YOGA THERAPY FOR LOWER BACK PAIN
Yoga can be an alternative solution to lower back pains due to sciatica, slip disc or prolapsed disc problems.
The regular practice of Yoga may help improve chronic back pains and reduce the use of pain medications and anti- inflammatory.
Ways that Yoga can help back pain:
- Yoga strengths the core thus helping you put less pressure on the back and protect the spine.
- Yoga may help with weight loss through regular Asana practices.
- Yoga promotes muscle tone and good posture, which also help with lower back pain.
- Yoga is low impact, so you have no stress on the back to perform the poses.
- Yoga stretches our muscle promoting more flexibility & better blood flow to damaged tissues.
- Yoga helps with pain management using breathing technics that help calm and balance the mind.
Case Study: Ms. Muller has been diagnosed Prolapsed Disc between L4 and L5
Previous Treatments:
Ms. Muller has gone through a series of Physiotherapy with recurring pain once treatment stopped. In addition, she has takes ant-inflammatory for several months that have caused her to develop a stomach problem and can no longer take them.
Current Symptoms:
- Difficulty bending forward to pick up objects from the floor
- Stiffness in the lower back, specially in the morning
- Lower back pain after walking long distances or performing any type of exercise with some impact
- When in crisis, inability to perform simple tasks around the house such as reaching and lifting objects
- Unable to sit still for prolonged periods of time
Proposal Treatment using Yoga Therapy:
- For the first few weeks, we will start slow using slow movements with awareness to avoid putting any stress on the back
- We will start the sequence by doing easy warm ups
- We will work on stretching the muscles of the legs to loose the hamstrings, IT band and quads using belt to help stabilize the lower back.
- Work on stretching the core muscle with slow movements and breathing technics.
- Stretches to elongated the spine by using balance movements of reaching up / forward and side to side
Movements to avoid during first 2 weeks:
- Bend forward past 90 degrees
- Avoid all seated forward bend
- Avoid rounding the back
- Warm ups that include any form of jumping or uncontrolled movements
SEQUENCE:
1) Warm Up: Standing
- – Toes warm up
- – Ankles rotation/ dorsiflexion and plantar flexion
- – Knee Rotation
- – Hip joint rotation
- – Pelvic tilt – slowly
- – Shoulder Rotation
- – Fingers and wrist rotation
- – Lateral neck flexion / slow neck rotation
2) Tadasana – Mountain take 5 deep breathes
3) Vrksasana -Tree Pose – elongate spine upwards for 3 breathes
4) Tiryaka Tadasana – Swaying Palm Tree Pose – elongate spine side to side
5) Dandasana – Staff Pose for 3 deep breathes
6) Introduce Kapala Badhi to help warm up the spine
7) Lying Supta Padangusthasana with belt to help release backache
8) Setu bandha Sarvangasana – Shoulder Bridge Pose – Must go up slowly by peeling spine off the floor bone by bone – hold for 3 breathes and go down by drawing bone by bone slowly back
9) Supta Matsyendrasana – Reclining Twist – Tabletop position with both knees or modify doing one leg at the time – 4 times each side
10) Marjaryasana – Cat and Cow Pose – 4 times
11) Alternating Arm/Leg Plank – repeat 4 times
12) Lay on belly for Mini-Cobra Pose – repeat 4 times
13) Rest in Childs Pose for 5 deep breaths
14) Savasana with Yoga Nidra
** The above sequence can be modified according to fitness level and development of the person.
M.B
