Todd McLaughlin is a yoga instructor and the owner of Native Yoga Center in Juno Beach, Florida. With over 20 years of experience in teaching yoga, Todd is passionate about helping people alleviate back pain and improve their overall well-being through yoga practice.
Summary: In this episode of Grow Your Yoga, Todd McLaughlin shares his favorite stretches and poses to alleviate back pain. He emphasizes the importance of consulting with a physician and understanding one’s specific condition before starting a yoga practice. Todd guides listeners through various movements, such as flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation, to determine which motions provide relief and which exacerbate the pain. He then demonstrates poses like Cow and Cat, Child’s Pose, Head-to-Knee Pose, Bridge Pose, and Supine Twist, explaining how each pose targets different areas of the back and hips. Todd concludes the session with a relaxation pose, Shavasana, and encourages listeners to practice yoga regularly to cultivate peace within themselves and spread it to others.
Key Takeaways:
- Consult with a physician and understand your specific condition before starting a yoga practice for back pain relief.
- Determine which movements provide relief and which exacerbate the pain by exploring flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation.
- Cow and Cat poses can help alleviate back pain by opening up space between the vertebrae.
- Child’s Pose can be modified to accommodate different levels of flexibility and comfort.
- Head-to-Knee Pose stretches the side body and hips, providing relief for the lower back.
- Bridge Pose strengthens the legs and opens up space around the sacrum.
- Supine Twist can be adjusted with props to make it more comfortable and gentle.
- Regular yoga practice can help cultivate peace within oneself and promote overall well-being.
*Grow Your Yoga: Alleviating Back Pain with Yoga
By Todd McLaughlin, Native Yoga Center
Welcome to Grow Your Yoga! In this webinar, we will be discussing 20-minute yoga routines that can help alleviate back pain. Whether you’re experiencing low back pain, thoracic pain, or neck pain, I will guide you through a series of stretches and movements that can provide relief and improve flexibility. It’s important to consult with a physician and undergo imaging tests to understand the underlying causes of your back pain. Once you have a better understanding, we can tailor the yoga movements to suit your needs.
Discovering the Right Movements
To begin, let’s explore different movements and observe how they affect your back. Start by standing with your hands on your waist. Bend your knees slightly and round your spine forward. Pay attention to how this motion feels. Does it alleviate or increase the discomfort? Next, straighten your legs, press your hips forward, and go into extension. Again, observe the sensation. Does it improve or worsen the pain? Lastly, try lateral flexion by pressing your hips to the right and leaning to the left. Repeat on the other side. Take note of how these movements affect your back.
Cow and Cat Poses
One of the key poses for alleviating back pain is the Cow and Cat poses. Start on your hands and knees, with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. In Cow Pose, lift your chin and tailbone, allowing the ribcage to drop down. In Cat Pose, tuck your chin and round your spine, engaging your abdominal muscles. Coordinate your breath with the movements, inhaling in Cow Pose and exhaling in Cat Pose. Adjust the range of motion based on what provides relief for your back.
Child’s Pose
Child’s Pose is another effective stretch for the back. If you’re unable to kneel, you can lie on your back and bring your knees to your chest. In Child’s Pose, bring your hips towards your heels and rest your forehead on the floor. If flexion exacerbates your pain, come onto your elbows and maintain a neutral spine. If flexion feels good, fully extend your arms and relax into the pose.
Head-to-Knee Pose
Head-to-Knee Pose is a great stretch for the hips and lower back. Start by sitting with your right knee bent and your right heel close to your body. Reach over for your left foot, either grabbing it or using a strap. This pose opens up the space on the right side of your waistline and hip. If flexion is challenging, focus on isolating the movement at the pelvis and hips. If flexion feels good, fold forward as much as your body allows, engaging your abdominal muscles.
Bridge Pose
Bridge Pose is a strength-building pose that also helps alleviate tension in the back. Lie on your back and bend your knees. Before lifting your hips, isolate the movement of your pelvis and low back. Experiment with anterior and posterior tilts of the pelvis to find what feels best for your back. When you’re ready, press your feet into the floor and lift your hips, engaging your leg muscles. Focus on stability at the midsection and relax your neck and shoulders.
Supine Twist
The Supine Twist is a gentle twisting motion that can provide relief for back stiffness. Lie on your back and tip your knees to the right, allowing your legs to relax. If the twist is too deep, you can place a block under the outside leg for support. Explore the rocking motion of twisting from side to side, coordinating your breath with the movement. This gentle twist helps stretch and release tension in the back.
Seated Cross-Legged Position
To conclude the practice, sit in a cross-legged position. If forward bending is challenging, sit with your hands on your knees and focus on tractioning your spine by engaging your abdominal muscles. If rounding feels better, lean forward and allow your back to release and stretch. Take deep breaths in through your nose and exhale through your nose, focusing on relaxation and letting go of tension.
Implications and Future Outlook
Yoga has been proven to be an effective tool for managing and alleviating back pain. By incorporating these 20-minute routines into your daily or weekly practice, you can strengthen your legs, improve flexibility, and release tension in the back. It’s important to listen to your body and modify the movements based on your individual needs. Regular practice and self-observation will help you become more proficient in finding the movements that provide relief for your back pain.
Conclusion
Back pain can be debilitating, but with the right yoga practice, you can find relief and improve your overall well-being. The stretches and movements discussed in this webinar are just a starting point. It’s important to consult with a physician and work with a qualified yoga instructor to tailor the practice to your specific needs. Remember to listen to your body, practice self-observation, and be patient with yourself as you explore what works best for your back. With regular practice, you can find peace and freedom from back pain.
Thank you for joining me in this webinar. I hope you found these insights and tips helpful. Remember to consult with a physician and practice under the guidance of a qualified instructor. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment, and I will be happy to answer them. Stay tuned for more webinars and classes at Native Yoga Center. Namaste.
Check out: 👇
Free Grow Your Yoga Live Webinar – Every Thursday at 12pm EST
➡️ Click here to receive link
New Student FREE Livestream Yoga Special ~ Try 2 Weeks of Free Unlimited Livestream Yoga Classes at Native Yoga Center. info.nativeyogacenter.com/livestream Sign into the classes you would like to take and you will receive an email 30 minutes prior to join on Zoom. The class is recorded and uploaded to nativeyogaonline.com ➡️ Click Here to Join.
Practice to a New Yoga Class every day with our nativeyogaonline.com course called Today’s Community Class with code FIRSTMONTHFREE.
Native Yoga Teacher Training 2024– In Studio and Livestream – for info delivered to your email click this link here: ➡️ https://info.nativeyogacenter.com/native-yoga-teacher-training-2023/
Subscribe to Native Yoga Center and view this video on Youtube.
Please email special requests and feedback to info@nativeyogacenter.com
Native Yoga website: here
YouTube: here
Instagram: @nativeyoga
Twitter: @nativeyoga
Facebook: @nativeyogacenter
LinkedIn: Todd McLaughlin
Native Yoga Blog 