Yoga Stretches To Strengthen Spinal Muscles
Among all the different physical therapies recommended for alleviation of spinal injury, yoga stretches to strengthen spinal muscles is one of the safest which has proven to be useful without having any side effects according to this article published in the Huffington post. To get the ultimate effect, practice some poses once in the morning and once in the evening. Different Yoga exercises recommended to reduce inflammation and soreness include the bridge pose for strengthening hip flexor muscles, lengthening your hamstrings, and rinsing your lower lumbar area with a supine spinal twist. All these poses are aimed at strengthening the core muscles of the spine and abdomen while making the calf muscles strong enough to carry the weight of the body. It is important to follow the instructions strictly to get the best results.
Yoga Stretches To Strengthen Spinal Muscles
For best effect, practice once in the morning and once in the evening daily.
1. Stretch Your Hip-Flexors With the Bridge Pose
Lie down flat on your back on the floor. Bend your knees until they face toward the roof and place your feet hip width apart. Refine your stance by sliding your heels backward toward your hips until you can touch your heels with your fingertips.
To initiate the backbend, roll your tailbone under very slightly to lengthen your lower back. Protect your neck by looking straight upward at the ceiling. Leading with your knees, lift your hips all the way upward and off of the ground. Interlace your hands beneath you, shift side to side, and roll your shoulders under to deepen the opening of your chest. Hold the posture for five to 10 breaths.
2. Lengthen Your Hamstrings
From a reclining position, bend your legs as you did in the bridge. This time, however, keep your back and hips on the floor. Extend your right leg upward into the air and straighten it as much as you can. Wrap your hands around the back of the knee, ankle or heel. Keeping the leg straight, pull the leg over and toward the wall behind you to stretch your hamstrings. Hold for five to 10 breaths and then switch to the other side.
3. Rinse Your Back With a Supine Spinal Twist
Once you’ve lowered both legs, finish with a twist to both sides. To do this, extend both of your arms outward to the side of the room with your palms facing up. For the most effective stretch, make sure that both arms are placed perpendicular to the spine. Draw both knees toward your chest, and slowly drop them toward your right hand. If the knees don’t come to the floor, place a block under the knees to support them. Gaze to the left and hold for 10 slow breaths. Repeat on the other side.
If you take to yoga stretches to strengthen spinal muscles, it is important that you keep to the instructions while doing the exercises. Yoga exercises for back pain are aimed at strengthening the core muscles of the back and abdomen to release the pressure on the spinal cord. If the nerves at the spinal cord are not compressed, you will not have back pain, and Yoga is the perfect solution for that. Consult a yoga instructor before doing the exercises, as each individual has different compatibility to different poses before you find yourself in a position that may cause duress.
Jen Hilman – yoga teacher & licensed massage therapist from Austin, Texas shares her secrets about how to relieve pain due to sciatica or tension on the sciatic nerve using simple stretching and yoga poses.
Another video from Jen Hilman demonstrating stretches for back pain.
You might also like:
Tags: Yoga Stretches To Strengthen Spinal Muscles