Yoga for Back Pain

Introduction

Back pain is very common in modern-day to day life. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, around 80 percent of adults experience back pain at some point in their lives. The pain can be acute (lasting for 12 weeks) or chronic. Chronic back pain affects around 20 % of people that suffer from acute back pain.

Yoga has been proven to be a great aid in relieving back pain and not just stretching and strengthening the back muscles and spine, but also the core.

Symptoms of Back Pain

Back pain can range from a muscle aching to a shooting, burning, or stabbing sensation. In addition, the pain may radiate down your leg or worsen with bending, twisting, lifting, standing, or walking.

Yoga for Back Pain

What is Yoga?

According to Bhagwad Gita Equanimity, Stability, Balance, Harmony, Equipoise is yoga i.e. Samatvam Yoga Ucchyate.

According to Sage Vashistha, yoga is the skill to calm down the mind i.e. Manah Prasanna up ayah yoga.

And according to Great Sage Maharishi Patanjali yoga is the cessation of mental modifications i.e. Yoga is to gain mastery over modifications of Mind.

According to Guruji Shubham Barwala Ji, yoga is the recognition of Mental Modifications the moment they arise in our consciousness.

According to Guruji Neeraj Medharthi, Ji Yoga is the state of perfect balance.

Evidence-based yoga therapy or Yoga for Back Pain

At Vedamrita our purpose is to bring the best and scientific research and evidence-based yoga therapy to our beloved readers and our students likewise and thereby increasing the general acceptability of Yoga therapy amidst the field of various treatments available. Below are a few research papers we find out related to Yoga and Back Pain.

Research Papers: –

Yoga treatment for chronic non-specific low back pain

Wieland LS, Skoetz N, Pilkington K, Vempati R, D’Adamo CR, Berman BM. Yoga treatment for chronic non-specific low back pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Jan 12;1(1): CD010671. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD010671.pub2. PMID: 28076926; PMCID: PMC5294833.

Yoga, Physical Therapy, or Education for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Noninferiority Trial

Saper RB, Lemaster C, Delitto A, Sherman KJ, Herman PM, Sadikova E, Stevens J, Keosaian JE, Cerrada CJ, Femia AL, Roseen EJ, Gardiner P, Gergen Barnett K, Faulkner C, Weinberg J. Yoga, Physical Therapy, or Education for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Noninferiority Trial. Ann Intern Med. 2017 Jul 18;167(2):85-94. DOI: 10.7326/M16-2579. Epub 2017 Jun 20. PMID: 28631003; PMCID: PMC6392183.

Effects of yoga, strength training and advice on back pain: a randomized controlled trial

Brämberg EB, Bergström G, Jensen I, Hagberg J, Kwak L. Effects of yoga, strength training and advice on back pain: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2017 Mar 29;18(1):132. DOI: 10.1186/s12891-017-1497-1. PMID: 28356091; PMCID: PMC5372262.

Noninvasive Treatments for Acute, Subacute, and Chronic Low Back Pain: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American College of Physicians

Qaseem A, Wilt TJ, McLean RM, Forciea MA; Clinical Guidelines Committee of the American College of Physicians. Noninvasive Treatments for Acute, Subacute, and Chronic Low Back Pain: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2017 Apr 4;166(7):514-530. DOI: 10.7326/M16-2367. Epub 2017 Feb 14. PMID: 28192789.

Yoga for Military Veterans with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Groessl EJ, Liu L, Chang DG, Wetherell JL, Bormann JE, Atkinson JH, Baxi S, Schmalzl L. Yoga for Military Veterans with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Am J Prev Med. 2017 Nov;53(5):599-608? DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2017.05.019. Epub 2017 Jul 20. PMID: 28735778; PMCID: PMC6399016.

Panch Kosha Based Yoga Therapy or Yoga for Back Pain

 Yogic Diet – Yoga for Back Pain

• Eat on time. Chew food properly.
• Sattvic home-cooked meals.
• Increase the intake of seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables. Include high-fiber foods such as vegetables, cooked peas and beans (legumes), whole-grain foods, cereals, rice, and fresh fruit in your diet. Choose foods that are low in saturated fat and cholesterol.
• Keep the body well hydrated.
• Avoid processed and refined foods. Try to avoid nerve stimulants such as tea, coffee, alcohol, dark chocolate.
• Carrots.
• Sweet Potatoes.
• Nuts.
• Olive Oil.
• Green Tea

Asanas – 10 Yoga Poses for Back Pain

• Sukshma Vyayama
• Bhujangasana
• Ardha Matsyendrasana (Sitting Half Spinal Twist)
• Pavanamuktasana (Wind Relieving Pose)
• Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)
• Cat-Cow Pose
• Downward Facing Dog
• Camel Pose
• Spinal Twists
• Locust Pose

Kriyas

• Kati Basti
• Jal / Sutra Neti

Pranayama – Yoga for Back Pain

• Pranav
• Suryabhedi
• Nadishuddhi
• Bhramari
• Sectional breathing
• Ujjayi

Manomaya Kosha – Yoga for Back Pain

• Yoga Nindra
• Bhajan
• Om Chanting
• Emotional counseling
• Prayer
• Mind Sound Resonance Technique (M.S.R.T.)

Vijnanamaya Kosha – Yoga for Back Pain

• Counseling about the disease, triggering factors, diet

Anandamaya Kosha – Yoga for Back Pain

• Bhakti Yoga, Spend time with family and loved ones.

Explore this Health Topic to learn more about Yoga for Back Pain, the role of yoga and yoga therapy for various diseases, and where to find more information regarding it.

Read more about Yoga for Back Pain