🙏🏽Deep stretches to alleviate back pain, from @mintyogini ~ Tag someone who might find this helpful! 💕 . #catcow stretch: from all fours, firmly pressing the palms on the mat, gently arch the back, projecting the chest forward and drawing the shoulder blades towards the spine for cow, then curl the back to look at your navel, push the hips forward and separate the shoulder blades for cat. This dynamic movement stretches and mobilizes the spine. . #downwardfacingdog is a great pose to lengthen and decompress the back. Be sure to prioritize a straight back. You can always bend the knees if your heels don’t touch the mat or if your spine curls in the pose. . #sphinxpose promotes the natura curvature of the lower back, toning the spine and stimulating the sacral arch. Hold for 3-5 minutes and be mindful of the spine as you come out. . #salabhasana is a great way to strengthen the spine, both to relieve existing pain and to prevent future issues. Be sure to engage your body fully, knees straight and feet pointing. Take a few breaths in the pose if possible, and do 3-5 repetitions. . #eyeoftheneedle targets the hips, loosening up any tightness in the area to increase your range of motion. When the hips are tight, our back tends to pick up the extra load. By gaining hip flexibility, you can decrease the pressure on your lower back. Hold both sides for equal amounts of time. . #supinespinaltwist is the perfect way to end this sequence (or any yoga sequence, really!) or to practice on its own to release tension in the lower back and neutralize the spine. Be sure to hold both sides for an equal amount of time, and try to keep both shoulder blades on the ground at all times.
