- \n
- \u00a0<\/span>?<\/span>Being overweight<\/span><\/li>\n
- \u00a0<\/span>?<\/span>Lack of physical exercise<\/span><\/li>\n
- \u00a0<\/span>?<\/span>Poor posture<\/span><\/li>\n
- \u00a0<\/span>?<\/span>Overuse<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
If this sounds like you then I highly suggest starting to add yoga for upper back pain to your daily routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Besides strengthening, toning and stretching your muscles, yoga offers a myriad of other benefits:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n- \n
- \u00a0<\/span>?<\/span>Mindfulness<\/span><\/li>\n
- \u00a0<\/span>?<\/span>Stress relief<\/span><\/li>\n
- \u00a0<\/span>?<\/span>Increased flexibility<\/span><\/li>\n
- \u00a0<\/span>?<\/span>Boost to the immune system.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Upper back pain can also be caused by disease or other physical factors like vehicle accidents or lifting of heavy goods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If these are not reasons enough to get you reaching for your yoga mat, check out the 38 benefits listed in this yoga journal.[1]\n\n\n\n
Regardless of the cause of your back pain, it’s important to chat with your doctor and get the go-ahead before starting any physical exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s also a good idea to tell your yoga teacher about your condition so that they can be mindful of this in class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But usually yoga is a very smart exercise option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n
Contents<\/p>
- 1<\/span> What is Yoga and How Will it Help me?<\/a><\/li>
- 2<\/span> 5 Ways Yoga Helps to Alleviate Upper Back Pain<\/a>
- 2.1<\/span> Improved Flexibility<\/a><\/li>
- 2.2<\/span> Improved Strength<\/a><\/li>
- 2.3<\/span> Improved Posture and Balance<\/a><\/li>
- 2.4<\/span> Weight Management<\/a><\/li>
- 2.5<\/span> Stress Management<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- 3<\/span> Let’s Get Started<\/a>
- 3.1<\/span> Try This at Home<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- 4<\/span> Frequently Asked Questions<\/a>
- 4.1<\/span> If I'm not flexible can I do yoga?<\/a><\/li>
- 4.2<\/span> What if I am not spiritual? Can I do yoga?<\/a><\/li>
- 4.3<\/span> If I have a pre-existing health condition, can I do yoga?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nWhat is Yoga and How Will it Help me?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nIf you have been to a doctor or trolled the internet for solutions, you will have noticed that stretching is a common recommendation to alleviate back pain.<\/span><\/p>\n
Yoga will nail this brief perfectly, but it is so much more than just stretching exercises.<\/span><\/p>\n
Yoga is a 2,000-year old practice which originated in India.<\/span><\/p>\n
It is a practice and philosophy of the mind & body which combine physical postures, breathing techniques and meditation.<\/span><\/p>\n
The idea is to bring focus back to your breath as you move from one posture to the next.<\/span><\/p>\n
Breathing techniques are known as pranayama, and yoga postures are known as asanas.<\/span><\/p>\n
The focus on breath helps to still the mind and bring you into awareness of the present moment.<\/span><\/p>\n
There are so many different styles of yoga that it can be overwhelming to decide which one is best for you.<\/span><\/p>\n
Some examples of the various styles are:<\/span><\/p>\n
?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>?<\/span>Hatha<\/span><\/p>\n- \n
- \u00a0<\/span>?<\/span>Vinyasa<\/span><\/li>\n
- \u00a0<\/span>?<\/span>Bikram (Hot yoga)<\/span><\/li>\n
- \u00a0<\/span>?<\/span>Ashtanga yoga (power yoga)<\/span><\/li>\n
- \u00a0<\/span>?<\/span>Iyengar<\/span><\/li>\n
- \u00a0<\/span>?<\/span>Kundalini<\/span><\/li>\n
- \u00a0<\/span>?<\/span>Restorative yoga<\/span><\/li>\n
- \u00a0<\/span>?<\/span>Jivamukti<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/div>\n
You don’t need to get bogged down understanding all the various styles.<\/span><\/p>\n
There’s no best option; it’s about what you and your body feel comfortable with.<\/span><\/p>\n
Try a few and see which works best for you.<\/span><\/p>\n
Today, the most common practices are called Hatha yoga.<\/span><\/p>\n
Hatha combines styles of yoga which focus on physical postures (asanas) and breathwork (pranayama).<\/span><\/p>\n
The main difference is whether you need to move from one posture to the next slowly and purposefully or faster and in a more rhythmic manner.<\/span><\/p>\n
Other less mainstream styles put more focus on the spiritual aspects of yoga.<\/span><\/p>\n
If you would like to find out more about the various styles this article<\/span>[2]<\/span>?<\/span>will shed some light on the topic.<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n5 Ways Yoga Helps to Alleviate Upper Back Pain<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nIt’s best to take a holistic approach to health and pain management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is important to include cardio, weight training and stretching into your exercise routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yoga might not be the only solution to your back problems, but if you incorporate it into your pain management routine you’re likely to see good results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Studies have shown that yoga can increase strength, flexibility and balance in just eight weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But here’s the important fact: A single yoga class is not the answer to your back pain so it’s important to be consistent and add it in as part of your regular routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This should become a lifestyle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now let’s have a look at how yoga helps with back pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Upper](\"https:\/\/totalyogabody.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Upper-Back-Pain-300x148.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nImproved Flexibility<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Earlier we spoke about our modern sedentary lifestyles and how this affects our health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All those hours spent hunched over your laptop will cause your muscles to tighten leading to less mobility and ultimately to pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aging also decreases the elasticity of our muscles making it harder to do simple tasks like bending down to tie your shoelaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The good news is that with a regular yoga routine which encourages long deep stretching you can maintain flexibility in your muscles leaving you feeling youthful and limber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many aging athletes practice yoga to keep up with the physical demands of strength training and exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stretching your muscles lengthens the tendons (muscle fibers) which are attached to the bone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The longer these tendons are the more capable the muscle is of increasing in size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The flexibility that you gain from yoga will assist you to build the strength required for better posture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Improved Strength<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Now we can see how flexibility will help us improve our strength training, but why is it important to build strength and how does yoga achieve this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \u00a0<\/span>?<\/span>Bikram (Hot yoga)<\/span><\/li>\n
- 4.2<\/span> What if I am not spiritual? Can I do yoga?<\/a><\/li>
- 4<\/span> Frequently Asked Questions<\/a>
- 2.2<\/span> Improved Strength<\/a><\/li>
- 2<\/span> 5 Ways Yoga Helps to Alleviate Upper Back Pain<\/a>
- \u00a0<\/span>?<\/span>Stress relief<\/span><\/li>\n
- \u00a0<\/span>?<\/span>Lack of physical exercise<\/span><\/li>\n