Therapeutic stretches for low back pain

This was originally posted as a guest post on the fabulous Nadine Fawell's blog! If you're not a regular over there, take some time to check it out - it is truly TOP quality, folks. 

Please note that this sequence is designed to relieve everyday aches and pains associated with the lower back muscles, for example from sitting down too long, posture, carrying children around etc. It is NOT intended for people with back injuries, SI joint dysfunction, disc compression, or recently herniated discs and some of the movements may make those conditions worse.

These movements are based on the therapeutic teachings of Gary Kraftsow.

1. Opposite arm & leg stretch: stretches the lower back one side at a time

Begin lying on your back. Warm up by hugging your knees to your chest and breathing deeply in and out through the nose.

Exhale, release your hands to the floor. Inhale, raise your left leg towards the ceiling while stretching the right arm all the way behind you. Exhale, come back to the starting position. Inhale, raise your right leg and stretch your left arm. Repeat 4-6x on each side.

Tips: It doesn’t matter if your leg isn’t straight or your arm doesn’t touch the floor behind you. Just find a stretch that feels good and move in synch with your breath.

2. Cat & Cow: releases the lower back & the pelvis

Come onto all fours. As you exhale, tuck your tailbone under and round the lower back up towards the ceiling. Start the movement at the pelvis and let it travel all the way up your spine to your neck. Then as you inhale, drop your lower back down towards the floor and arch the spine in the other direction. Focus on moving in synch with your breath and on staying within a range of movement that feels good to you and is not too extreme.

Tip: Place some padding under the knees and under the hands to reduce stress on your joints.

3. Hero/Child: strengthens the lower back & releases the hips

After cat/cow, leave your hands where they are and stretch your hips/buttocks back towards your heels. This is child’s pose. Exhale here, then inhale rise up onto your knees and reach both arms up, keeping the arms even with your ears as you come up. Exhale, come back down, still with straight arms.

Tip: Place some padding under the knees. You can also place a rolled up towel over your heels to pad your hips as you come down.

Make it easier: Do only one arm at a time, resting the other arm on the lower back.

4. Gate pose: stretches the muscles either side of the lower back

Still on your knees, step the right foot out to the side. Turn the right foot forward. Take a gentle sideways bend by inching your right hand down your right leg. Find a stretch you can comfortably hold. Then, inhale and reach your left hand up and back. Exhale, look towards your right foot and stretch your left arm over your ear. Repeat 3x, and on the 3rd time hold the second position for about 30seconds. Then do the other side.

When you are done, take child’s pose.

Tip: Place some padding under the knee that is on the ground. Use the right hand as a stabiliser only and try not to put too much weight on it. Don’t put the right hand directly on the knee – keep it either just above or just below.

5: Cobra/half cobra: strengthens the lower back muscles with support from the arms

Don’t do any of these poses if you feel a pinching sensation in your lower back! 

Variation 1: Come to lie on your belly with your feet slightly apart. Place your palms underneath your shoulders, keeping your elbows close by your sides. Exhale fully, and as you inhale, lift your upper chest off the floor. Press your palms into the floor but – this is very important! – don’t push with your hands. They are only there for support. Exhale, come back down. Repeat 3x.

Variation 2: If Variation 1 felt totally OK, try adding a movement with the legs. As you inhale your chest up, bend the one knee and lift the foot towards your body. Exhale to come down. Repeat 3x with each foot.

 Variation 3: If Variations 1 and 2 felt totally OK, try bending both knees as you lift up. Repeat 3x.

When you are done, take child’s pose.

Tips: Keep your belly and lower ribs on the floor – only the upper chest comes up. Press the tops of your feet into the floor to ground your legs as you lift up the chest. Keep your elbows by your sides and squeeze your shoulder blades together on your back. Keep your neck long.

Make it easier: If you feel pinching or compression in your lower back, spread the feet wider apart. Also, you don’t have to come up very high – just a few centimetres is plenty!

6: Half parsvottanasana: strengthens and releases the lower back, one side at a time

Come to standing (if you like, by coming through downward facing dog). Stand with your feet hip width apart or a bit wider. Then step your right foot forward and your left foot back, so you feet end up about a leg’s length apart. Place your right hand on your lower back, palm facing away from you. As you inhale, raise your left arm in the air. Exhale and bring your left hand towards your right foot, keeping the arm long as you come down. Inhale, come halfway up. Exhale, come all the way down. Inhale, come all the way back up. That is one round.

Do 3 rounds on each side. Remember that the raised arm is the opposite of the forward foot.

Tips: You want your hips to be squared towards the front. The wider apart your feet are (sideways, not front-to-back) the easier this will be. Try to turn the back toes as far forward as you can to get your hips even more square. Try to make sure the arm stays even with your ear as you are coming up and down.

Make it easier: Don’t try to come all the way to the floor. Place a yoga block or some books next to your front foot and bring your hand down onto those. Or, place a chair in front of you and bring your hand down onto the chair. When you inhale halfway back up, just make it half the distance you came down.

7: Pigeon: releases the psoas muscles

From standing, come back down to the floor. Bend the right knee and place it near the front of your mat, then slowly stretch your left leg out behind you. The right toes should be underneath or just to the side of your groin. Place your hands either side of the right knee.

As you inhale, lengthen your spine by pressing your hands (or fingertips) firmly into the ground and stretching up through the crown of your head. As you exhale, extend forwards over the bent knee. You don't need to come too far down! Inhale, use your hands to lift you up again. Repeat 4 times and on the 4th time, stay in a prone position for about 30 seconds to a minute. Then come up and do the other side.

When you have done both sides, take child’s pose.

Tips: If you find pigeon too tough on your knees or hips, check out these 4 ways to modify pigeon pose by Anna Guest-Jelley at Curvy Yoga! These are great modifications for people of ANY shape. :) If you are OK with the basic pose but your right hip is really hanging in the air, fold up a large towel or get a firm pillow (or two, or three…), and place it underneath your right buttock. You can also put some padding in between the right heel and your body, under the right knee and under the left knee or foot.

Make it easier: There's no need to push yourself in this stretch, so only come as far down as is comfortable. You will get the same benefit by just coming some of the way down and then coming up again! You can also place a yoga block, a stack of books or a pillow beside the right knee and bring your head down onto those.

8: Locust: strengthens and lengthens the lower back muscles, one side at a time

Come to lie on your belly with your right arm out in front of you, palm facing upwards. Press your left palm firmly into the floor. As you inhale, lift up the right arm and the left leg. As you exhale, come down. Repeat 3 times on each side, optionally holding the 3rd lift for about 30 seconds.

When you’re done, take child’s pose.

Tip: This pose is not about height as much as about length. Really reach through the lifted fingertips and stretch through the ball of the lifted foot. Keep your neck long instead of trying to crane upwards.

Make it easier: Don’t hold the lifted position, simply come up and down with the breath. Don’t try to come high off the floor – a few centimetres is perfectly fine to get the benefit of this pose! Working against gravity is hard – be gentle on yourself!

9: Janu sirsasana: stretches the lower back, one side at a time

Sit on the floor with your left leg out straight and your right foot resting against the inside of the left thigh. As you inhale, lengthen the spine (optionally stretching your arms above the head). As you exhale, fold forwards. Repeat 4 times, on the 4th time staying in the forward fold for 30 seconds. Come up slowly and do the other side.

Tips: If the right knee doesn’t come all the way to the floor, place a folded up towel or a firm pillow underneath it. You can also pad under the back of the left knee or under the left heel.

Make it easier: If your hamstrings are tight, bend the left knee or even place a rolled up towel under the back of the knee. If your hips complain, sit up on a firm pillow, a bolster, or even a chair. The higher up your hips are, the easier it will be to fold forwards in a safe and comfortable way.

10: Paschimottanasana: stretches the lower back symmetrically

This time, sit with both your legs stretching out in front of you. As you inhale, reach the arms up above the head. As you exhale, fold forward, keeping the spine as long as you can, and finally place your palms flat on the floor. Close your eyes and breathe here for 30 seconds to 1 minute. DO NOT try to pull yourself deeper into the stretch with your hands. DO NOT rock back and forth. Just fold forward, stay there, and breathe.

Tip: Place a few pillows on top of your legs and a rolled up towel under your knees so that when you fold forward, you can rest your chest on the pillows. This makes it a deliciously relaxing pose and a wonderful supported stretch for the lower back.

Make it easier: I highly recommend sitting up on a folded towel or a pillow when you do this stretch. If you can't get comfortable in the forward fold, try placing a chair over your legs with the chair seat facing towards you, and resting your head on the chair. Alternatively, you can actually do this forward fold while sitting on a chair (with your feet hip width apart and planted firmly on the floor).

11. Bridge pose: strengthens & stretches the lower back, stretches the psoas

Come to lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet planted on the floor. The feet should be parallel to each other and about one foot’s distance from your hips (as a rough guideline, you should almost be able to reach your heels with your fingertips if your arms are stretched out straight beside your body). Walk the shouderblades together and press the back of the head into the floor, looking straight up.

As you exhale, flatten the lower back into the floor. This automatically tucks your pelvis and lengthens the back muscles. As you inhale, press your feet into the floor, keep the alignment of the pelvis (think of lifting the pubic bone towards the ceiling) and gently lift up the hips while also stretching the right arm over the head. Try not to squeeze or clench your buttocks. As you exhale, come down. Alternate right and left arms, doing each side 3 times.

When you’re done, hug your knees to your chest for at least 30 seconds.

Tip: If you have a yoga block or something equivalent (firm and stable but not too hard), you can place it under your lower back for supported bridge. This can be a wonderful release for the lower back. When you are there, relax the buttocks completely, and stay in this pose for 1 minute, slowly building to about 3 minutes. (See picture below)

Make it easier: Don’t come up very high. Place a strap or belt around your thighs to hold the thighs in alignment, relieving pressure on the lower back.

12. Easy twist: releases the lower back, one side at a time

Begin with your knees raised towards the chest. Release your arms towards the floor, stretching out to the sides. On an exhalation, release both legs towards the right-hand side. If your neck is comfortable, look away from your knees. If that’s not comfortable, look straight up. Breathe deeply. Stay 30 seconds, then come up slowly and do the other side.

Tip: To keep your back nice and long, shift your hips a bit to the left before releasing your knees to the right, and vice versa.

Make it easier: Place a folded up towel or firm pillow (or several) underneath your knees so they don’t have to come down as far.

When you’ve done the whole sequence, take savasana, final resting pose, with some support underneath the knees. A rolled up towel or a bolster will do. You can also put your lower legs on a chair. Get as comfy as you can – use an eye pillow, put on some relaxing music – and stay in savasana for at least 3 minutes. When you are ready to come out, roll first onto your side, and then gently push yourself back up to sitting.

Yoga for Back Pain / Vinyasa Yoga with Wrist Injuries

Today I am most lucky to have not one, but two guest posts up on some of my favourite yoga blogs.

Please check out the blog of the fabulous Nadine Fawell for another detailed, photo-illustrated sequence of therapeutic yoga stretches for low back pain.

And then, head on over to Nobel's ever-philosophical Ashtanga yoga blog, Yoga in the Dragon's Den, for a post on how I maintained a vinyasa practice with a wrist injury.

Enjoy, comment, share, and keep the yoga blogsphere buzzing!

Simple Stretches for Ankles and Calves

A commenter left a note on my blog recently asking for some stretches for the "tight calves and stiff ankles". Since I love writing these little therapeutic posts, here is my response!  I recommend doing these exercises at least once a day for maximum benefit.

I hope that these stretches will be helpful... And as always, I love hearing from my readers and am happy to respond to any ideas or suggestions that you'd like to see a post on. Namaste!

Exercises for stiff ankles

Since the ankles are a joint - and a pretty complex one - the main focus of exercising the ankles is on moving the joint through the full extent of their possible movement. This can be done sitting in a chair, or sitting on the floor as shown in the photos below. Repeat each of the following exercises about 5 times.  It doesn't hurt to do this more than once a day, especially if you spend a lot of time sitting.

Extension / flexion
Sitting on the floor with straight legs (sit up on a pillow if that's not comfortable), point and flex your toes.

Inversion / eversion
Next, bring the soles of your feet towards each other, and then press them away from each other.

Rotation
Do circles with your ankles, trying to get as wide a circle as possible. Don't forget to do both directions!



Stretches for tight Calves

The main calf muscle is called the gastrocnemius muscle (say that three times fast!!), which originates at the back of the knee, and attaches to the heel via the Achilles tendon. Tightness in the calf muscle can limit the extension of the knee, and it's fairly common among anyone who practices bent-knee sports like running or cycling, or among people who spend a lot of time sitting down.

The best way to get good results with the calf muscle is from a straight-legged position, using a technique of facilitated stretching, which means alternating active engagement and passive stretching of the muscle.  Here are a few ways to do that.

Standing lunge

Stand about an arm's length from the wall and place both hands on the wall. Take a step forward with your left leg, keeping both feet pointing towards the wall. Make sure your right foot stays flat on the floor.

Now, press the ball of your right foot into the floor, using about 60% of your maximum effort, and keep pressing for 3-5 deep breaths.

Then, relax your right foot and lean forward, bending your left leg, until you feel a stretch in the back of your right calf.  Keep the right foot flat on the floor. Hold the stretch for 6-10 deep breaths and then repeat on the other side.  Do each side 2-3 times.

Standing foot press

Stand about half an arm's length away from the wall. Bring your right foot forward and place the ball of your right foot on the wall, with your heel still touching the floor.

Now, strongly engage the calf muscle as if you wanted to draw your toes back and up towards your body. Keep engaging the muscle for 3-5 deep breaths, using about 60% of your maximum effort.

Then, relax your leg as much as possible and lean your torso into the wall, bending your elbows and lifting the up the back heel. Find a level of stretch that you can hold and stay for 6-10 deep breaths. Then repeat on the other side. Do each side 2-3 times.

Seated inner calf stretch

This pose uses the basic set-up of Janu Sirsasana (nose-to-knee pose), but instead of making it a forward bend, we are going to use the posture to get a nice deep stretch to the inner calf.

Begin by sitting on the ground with the right leg straight and the left knee bent. If you have tight hamstrings, sit up on a pillow (or several blankets) until you can get your leg comfortably straight, since the stretch won't work unless your right leg is straight.  You might also want to support your left knee. Then, take a towel, bathrobe belt or yoga strap and loop it around the ball of your right foot, like this:

Now gently pull the ball of your foot back towards your body as far as it will naturally go. Keep your back straight and your shoulders relaxed.

Next, keeping the tension in the strap and the angle of the foot constant, press the ball of your foot strongly into the strap and extend through the heel.  Use about 50-60% of your maximum effort, and keep pressing for 3-5 deep breaths.

Then, let your leg relax and keep it relaxed while you gently pull the ball of your foot further towards your body. Find a nice stretch and stay there for a few breaths. Repeat this 2-3 times for each foot.

Seated outer calf stretch

Yogis will recognise this posture as paschimottanasana, where typically we focus on forward bending. However, as in the previous pose, in this variation we're going to focus just on stretching the calves.

This is exactly the same as  the previous pose, except this time sit with both legs together. Loop your strap over the balls of both feet.  Using the strap, gently pull the balls of your feet back towards your body as far as they will easily go.

Next, keeping the tension in the strap and the angle of your feet constant, press the balls of your feet strongly into the strap and extend through the heels.  Use about 50-60% of your maximum effort, and keep pressing for 3-5 deep breaths.

Then, let your muscles relax as much as possible and carefully  pull the balls of your feet further back towards your body until you feel a deep but not uncomfortable stretch. Hold for 6-10 breaths, and repeat if you like, starting from your new maximum stretch position.

Downward-facing dog (modifications)

Downward-facing dog is the ultimate calf stretch - but only if you have the flexibility in the hips, shoulders and hamstrings to allow you to get into the proper pose.  Since many of us don't have that ability, here are some ways you can modify the pose to get a better stretch.

a) Do the pose with your heels against the wall, allowing you to press through the heels and stretch your calves.

b) Do the pose with some height under your hands (yoga blocks are good, or even a low coffee table) allowing you to stretch the heels towards the floor.

c) Get a friend to give you the following assist in the posture: when you are in downward facing dog, get your friend to stand behind you and loop a towel or strap around the tops of your thighs. Have your friend stand in a wide, stable stance with knees slightly bent, and gently pull the strap upwards and back. They may even be able to lean their weight back into the strap, giving your hamstrings and calves a nice, deep stretch.



An all around leg-restoring inversion

(Pic from Yoga Journal)

Anyone dealing with stiff ankles and tight calf muscles or hamstrings can hugely benefit from this simple, highly effective pose, called (creatively) "legs up the wall" pose. Practiced 5 minutes a day, this pose allows "stale" blood to return to the heart and when you are done, new, oxygen-rich blood flows into the legs, rejuvenating the muscles.  It also helps reduce swelling and varicose veins.  Here's how it works:

• Lay down some padding on the floor next to a wall.
• Sit sideways against the wall and lie down on your side
• Gently bring your legs up the wall as you roll onto your back.
• Play some gentle music, cover your eyes, and relax.
• For an added calf stretch, get (or make) some sandbags and rest them on the soles of your feet.

To come down, first gently bend one knee and then the other to restore a bit of circulation.  Then slowly roll off to your side. Take your time coming back up so you don't get a head-rush!

Therapeutic yoga stretches for sciatica (with photos!)

Dear readers, this sequence is very gentle but does contain a few backbends, so if you have lower back issues or injuries, proceed with extreme caution or consult a professional first.

As a therapeutic sequence, it will work best if you do the stretches once a day. You may get better results if you do it twice: morning and night, but don't overdo it. Also, if another activity that you are doing - for instance, yoga - is causing your sciatica, this may not be enough to relieve your symptoms. You may have to ease off your other activity for a while if you want to feel results.

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Sciatica is a broad term used for pain relating to an inflammation or pinching of the sciatic nerve. The pain is usually felt in the lower back around the sacrum area, in the hips, or along the backs of the thighs. Sciatica is complicated by the fact that the sciatic nerve attaches at several points along the lower spine, and then runs all the way down your leg (it's the largest nerve bundle in the body after the spinal cord!), so the inflammation could be caused at any point along the nerve, and not necessarily where the pain is felt.

Sciatica can often be caused by repetitive motions or postures, such as pushing the gas pedal while driving or sitting cross-legged for extended periods. In yoga, sciatica is often associated with forward bending.

While by no means a miracle cure, this sequence  targets the SI joint and the piriformis muscle, two areas of the body where sciatic irritation often occurs. The entire sequence could take 15-20 minutes, depending on how quickly you move. If you have time you will get the best results by focusing on slowing down your breath and trying to make your exhalations about twice as long as your inhalations.

NB: One of the WORST things you can do if you have sciatica is to overstretch the already irritated areas. Although you might think that stretching it more will make the pain go away, this is actually likely to inflame the nerve even more and make your symptoms worse. So instead, use gentle movements and deep breathing to bring your body to a state of relaxation and allow it to heal.

Sciatica Sequence

1. Apanasana: Warms up the lower back while keeping the SI joint stable. Begin lying on your back with your knees to your chest. Place your hands on top of your knees. As you inhale, push the knees away from your body. As you exhale, hug the knees to the chest. Repeat 4-6 times.

2. Hip circles: Warms up the hips while keeping the SI joint stable. After  your next exhalation, as you inhale let the knees come out wide and begin a circular motion - circling the knees out and up to centre as you inhale, drawing them to the chest as you exhale. Do 4-6 circles in each direction.

3. Supta eka padangustasana: Warms up the hamstrings. Release your left knee and let the foot touch the floor, keeping the left knee bent. Clasp your hands behind the right knee - use a hand towel if you can't comfortably reach. Inhale, stretch the right leg straight up (keeping the foot active, with the toes flexed back towards you!), exhale, bend the knee and bring it down. Repeat 6-10 times, then switch sides. Optionally, proceed to Step 4 on the first side before switching. Hug your knees to your chest when done.

4. Upside-down pigeon: Stretches the gluts and opens the hip joint. Place the left foot on the floor about a foot away from your body. Bring your right leg towards your chest and gently cross the right ankle over the left knee. Keep both feet lightly flexed. Now, gently walk the left foot closer towards your body until you can reach through to grasp the back of the left thigh or the front of the shin. Use your hands (or a strap) to gently pull yourself deeper into the stretch.

You should feel a fairly strong stretch in your right glut (that's your butt, folks) and your right hip. If you feel any pain or twinging in your right knee, ease off immediately!

Hold for about 1 minute, then do the other side. When you're done hug both knees to your chest.

5. Supine Crescent pose: Gives a lateral stretch to the spine and the glut medius. Lie flat on the floor with your feet together and your arms stretched all the way out behind you. Move your right foot out to one side. Then bring the left foot to meet the right foot. Now move your right arm out to one side, and bring the left hand towards the right, so you are lying in a crescent moon shape. Breathe here for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then repeat on the other side. Hug both knees to your chest when done.

6. Jathara Parvritti: Stretches and releases the piriformis. Move both hips a few inches to the right side. Extend the left leg straight out on the floor. Place the right foot on the floor about level with your left knee, and let your arms stretch out to either side. As you exhale, let the right knee fall towards the left side (but keep your right shoulder on the ground).  As you inhale, slowly lift the right knee up about 2 inches and hold it there. As you exhale, release it back down. Repeat 4 times and then stay in the "exhale" position for about 30 seconds - then continue on to Step 7.

7. Jathara Parvritti II: Stretches the piriformis and the glut max. This is a big stretch, so be gentle and skip it if it's too much! From position 6, as you inhale, straighten the right leg. As you exhale, bend the right knee again. Repeat 4 times and then stay about 30 seconds with the leg outstretched. Use a book or a chair to support the foot so that your right shoulder stays on the ground! Now, as you inhale, lift the straight right leg about 2 inches and hold it there. As you exhale, bring it back down. Repeat 4 times and then stay in the "exhale" position for 30 seconds - 1 minute before slowly coming out.

Repeat 6 and 7 on the left hand side. When done both sides, hug both knees to your chest.

8. Bridge pose: Stretches the psoas muscle.  Place both feet on the ground, about sitting-bone distance apart so that your thighs and feet are in line with one another. As you inhale, lift your tailbone and slowly peel your spine away from the floor, coming into bridge pose. As you exhale, release your spine with control, vertebrae by vertebrae.  This should be done gently with an emphasis on keeping the length of the spine - don't go very high if you experience any pain. Repeat 4-6 times. When you are done, hug your knees to your chest for a few breaths.

9. Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose: Strengthens the lower back muscles, which stabilise the SI joint. Lie on your belly with your palms resting underneath the shoulders (elbows tucked in) and your feet together on the floor. This is position A. Exhale, engaging the abdominals. Inhale and look forward, gently lifting your chest up off the floor (the lower ribs and everything below them stay on the floor!). Exhale, come down. Theeet (1metre) apart (position C). Then work your way back to position A.

The 2nd time, bring the feet about 2 feet (60cm) apart (position B). The 3rd time, bring the feet about 3 feet (1metre) apart (position C). Then work your way back to position A.

10. One-legged Cobra: Strengthens the lower back muscles and works the SI joint asymetrically.  From Position A, above, on an inhalation lift your chest off the floor and bend the right knee. Exhale back down. Inhale, lift the chest and left knee. Repeat twice on each side. NB - the "exhale" photo shows you coming back to position A with the chest lifted - but actually you should come all the way down until your forehead touches the ground!

11. Full cobra Pose: Strengthens the lower back muscles and works the SI joint symetrically. From Position A, inhale and lift the chest and both knees. Exhale back down. Repeat this four times. NB - the "exhale" photo shows you coming back to position A with the chest lifted - but actually you should come all the way down until your forehead touches the ground!

When you are done, if your lower back is feeling a bit worked, rest a few breaths in child's pose (see step 13). If this is too intense on your lower back, skip straight to the next pose, or alternate between 11 and 12 each time you do the sequence.

12. Locust pose variation: Works the spinal extensors, the piriformis, and the gluteus maximus. Come to Position A of step 9, above, but this time also lift both feet off the floor. The focus here is not on height, but on lengthening the legs behind you. From here, turn the toes of both feet outwards, and bring the legs wide apart. Then, turn the toes inwards and bring the feet back together until the toes are touching. Come down and rest, then repeat this four times. NB - if you are like me and have a sensitive pelvic bone, put a folded up towel/blanket or a pillow underneath your pelvis when you do this pose.

13. Child's pose: Counter-pose to backbending. Come to your hands and knees, and then drop the buttocks back towards the heels. Bring your hands back towards your feet and rest your forehead on the floor (or a book/block/blanket). Stay for at least 30 seconds.

14. Savasana: Allows your body to absorb the benefits of the practice! Lie flat on your back in final resting pose, placing a rolled up towel / blanket / yoga mat underneath the knees. You can also place your lower legs on a chair seat! This releases the lower back and the backs of the legs. Stay here for a minimum of 3 minutes, breathing naturally and letting go of all tension in your body. If you enjoy visualisations try the following: as you inhale, visualise a wave of warm, pure, healing water entering your body from the top of your head and moving towards your lower back and legs. As you exhale, visualise the wave leaving your body, taking with it all tension and stress.

3 simple breathing techniques for stress relief

The stress dis-ease

Stress is a huge issue for millions of people around the world. Health professionals now know that elevated levels of stress have a huge physiological impact on the body as well as the mind. If the stress is not relieved, the body engages in a "fight or flight" response, drawing energy away from other vital functions. After only a few days or weeks of elevated stress a person will start to experience notable side effects: body aches from clenched muscles, headaches, insomnia, digestive problems. Over time, the immune system is weakened and we become prone to illnesses, have increased or decreased appetite and our basic bodily functions like the bowels, hormone production and menstruation can be affected.

And of course, stress also affects our relationships, as we are prone to mood swings, irritability, depression, outbursts of anger, anxiety and uncharacteristic behaviour. Stress has also been linked to serious and chronic conditions like heart disorders and ulcers.

The good news is that there are some simple techniques (including movement, meditation and breath work) that anyone can use to help reduce the physiological condition of stress.

 

Breathing away Stress

The following pranayamas - techniques for working with the breath - can be practiced by anyone and are effective at calming the mind and the body (although if you feel any strange side effects or/and have a medical condition, caution is of course the best way forward!). They can be practiced one by one, or in the sequence suggested here. I also recommend you get a timer - use a function on your watch or phone, or download a free app - so you're not spending energy thinking about the duration of the exercises. Also, please note that the effects of each breath, given in parentheses, are generally accepted but not universal - the results will be different from person to person. In addition, these are results of a regular practice - a one-off attempt may not lead to noticeable improvement although you should be able to feel some calming effects even after only once.

These can be practiced together or individually, any time, anywhere! On the train, on a plane, in a long line, with the kids, at your desk, even in your car (with the eyes open of course)! But for absolute best results, find yourself a nice quiet space, maybe light a candle or two, play some relaxing music, and get some comfy blankets and pillows so you can sit and lie down comfortably.

1. Belly breathing (3-5 mins)
(Calming, relieves anxiety, reduces anger, stabilises mood swings)

[Once you've practiced this technique for a bit, belly breathing can be done sitting or standing and is super-effective if you need a quick calm-down breath, because you can do it anywhere, even mid-meeting or conversation, without anyone else really noticing. But to begin with, try it lying down. The first few times, it can also be helpful to place both hands on the belly, although eventually you may not need them anymore.]

Begin lying down with both hands on the belly, eyes closed. Take a few moments to become aware of your breathing. Then as you inhale, try to channel as much of your breath as possible into the belly, feeling the hands rise as the belly expands. As you exhale, feel the hands fall back towards the body. Once you are comfortable, make the breaths slower and deeper.


When you practice this breath, your chest and shoulders should remain fairly still, since you are channeling the breath into the belly. To check this, try doing belly breathing with one hand on the belly and one hand on your upper chest. If you are belly breathing correctly, the hand on the belly should rise and fall, while the hand on the chest should stay relatively still.

2. Chandra Bhedana Pranayama - moon breath (5-8 mins)
(Calming, cooling, improves sleep, reduxes anxiety or panic)

Begin this pranayama kneeling on the floor, with your hips resting on your heels. Put cushions underneath your feet and knees, and between your heels and buttocks if that's more comfortable. If you're not comfortable on the floor, sit on a chair with both feet on the ground, about hip width apart. Take a few deep breaths here.

Once you are comfortable, raise your right hand and place your index and middle finger on the forehead. Your right elbow should be hanging loose in front of your body. Use the right thumb to close the right nostril. Breathe deeply and slowly in through the left nostril. At the end of your inhalation, release your thumb and use your ring finger to close your left nostril. Exhale a long deep breath through the right nostril. Continue breathing in through the left, out through the right. For best effects, keep the spine straight and the belly completely relaxed.

When you are done (Try about 3 minutes to begin with, working to 8 minutes which is considered a good time for the breath to be effective), sit quietly and breathe normally, and observe the effects.  This is a good one to practice about 20 minutes before you go to bed - or even in bed if you can't sleep!

3. Bastrika - the bellows breath (3-6 repetitions)
(Reduces stress, depression, anxiety, headaches, and boosts the immune system. This is an energising breath so best not performed at night - try it first thing in the morning, or use it in the office during a break!)

If you can, sit in a kneeling position to perform this breathing technique, with your buttocks resting gently on your heels. If that's not comfortable for you, sit on a chair with both feet flat on the ground, about hip distance apart.

I've given you two variations here to try. For both, begin by taking a long full breath in through the nose, filling the belly and chest as much as possible.

Variation 1 (classic variation): Raise your arms all the way above your head as you inhale, taking a deep, full breath. Exhale rapidly in one go, "blasting" air out through the mouth and bringing the arms down rapidly as you do. As you inhale again, raise the arms all the way up. Repeat 10 times initially, building to 3 sets of 10 with resting breaths in between.

Variation 2:  Bring your hands to your hips. Take a deep, full breath in, and as you exhale, "blast" the breath out through the mouth in short bursts. As you do so, begin to bend forward at the waist. It may take a few tries to get the rhythm that is right for you, but when you do, you should end up "blasting" the breath out in 6-9 short bursts, with the last of the air leaving your lungs as you reach the lowest point (lying on your knees, with the head resting on the floor or a pillow). Repeat 3-6 times.

After the last repetition of either variation, remain folded forward with your head resting on a pillow or the floor. Breathe normally and observe the effects for a minute or so.

 

How it works

The breath is the body's most critical function, so it's no great surprise that the way we breathe can have an impact on our state of mind, emotions and well-being.  Our breathing is controlled by a great big dome-shaped muscle called the diaphragm that sits underneath the rib cage. The diaphragm is attached - yes, physically attached - to the layers of tissue that surround the heart muscle. So when we breathe, it affects our heart as well: rapid, shallow breathing puts stress on the heart, causing it to beat faster, while slow, deep reduces tension on the heart muscle, causing it to beat a bit more slowly.  

When we are stressed, we unconsciously tend to breathe shallowly and quickly, and the body pumps more oxygen to the heart in case it needs to engage a "fight or flight response". This automatically puts other, "secondary" bodily functions on hold, especially "nourishing" processes, such as digestion, sleep, and restoration of the cells (which is why we get sick so much when we're stressed!). The breathing techniques here emphasise deep, regular breaths and activate areas of the nervous system (the parasympathetic system) which tell the body to relax and engage in healing and nourishing processes.

 

Stress and Yoga Asana - a postscript

Many health professionals nowadays recommend yoga for people who are overly stressed. However, your average yoga class today may not actually be a stress-reducing experience. Dynamic forms of yoga, especially if there is not a lot of time for relaxation at the end of the class (10 minutes should be the minimum, but I've been to many classes where only 5 mins, or 3 minutes are left for relaxation!) may not bring your body and mind out of stress. Some of the most dynamic forms also seem to bring out in us a competitive and self-critical edge as we are challenged by the postures - not exactly a way to let go of anxiety!

If you are seeking a yoga class for the explicit purpose of reducing your stress, give yourself the gift of really doing it right! Find a class that is relaxing and breath focused. Yin Yoga and restorative yoga are especially good for stress relief because the long, supported stretches activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is concerned with rest, nurture and healing.

Blog image from: http://lessonsonstress.tumblr.com/

5 Simple Stretches to ease Shoulder Pain

A while ago I did a post with some simple stretches to ease back pain.  Recently I got a comment on that post asking for something similar for shoulders - et voila!

I think most of us who work at desks have a tendency to hunch up and hunker down over our keyboards, and obviously all the stretching in the world can't replace good posture and a healthy work space!  If you are working long hours in the office, make sure to take regular breaks and walk around, swing your arms, roll your shoulders, and stretch a bit!

Here are a few really simple stretches that can help.  They work really well as a little flow, but can be done individually as well - and best of all, they can be done in your chair while at work.

*If clasping your hands together isn't comfortable in some of these poses, try using a small length of fabric -  a strap, belt or even a teatowel - and you will get a great stretch!

1. Start by sitting up straight with both feet evenly planted on the floor (or both sitting bones if you are sitting on the floor).  Bring your hands beside you, or even better, underneath you and take 5 deep breaths while you focus on dropping the shoulders down as far away as you can from your ears.  Then:

2.  Inhale, and reach your arms up overhead.  Clasp the fingers together and turn the palms upwards*.  Now bring your focus back to the shoulders and again, try to drop them away from your ears while still lengthening upwards through the crown of your head.  Hold for 5 breaths or about 30 seconds.

3.  Release your hands and bring them down behind you.  Once again interlace the fingers behind your back*, and gently lift your hands away from your lower back until you feel a nice stretch.  Hold for 5 breaths or about 30 seconds.

4. Release your arms and stretch them out in front of you, palms up.  Then, cross one arm over the other, above the elbow.  Bend the bottom arm (bringing your hand towards the ceiling) and gently pull the outstretched arm to that side.  Hold for 5 breaths and repeat on the other side.  If you have more flexibility in your shoulders, you can also try Eagle arms, also pictured.

5. Bring one hand to your shoulder, palm up.  Stretch the other arm all the way up to the ceiling and then bend it at the elbow, clasping your hands together*.  Now from the hand on the shoulder, gently pull until you feel a good stretch, then hold.  Try holding about 30 seconds on each side.

Hope these help!  Readers, what little stretches feel great for your shoulders?

If you liked these stretches you may also enjoy: 7 stretches for neck and shoulders you can do at your desk

Back 2 Basics: 4 simple stretches to ease back tension

It seems that almost everyone I meet (well, everyone over the age of 25, anyway!) has suffered from some sort of backache.  Our backs are literally the centre of our lives, through which the spinal column runs.  Whether you are aware of it or not, your back muscles are almost always working in some way or another, whether you are sitting, standing, running, walking, and even sometimes when you are sleeping!

A regular yoga practice is a great way to strengthen the muscles in your back in a balanced way.  But for immediate relief of some backaches, here are 4 simple stretches for when the tension builds up.

These are restorative stretches, and will have the best effect if you hold them each for about 3-5 minutes, so make sure you are comfortable in each stretch!

[NB, readers: Because of their hard working nature, backs are prone to pain and also to injury.  And while I am a certified yoga teacher, I am by no means a back specialist.  If you have persistent pain in your back (i.e. the same pain that has lasted for 2 weeks or more), please consult a specialist!  Also, if any of these or any other yoga postures seem to make your pain worse, stop straight away and consult someone before you continue your yoga practice.]


You will need: a rolled up yoga mat or rolled up blanket, and some small pillows.  I also recommend putting on some blissful music and using an eye pillow for a truly relaxing experience! Use a kitchen timer, mobile phone or a nice chiming app (I like Zen Timer, which has a variety of Tibetan bowl chimes to choose from!) to time your postures for a beautiful back restoring sequence.

If you're feeling stiff, you can warm up your back with Cat & Cow, a few gentle sun salutations, or any other stretches that feel appropriate.  You can also use the following sequence to finish off your regular yoga practice.

1. Heart opening stretch

Open the heart and the sides of your back with this easy, relaxing stretch.

• Begin sitting on the floor.  Place a rolled up yoga mat or blanket lengthwise behind you, with one end at your tailbone.
• Gently lie back on the yoga mat or blanket, adjusting the position of the mat or blanket so that your lower back and your head are both comfortably supported (use a pillow under the head if necessary).
• Open your arms out to the sides, palms facing upwards, opening your heart up towards the sky.
• Breathe deeply in and out.  As you inhale, focus the breath into the back of your body, and as you exhale focus on releasing tension and letting the muscles in your back relax completely.
• This stretch is great for releasing the muscles that run alongside of your spine.

2.  Supine Twists

There are many variations of the supine twist, so try a few and find which one feels right for you and gives you the best release.  Here is one simple option.

Supine twists.  Keep the left shoulder on the floor and let your knees sink into the pillow.

• From the previous pose, gently remove the mat or blanket from underneath you and lie with your back on the ground.  Draw your knees in towards your chest and remain here for as many breaths as you like.
• When you're ready, stretch your arms out to the sides, palms facing upwards.  Inhale and broaden the shoulders.  Exhale and gently release both your knees towards the right hand side.  For the restorative version of this pose, aim to keep the left shoulder on the ground, using pillows underneath your knees in order to comfortably do so.
• When your knees are comfortably supported, gently turn your head towards the left hand side.
• Breathe deeply here for 3-5 minutes, and then switch sides.

3. Lengthwise Stretch

Personalise this stretch by moving the mat to find the best spot to release your back!

• Sit on your mat and place the rolled up mat or blanket behind you again, but this time place it sideways.  Aim to have the mat running sideways just underneath your ribs for starters.
• Gently lie back down over the rolled up mat.
• On an inhalation, stretch your arms up over your head.
• If you find this too intense, you can try resting your hands on a block or pillow to elevate them off the floor.  Alternately, do the pose with your hands on your belly or in another comfortable position.
• Personalise the stretch by changing the positioning of the support to find the spot that best releases your back.  Or, find multiple spots and spend a few minutes in each.

4. Child's pose

• Following the lengthwise stretch, round your spine the other way with a nice long child's pose.  For maximum comfort use pillows or your blanket/mat placed lengthwise underneath you.  Mmmmmm.

Round off with a yummy savasana, meditation or a nice cup of tea.

Readers, what aches plague your backs and how to you release the tension?

Sequence for Scoliosis - Guest Post by Suburban Yogini

This is a guest post by the lovely Rachel of Suburban Yogini.  As a fellow scoliosis-sufferer, I asked Rachel, with her experience at therapeutic yoga, to put together a short-but-sweet sequence for the spine that could be practiced daily to help relieve some of the discomforts caused by scoliosis.  You can read a bit more about her own experience with scoliosis here.

Yoga teacher Elise Browning Miller is one of the most recognized experts on the subject of yoga and scoliosis.  You can visit her website here for lots of helpful information on the different types and origins of scoliosis.  She has also written a number of articles for Yoga Journal on the subject: here is one about yoga and scoliosis, and here is one about teaching students with scoliosis.

So, on to our sequence, with a few wise words from Suburban Yogini's blog: "Yoga practice for back problems of any kind, or scoliosis specifically, should always be undertaken with a qualified teacher who understands the back problem and in conjunction with advice from a physical therapist. This said, yoga practice by its very nature will strengthen and stretch the back muscles and focus the mind on lengthening the spine."

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Yoga Sequence for Scoliosis

Begin sitting back on the heels, spine nice and straight, tail bone tucked under.  Place one hand on the chest and one hand on the lower belly and observe the breath and the movement of the breath under the hands for a few moments until the breath has become steady soft and even.  Begin to visualise the breath moving up and down the spine from the sacrum to the crown of the head on an inhale, from the crown of the head to the sacrum on an exhale.  Visualise the spine as strong, straight and long.  Keep this visualisation in mind throughout your practice.

 1: Child's pose to Downward-facing dog

(Repeat 5 times)

Come into childs pose. As you inhale come to tabletop and exhale into Down Dog.  Inhale tabletop and exhale child's pose.  Repeat five times holding the final down dog for five breaths and the final child for as long as you need.

2: Warrior I and Parsvottanasana

(Repeat 3 times on each side)

When you are ready come to standing.  Turn the left foot out slightly and take a big step forward with the right foot.  Make sure that both hips are pointing to the front of your mat.  Exhale the hands into prayer position.  

Inhale bending the front knee and stretching the arms up into a modified Warrior 1.  Make sure that you look straight ahead rather than up as we are trying to keep the spine straight. Exhale fold forward over the front leg, keeping that front knee bent and the back heel down. Inhale the arms out to the side and back into modified Warrior 1. Exhale straighten the front knee and bring the hands back into prayer position. Repeat 3 times to each side.

3: Supine spine stretcher

(Repeat 5 times)

(Aurora says hello!)

Come to lying on the back with the knees hugged into the chest, feel free to roll out the back and hips here for a few breaths.

As you inhale stretch the legs up to the ceiling with the feet flexed and the arms alongside the ears. Make sure you do not let the tailbone lift off the floor.  As you exhale hug the knees back in towards the chest.  Repeat 5 times.

Finish the sequence with a supine twist and savasana.

The point here is to keep the spine straight but not stiff.  Concetrate on finding the balance between stength and softness within the vertebrae.

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Thanks Rachel for such a great sequence for the spine!  Dear readers, what is your experience with your spine?  How has yoga changed that?