We are learning more and more about the health risks of sitting for long periods at a time - from heart health to mental health and everything in between. Working from home & being subject to ongoing lockdowns has meant that incidental activity has been greatly reduced for many. This, in addition to less ergonomically sound home-office setups has led to many of our clients reporting stiffness and pain in the lower back & hips.
Incorporating movement into your day is more critical then ever and yoga in particular is one highly effective way of treating stiffness and pain through the lower body and back. Here are 5 key reasons why yoga is so effective in this regard.
- RELAX tension in the body and help relieve stress before it manifests physically
When we experience stressful situations whether in a moment or over time, it is most often accompanied by physical discomfort. Stuck stress manifests itself in blockages, pain, tension, and rigidity in the fascia or connective tissue. We all deal with stress differently and hold it in various areas of the body, such as in the neck, shoulders, hips, hands and feet. One of the most common stress containers is the pelvic floor (and yes both men and women have one!). Holding stress here can cause lower back pain, tight hips, and a disconnection from your deep core.
Yoga combines many popular stress-reducing techniques, including learning to control the breath, exercise, clear the mind, and relax the body. Many yoga positions (hip opening positions in particular) are also found to release emotional energy. Just a few minutes of yoga per day can not only provide immediate relaxation but act as a preventative measure to better process stress before it becomes stored.
- STRENGTHEN supporting tissue
Your joints and spine are supported by a range of directly and indirectly connected muscles. By strengthening these muscles, you reduce the stress placed on your back and relieve any excess pressure to the area. Focusing on building up the strength in your legs, abdomen, lower back and hips will go a long way in relieving that stress and alleviate any pain that you’re feeling.
- LENGTHEN and stretch muscles to increase flexibility and allow your joints to express themselves in full range of motion.
A common reason for back pain is stiffness and lack of stabilization, which will progressively get worse with lack of physical activity and neglecting your body’s range of motion. Consistent stretching is necessary for increasing the flexibility of your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. You should focus not only on your back when stretching, but also the parts of your body indirectly involved with your back, like your hamstrings for instance.. Yoga poses that stretch the quadricep also reduce tension through the hip joint.
- ENHANCE your awareness of your body
Just a few minutes of yoga a day can help you gain more awareness of your body and bring your attention to areas where you are holding tension or have imbalances. Imbalance between two sides of your body can throw out other areas like a ripple effect and cause pain along the chain of movement. Many of us have lost our connection to the webbing of muscles and connective tissue that supports our lower back and hip region. We’ve also lost the ability to mindfully connect and relax the area, so as life goes on, we continue to lose more connectivity, tone, and resilience. When we reverse this loss and the pelvic floor is neuromuscularly connected, we learn how to let go and surrender, and the hips follow, becoming more fluid, flexible, and lighter.
- CIRCULATE blood to problem areas.
Physical activity mobilises blood flow, opens up joints and relieves pain and stiffness. While exercising is a great way of increasing your blood flow and reducing the inflammation in your back, too much can further aggravate the injury. Low impact activity such as yoga practices raises the heart rate and improves circulation whilst avoiding further inflammation.
If your stiffness or pain is caused from a sedentary lifestyle of working from home or from stress, yoga can be a highly effective practice to relieve the symptoms and prevent long-term conditions. If you are experiencing chronic or severe pain, yoga may not be the appropriate treatment, or may require a multi-disciplinary approach. Be sure to seek advice from your doctor before starting any new yoga or exercise program.
JOIN OUR YOGA MASTER HANNAH FOR A 30 MINUTE PRACTICE BELOW SO FEEL START FEELING THE BENEFITS IMMEDIATELY!
RESET RECHARGE & RELAX.....
Step away from the pressures of your day & the physical strains of your office ergonimics...
And move into your own universe of self-care and calm for 30 minutes.
This sequence releases particularly through the entire lower body including the lower back, hips, glutes, hamstrings and calves.
BREATHE....