By Jackie
Many people see yoga as a modern day phenomenon that has arisen as a way to keep physically and mentally fit and survive the stresses and strains of the modern world. Yet even modern yoga can be dated back to medieval times. It has been proven to have provided numerous health benefits to people of all ages, for centuries.
These days, more people than ever are getting wise to all the benefits that yoga can offer. Even Canada’s First Lady, Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau is a yoga teacher!
Perhaps the most popular use of yoga is in the treatment of upper back pain. If you are a sufferer, let’s take a look at how yoga might help you deal with this problem once and for all.
Find the source of the problem
Before you can hope to alleviate the pain, you need to understand where it is coming from, which might not be as simple as you think.
There are various common causes of upper back pain, including trapped nerves, muscle tears and even bone damage. However, most commonly, it is the result of tension in the muscles that cause an imbalance and push our spines into unnatural positions. Yes, it is all those hours hunched over the laptop that are often to blame.
How does yoga help?
Yoga is a great mechanism to relieve tension in your upper back by improving flexibility. The gradual process of stretching the muscles, helps to lengthen their resting state, reducing the chances of their putting uneven strain on your joints.
At the same time, yoga helps the muscles to relax, meaning improved comfort all round. By practising yoga regularly, your muscles will gradually stretch, which will relieve tension and pain. You should also find that it improves your posture while walking and sitting, further reducing the problem at its source.
Finally, the breathing and moving exercises involved in yoga help to reduce overall stress and tension.
How do I start?
To fully appreciate how yoga can help you, the best thing to do is to find a local yoga workshop near you. Here you will learn the first principles of the best exercises for relieving upper back pain, such as the locust, reverse-warrior and bridge pose.
Best of all, you will find the help and support to make yoga part of your everyday life and get rid of that upper back pain for good.
