When practiced with mindful awareness, yoga can help alleviate back pain by stretching and relaxing tight muscles, expanding the space within your body, building your core strength and improving your posture. A study published in the September 1, 2009, issue of the journal "Spine" found that a bi-weekly practice of Iyengar yoga -- a style that focuses on holding poses in proper alignment -- reduced chronic lower back pain and the need for pain medication.
Spine
A supple spine helps keep your body flexible. Your spine, which houses the nerves that run from your brain throughout your body, has a major impact on your vital flow of energy. Like a deep-tissue massage, yoga moves the spine in different directions to hydrate the disks and manipulate the soft tissue. Not only does this keep your spine healthy, it improves your sense of well being. In fact, the "Spine" study also shows that the yoga practitioners were less likely to be depressed than those that did not practice.
Considerations
Check with your healthcare practitioner before engaging in a yoga program for a back injury. Look for an instructor that specializes in yoga therapy and consider doing a private session. If you go to a regular class, look for a more gentle practice and inform the teacher of your back issues beforehand. The teacher can offer you modifications for the various poses.
Poses
To learn proper alignment and improve posture, practice Mountain Pose. This seemingly simple position builds awareness of how you stand so you can correct any misalignment. Cobra Pose, which is done by lying on your belly and lifting your shoulders and head off the floor with your hands on either side of your chest, lengthens your spine and tunes you into the space between your spinal disks and along your sides. Another back bend, Bridge Pose, has a similar effect. Most standing poses help strengthen your core, as does Boat Pose, which is done either from a sitting position with your legs lifted straight up in front of you or with knees bent if that's easier.
Breathwork
Another way to alleviate back pain is through diaphragmatic breathing, according to a study published in the April 2009 issue of "The Journal of Pain." Diaphragmatic breathing is a slow, deep style of breathing that balances the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems and alters your experience of pain.
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