"How is your back today? Perhaps it's feeling stiff from sitting at a desk all day or niggling from running around after your children. You're not alone. More than one in ten of us will have a back problem during our lives. Sedentary lifestyles, poor posture and stress can lead to joint stiffness, muscle tension and imbalances that take a toll on your spine, leading to pain, unjust or chronic conditions, such as sciatica. Relieve Back Pain offers a complete guide to the postures, breathing exercises and techniques that can help keep your spine in shape. And, if you're suffering from a back problem, you'll also find a tailored yoga therapy plan, designed to help safely ease pain and bring your body back into balance."
Relieve Back Pain
Welcome
Yoga and your spine • Learn more about the architecture of your back and how yoga can support it
Perfect your posture • Learn to stand correctly and improve your stance while boosting your body awareness and back health with this key standing posture
How to sit • Perfecting your posture is key to being comfortable in your poses – and to benefiting your back
Breathe yourself better • Learning to breathe like a yogi will help you get more from your practice and keep your back in peak health
BACK INTO ACTION • Warm up your body and articulate your spine so you can perform at your best, whether on the mat or in daily life
SALUTE THE SUN • Wake up your spine and revitalize your whole body with this classic series of moves
Half sun salutation • This sequence is ideal for beginners or for a quick stretch at work
Sun salutation 1 • This gentle sequence will activate your muscles and open your joints to get your body ready to start the day
Sun salutation 2 • A little more challenging, this flowing sequence will boost your fitness and build muscle to help support your back health
POSTURES
Strong and supple • A healthy back is a strong, flexible one. This sequence will improve your range of movement and lubricate your vertebral discs to ensure they stay hydrated and cushioned to support your daily movements
Core stability • To keep your back healthy, you need to have a strong core and good stability. This sequence includes moves to build your core, such as Boat; moves to strengthen your legs, such as Lunge, and balancing poses such as Half moon to improve your balance and stability while further challenging your core
Relieve tension • Whether you’re standing up all day or sitting at a desk, poor posture and tight hips or hamstrings can create fatigue and tension in your lower back – and body – by the evening. This sequence will help rebalance your body, relieve tightness and improve your posture
Ease stress • Anxiety and tension can take a physical toll on your body, causing tight muscles and reduced circulation that can trigger or aggravate back conditions. This calming sequence will help soothe your nervous system, relax your body and revive your mind so you can bounce back
Yoga therapy • Got back pain and not sure whether yoga can help? Read on to hear the good news
Your yoga for Back Care plan • Restore your back health with this holistic program from leading Yoga for Scoliosis and Restorative Yoga trainer, Adelene Cheong
Release and relax • This deeply relaxing sequence of restorative poses is carefully put together to release back tension, quieten your mind, nourish and restore abdominal organ functions, and bring your body and mind back into balance
Mobilize and strengthen • This sequence of mobilization exercises is designed to articulate and lubricate your joints and connective tissues to promote ease in movement
The experts •...