How a Simple Leg Stretch Can Help Your Back Pain Part 5
As you exhale pull both kneecaps up tight – not back and drop the right hip. This seems quite simple to do and does work quite deep around the hips and helps with back pain. Then change legs.To take it the next level this time after you have ‘dropped’ your hip as you exhale arch your back reaching your hands towards your feet and begin to place your torso on your raised leg. Now for some this may not be easy as there are different sorts of back pain that’s ok, for those, as you exhale instead of reaching for your feet reach for either your knee, shin, ankle and find your ‘comfort’ level.
Remember to aim to keep your body square and level, use your breath as a guide to see how you are doing. (If your breath is ragged your working too hard). The pose needs to be ‘agreeably uncomfortable’. With the breath and posture under your control, (not the ego’s) start to refine the posture.
After regular exercise your back/legs would have stretched accordingly and in line helping you with your back pain. You can then go to the next level which is by increasing the height of the raised leg from the chair seat, to blocks on the chair seat, then after you have accomplished that try with your leg placed on the chair back.
For those who have managed to get to the chair back level, you could try raising your leg and place your foot on the breakfast bar while your waiting for the water to boil for your tea or coffee. Food for thought?
Whatever level your at with yoga, you will have greater benefit if you ‘allow’ it to happen rather than make it happen. Yoga is a journey rather than a destination teaching you new things along the way and who you become.
Enjoy your yoga and pass on what you have learnt, even the simplest of postures have benefit helping you to be back pain free.
Also look at your life style to see how you can improve what you are doing, like sitting in chair- are you sitting upright as you are reading this? Are you slumped over your computer? How do you walk – 12.00 o’clock or ten to two? Monitor how you are doing, be more aware.
