YOGA THERAPY FOR THE LOWER BACK Postures and Sequences for a Healthy Back Class Yoga Therapists work one-on-one, supporting clients toward improved health and well-being. A session typically focuses on improving awareness and the regulation of stress, both shown to reduce pain, improve immune response—and often enhance outcomes of treatments from other healthcare providers. The Yoga therapist evaluates clients holistically, including physically, energetically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. An individualized program may include physical postures (asana), breathwork (pranayama), meditation, visualization, self-reflection, lifestyle education and more. This handout provides examples of physical postures (asana) that may be part of a program to support a healthy spine. If any postures do not feel intuitively right for you, just leave them out and consult with your physical therapist or physician. Attunement Knee to Chest Bent Leg Arm Raise Savasana variation Ardha Apanasana Savasana variation 1. Lie on your back with your knees bent, 2. Lie on your back with both legs 3. Lie on your back with one leg bent feet on the ground, and palms up. straight . As you exhale, draw your and one leg straight. Start with your Breathe in and out through the nose, 6- right knee into your chest and bring arms at your side. As you inhale, bring 8 times. Try to be in the moment, the toes of your extended leg back both arms over head. As you exhale, linking your body, breath, and mind. towards you. Stay for 6-8 breaths and bring your arms back to your sides. Use this link to your breath in all then switch and do the same with the Repeat 6-8 times slowly. Repeat on postures. left knee. the other side. Bent Leg Hamstring Stretch Straight Leg Hamstring Stretch Supta Padangusthasana variation Supta Padan- gusthasana variation OR 4. Lie on your back with both knees bent, feet on the 4. Lie on your back with your arms at your sides, palms down, ground. As you exhale, bring your right leg in and hold and one leg bent with the foot on the ground. Straighten the under your thigh. As you inhale, straighten your leg to other leg. As you exhale, raise the straight leg as high as you your tolerance; as you exhale, fold the leg. Repeat 3 feel comfortable; as you inhale, bring it back down. Repeat times. When ready, keep the leg you are holding straight 3 times, then hold on to the straight leg for 6-8 breaths. for 6-8 breaths. Repeat on the other side. Repeat on the other side. Yoga Half Situp Yoga plank on Knees Yoga Forearm Plank Navasana variation Chaturanga variation Chaturanga variation OR OR 5. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet 5. Come down to your 5. Come down to your hands on the ground. Position a block, pillow or hands and knees. Then and knees. Then slowly folded blanket between your thighs, just slowly drop to your drop to your forearms and below your knees. Place your thumbs at the forearms and turn your straighten your legs with top of your jaw and spread your fingers. toes under and hold. the toes under (or the tops Take a deep breath and, as you exhale, Gradually increase the of the feet down). Stay for squeeze your knees and sit just half way up. hold time to your 6-8 breaths. Gradually Don’t throw the headforward; keep your tolerance. increase the hold time to arms wide. Let your eyes follow the ceiling. your tolerance. Inhale back and reapeat 6-8 times, gradually increasing repetitions to tolerance. _____________________________________ © 2019 Larry Payne PhD, C-IAYT www.samata.com YOGA THERAPY FOR THE LOWER BACK Postures and Sequences for a Healthy Back Class Balancing Cat Sphinx Cobra Chakravakasana variation Salamba Bhujangasana Bhujangasana OR 6. Start on your hands and knees . 7. Lie on your belly, supported by 7. Lie on your belly with your thumbs Slide your left arm out and your both forearms and head down. near your armpits, fingers forward right leg, and then lift to be As you inhale, press up. As you and head down. As you inhale, pull parallel with the floor. Stay for 6-8 exhale, come down. Repeat 6-8 forward and up, like a turtle coming breaths. Repeat on the other side. times. Keep the buttocks loose. out of a shell. Keep your buttocks Gradually increase repetitions. loose. Repeat 6-8 times. Gradually increase repetitions. The Lunge Pose Knee to Chest Bent Leg Supine Twist Anjaneyasana variation Apanasana Parivartanasana 8. Bring your right leg forward so that the right 9. Lie on your back and 10. Lie on you back with your knees bent knee and ankle are in alignment. Keep the left slowly bring your knees in and your feet on the ground. Bring knee and foot on the ground. Place your towards your chest to your arms out into a “T’ with the hands just above your right knee and tolerance. If you have knee palms down. As you exhale drop both straighten your back. As you exhale lunge problems you can hold bent knees to the right. As you inhale forward keeping your back straight. Repeat 3 under your thighs. Stay for bring them both up. Repeat 3 times times and then stay for 6-8 breaths. For 6 –8 breaths. and on the third time stay down for greater intensity tuck the tail under. Repeat 6-8 breaths repeat on the other side on the other side. Knee to Chest (Repeat #2) Attunement (Repeat #1) Apanasana Savasana variation 11. Lie on your back with both legs straight . As you exhale, 12. Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet on the draw your right knee into your chest and bring the toes of ground, and palms up. Breathe in and out through the your extended leg back towards you. Stay for 6-8 breaths nose, 12-14 times. Try to be in the moment, linking your and then switch and do the same with the left leg. body, breath, and mind. Use this link to your breath in all of your postures. _____________________________________ © 2019 Larry Payne PhD, C-IAYT www.samata.com .