5 Chair Yoga Poses for Back Pain Relief

Back pain occurs due to slouching, prolonged sitting, and insufficient sleep, usually triggered by work. The ironic part is that it’s also the leading cause of work-loss days and work limitations. In other words, we get back pain from work, and we can’t work because of back pain.

Even worse, back pain is one of the costliest conditions, financially and productivity-wise. Unfortunately, since back pain has never been an urgent issue, people don’t have any choice but to deal with it, usually with narcotic pain medications. Pain relievers are rarely suitable as the first line of treatment.

However, people who tend to take them often develop a more severe and chronic pain over time. The good news is you can easily treat it with yoga. It’s inexpensive and effective!

Who Benefits from Yoga?

Pregnant women can opt for yoga in preparing their bodies for labour and delivery. It’s especially safe for them since it only involves gentle movements and slow breathing. Poses like cat-cow pose, balancing table, goddess, or bound angle provide relief during pregnancy.

Older adults’ aches and pains, unwanted falls, sleepless nights, stress and depression, and even chronic conditions can be staved off with yoga too. It’s because yoga is a combination of slow movement, breathing, and meditation, which are all great for the elderly.

People with specific health concerns can also benefit from the wellness brought by yoga. Studies have shown that it’s helpful for those with insomnia, weight concerns, menopause, PMS, fibromyalgia, arthritis, and other body aches.

Unfortunately, yoga isn’t a necessary medical service, so only a few insurers offer gym membership as part of their coverage package nowadays. Take Assurance as an example. Try to compare Mediagap and Medicare Advantage plans and see these expanded benefits.

Yoga is generally safe for everyone of all ages, with or without medical concerns. It’s a rewarding and intrinsically motivating way to improve our optimal well-being. What’s more, it’s a safe and free pain relief that you can easily rely on for your daily grind’s back pain.

Here are 5 yoga poses you can easily do on your chair.

1. Chair Seated Twists

A simple chair-seated twist can do the trick if you’re usually feeling mild aches from sitting for long hours. It helps you stretch and lengthen the sides of your spine. When the other side of the body contracts, the opposite side feels a stretch.

These simple twists can assist your body’s natural detoxifying process, which improves your digestive and excretory systems. Moreover, when you lengthen your spine and improve your body’s detoxification by twisting, your prana or vitality increases, which leaves you energized.

2. Chair Child’s Pose

The cobra pose chair is a beginner-style backbend. You’ll just have to be seated at the edge of your chair and hold the back of it with your arms. As you inhale, lift your chest and shoulders to look up. As you exhale, you’ll feel the stretch at your neck and upper chest.

It also stretches your thighs, hips, and ankle and releases tension in your chest, hamstrings, and shoulders. When doing the child’s pose, the light compression on your core can also activate digestion. It’s best done before sleep at the end of a long, exhausting day.

3. Chair Cat-Cow Pose

This seated version of the cat/cow pose is a quick fix for your back pain and neck-and-shoulder stiffness. In addition, the gentle stretches in your abdomen improve the functioning of your digestive and reproductive systems.

The chair cat/cow pose is a simple therapeutic practice to fend off rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. The basic forward-bend and backbend motion warms your spine, promoting a better-oxygenated blood supply between the vertebrae. As a result, you’ll experience a smooth, painless movement of your neck and back.

4. Cobra Pose Chair

The cobra pose chair is a beginner-style backbend. You’ll just have to be seated at the edge of your chair and hold the back of it with your arms. As you inhale, lift your chest and shoulders to look up. You’ll feel the stretch at your neck and upper chest as you exhale.

Backbends can strengthen your back, shoulders, chest, and hips while relieving tension, tightness, and pain. It also promotes good posture because it lengthens your spine, increases flexibility, and improves mobility. They’re invigorating, too, so you want to avoid them before bed.

5. Chair Chest Opener

A great way to unround your upper back and other upper body parts are through chest openers. The seated variation only requires you to interlace your hands behind your back while seated. As you inhale, raise your hands up and away from your back. Do it while gently raising your chin away from your chest. As you exhale, slowly put your hands down.

The opening of your breastbone, rib cage, and other upper body parts can improve your blood, oxygen, and nerve circulation. Not only that, it’s a way for you to vent out your pent-up emotions, invigorating you mentally and physically.

Final Thoughts

Bear in mind not to stretch into a position of pain. Any feeling of pain, pinch, brief numbness, or sharp pain indicates that there’s something wrong in our body. If stretching hurts, know your limits and ease your way back on the stretch.