Yoga for posture: Improve back pain with yoga


Yoga for posture: Improve back pain with yoga
'Yoga for posture' is a common suggestion by healthcare practitioners as it helps align the body and mind into favourable movement habits.

One's posture is purely reflected by his physical, mental and emotional state. Bad posture can begin right from childhood, due to lack of awareness of the importance of good posture. This childhood mistake soon becomes a habit in everyday living through adulthood as well. The posture of our back is further worsened with the ongoing stress and tension in our life.

Poor, or bad, posture (especially, a forward slouch) can create serious health affecting problems ranging from breathing problems to the most common back pain problem. Many people turn to various ineffective, yet expensive, therapies to treat serious chronic back pain, instead of simply opting for yoga to improve back pain.

"Yoga helps improve flexibility and promotes relaxation in the back, while improving overal body functioning," - says Dr. Sunita.

"A person with severe back pain should practice yoga regularly for 6 months and even after that," she continues. Besides reducing back pain, yoga also helps to reduce depression and any other functional disabilities.

Is yoga safe to improve back pain?

"Practicing yoga to improve posture or to improve back pain is completely safe," says Dr. Sunita. She adds, "If a person suffers from chronic back pain, then it is best to consult a doctor before starting yoga. Consult a doctor not because yoga is dangerous but in order to prevent internal injuries from certain yoga poses."

She states further: "Yes practicing yoga is safe and can help to releive back pain. But if your doctor has advised some medication, do not replace medication with yoga; instead, continue using both for best results."

How does yoga help poor posture and back pain?

Yoga helps cultivate proper and perfect balance between flexibility and strength of the muscles. Wondering how this relates to back pain? Flexibility and strength of the muscles are the major culprits in back pain. Back pain occurs due to less flexibility or being stiff in areas like the hips or shoulders.

Practicing yoga helps release muscle tension and thus improving back pain; while at the same time yoga helps to develop muscle strength through yoga stretches and flexibility.

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