other leg, holding your raised shin parallel to the floor. Hold for about 20 seconds, then switch legs and repeat.
