Sunday, January 4

Yoga - Back Pain

One can greatly reduce back pain and help heal back problems with proper back exercises. This is no longer a theory and is accepted by all leading back care specialists and through yoga it can be contained easily.

CHAKRASANA (Wheel Pose)

1.Lie on your back. Bends your legs at the knees and place them nearer to the hips.
2.Place the palms by the sides of your head by bending the elbows and fingers towards your body.
3.While inhaling, slowly raise your body upward, resting on the feet and the palms, thus curving the spine. Retain the pose for a few seconds and, breathing normally, gradually increase the duration.
4. Concentrate on the spine. While exhaling slowly come back and rest in Shavasna for a while.

Benefits & Precautions:

Persons suffering from slipped disc, duodenal ulcer, hernia and cardiac problem should avoid this asana. Charakasana strengthens the vertebral column and increases the oxygen in-take capacity. It prevents respiratory disorders and relieves stiffness of joints, back, shoulder and the thoracic cage. It is very useful in treating diabetes, asthma, constipation and obesity.


SETUBANDANASAN (Bridge Pose)

1) Lie supine on the floor, and if necessary, place a thickly folded blanket under your shoulders to protect your neck. Bend your knees and set your feet on the floor, heels as close to the sitting bones as possible.

2) Exhale and, pressing your inner feet and arms actively into the floor, push your tailbone upward toward the pubis, firming (but not hardening) the buttocks, and lift the buttocks off the floor. Keep your thighs and inner feet parallel. Clasp the hands below your pelvis and extend through the arms to help you stay on the tops of your shoulders.

3) Lift your buttocks until the thighs are about parallel to the floor. Keep your knees directly over the heels, but push them forward, away from the hips, and lengthen the tailbone toward the backs of the knees. Lift the pubis toward the navel.

4) Lift your chin slightly away from the sternum and, firming the shoulder blades against your back, press the top of the sternum toward the chin. Firm the outer arms, broaden the shoulder blades, and try to lift the space between them at the base of the neck (where it's resting on the blanket) up into the torso.

5) Stay in the pose anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 minute. Release with an exhalation, rolling the spine slowly down onto the floor.

Benefits
  • Stretches the chest, neck, and spine
  • Calms the brain and helps alleviate stress and mild depression
  • Stimulates abdominal organs, lungs, and thyroid
  • Rejuvenates tired legs
  • Improves digestion
  • Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
  • Relieves menstrual discomfort when done supported
  • Reduces anxiety, fatigue, backache, headache, and insomnia
  • Therapeutic for asthma, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and sinusitis