Chair Yoga for Back Pain: 3 Moves To Try

Thankfully, there are a number of yoga moves you possibly can do right out of your chair (or couch) to alleviate an achy back within the interim. Ahead, the favored “poetry-prone” yoga teacher Victoria Hutchins recommends three pain-melting poses you can seamlessly incorporate into your day.

1. Seated forward fold

“Seated forward fold (Paschimottanasana) elongates your entire spine from lumbar vertebrae to neck,” Hutchins tells us. “It’s also a delicate inversion—meaning your head is below your heart—[which] can alleviate spinal compression.”

To do a seated forward fold from a chair or couch, Hutchins says to sit down up tall with each feet flat on the bottom. “As you exhale, hinge [forward] at your hips,” she says. “Allow your head to hold heavy until the crown of your head is pointing towards the bottom. You’ll be able to let your arms hang towards the bottom as well, or give yourself a delicate neck massage whilst you’re within the fold.”

Rest and breathe into the fold for nevertheless long it takes to feel the pain in your lower back begin to ease. (Typically, you’ll feel some relief after a minute or two.)

2. Modified lord of the fishes pose

“Modified lord of the fishes pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana) is a spinal twist,” Hutchins says. “Along with decompressing your spine, twists stretch your shoulders and chest, support digestion, and are known to spice up energy.”

To perform this seated yoga move, Hutchins says to sit down down and cross your left leg over your right, together with your left ankle resting on the skin of your right knee. “Bring your right hand to the skin of your left thigh and switch your head to the left,” she instructs. “Let your gaze rest over your left shoulder. As you exhale, press into your right hand to twist your front body towards the left side of the room.” You’ll be able to even grab the left arm of the chair or couch you’re in together with your left hand for extra twisting leverage.

The great thing about this seated yoga pose is that it will possibly sometimes offer near-immediate reprieve from the pain, without even having to carry it. That said, try to sit down within the stretch for five to fifteen seconds to actually unwind your spine. Then do the identical on the other side.

3. Seated cat-cow

“Seated cat-cow (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana) flexes and extends the thoracic spine,” Hutchins says. “Lots of us are likely to round our thoracic spines once we sit at a desk. This pose helps balance out that rounding.”

While most cat-cows are done on the ground, Hutchins says you possibly can modify the classic posture for a chair by sitting with each feet flat on the bottom, together with your butt planted on the front center fringe of your chair. “As you inhale, come into cow pose (Bitilasana) by arching your back and pressing your heart towards the front of your space,” she says, noting to lift your gaze toward the ceiling. “As you exhale, round your spine to come back into cat pose (Marjaryasana). Draw your chin towards your chest and your heart towards your navel.”

Proceed this inhale-and-exhale sequence for five to 10 slow repetitions any time your aching back begins to distract you. You’ll be surprised by just how relieving it’s.