Benefits of yoga for the back

Currently, pain at any level of the back is very common, given the customs and practices that are carried out. First of all, the vast majority of the population considers themselves sedentary, That is, he does not perform any exercises routinely, so the back muscles do not have any type of strength and are atrophied. In this way, any type of effort can cause serious injuries or discomfort.

Furthermore, in general, in many jobs we must remain seated in a chair for a large number of hours, which causes a condition to be maintained. poor postural hygiene for much of the day, a fact that can later have an impact on the back. You must also take into account the position you maintain when using your mobile phone or any other screen.

In the article of Why does my back hurt You can see more causes of this very common ailment.

Yoga is one of the most practiced disciplines in the Western population in recent years. It has been demonstrated on countless occasions the numerous benefits that its practice entails at many levels of health, both physical and mental.

For this reason, it is a discipline implemented in a large number of centers and is chosen by those people who do not want to do very intense physical activity, but want to maintain good muscle tone, correctly stretched muscles and good postural hygiene. It is also a key practice to relax and become aware of one’s own body control.

It is made up of a series of exercises, the difficulty of which increases as the practice progresses and which, in general, has the objective increase muscle tone and elasticity. In carrying out the vast majority of them, the back, or at least a part of it, plays a fairly important role, which is why it is so beneficial for this area of ​​our body.

One of the main objectives of this discipline is to learn to relax the body and mind. It is done in different ways, both with active exercises and through breathing control and meditation.

It is important to keep in mind that, in general, due to the pace that is maintained in life, today, a large number of people are accustomed to living under stressful situations as part of their routine, which causes tension in certain areas. of the body. Two of these areas that are most commonly affected are the cervical and lumbar. Therefore, the practice of yoga in relaxation and meditation means that these parts relax that make up the back, helping to release tension and avoiding and preventing possible injuries and muscle contractures.

One of the most common causes of back pain is the lack of elasticity of the muscles that form part of it. The postures maintained in front of the computer and other screens or those produced during work contribute to increasing this rigidity.

If the back muscles are not stretched regularly, contractures and injuries often occur that can affect other areas of the body and that can limit daily activity, especially in the case of “pulls” in the cervical and lumbar areas. preventing certain movements essential in normal life. Yoga helps to achieve greater elasticity thanks to various exercises focused on the back area that provide increased elasticity of muscle fibers stretching them and, therefore, acting as a prevention of possible injuries.

Another of the most common causes of back discomfort is a lack of tone in the muscles that form it. Virtually no exercise during the routines of the vast majority of the population leads to the development of muscle atrophy that affects all the muscle groups of the back and those that surround them.

This atrophy can cause injuries when making an effort to which you are not accustomed, therefore, it is important to keep the muscles trained. In this sense, another of the great benefits of yoga for the back is that, thanks to its different postures, contributes to maintaining this tone and to develop it to prevent contractures.

There are certain exercises within the discipline of yoga that facilitate the elasticity, tone and relaxation of the muscles that make up the back area. The yoga exercises for back most common are:

• The dog’s posture: You start from a prone position, with your legs slightly apart. Place your hands on the sides of your body and, while inhaling, lift your torso, stretching your arms, until you notice how your knees separate from the ground. This position must be maintained for 30 seconds.
• The cat’s position: You start from the position with your knees and hands resting on the floor. First, the arms are stretched, arching the spine, with the chin trying to touch the chest. Then, slowly, he straightens his back, placing it straight, in line with the floor. This sequence must be repeated 10 times.
• Knees to chest: It is a very simple posture but highly recommended. Lying on your back, you bring your knees to your chest, hugging them with your arms to exert greater pressure and get a good stretch. This posture should be maintained for one minute.

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