Back pain is one of the most common complaints among adults, often made worse by long hours sitting at a desk or scrolling on a phone. According to yoga professionals, a short, mindful practice can help ease that discomfort without straining your body.
Yoga teacher Taylor Lorenz recommends a simple 12-minute sequence designed to stretch tight muscles and strengthen weak ones. It’s ideal for anyone spending too much time hunched over or for those wanting a gentle way to release tension at the end of the day. Here’s what it involves and why this kind of movement can be effective for back health.
A 12-minute routine to relieve back pain
This gentle yoga sequence focuses on seated and reclined postures that loosen the spine, open the hips, and calm the nervous system. You only need a mat, a comfortable seat, and patience with your body.
- Easy pose (Sukhasana): Sit cross-legged or on a folded blanket. Rest your hands on your thighs and take a few slow breaths, feeling your spine lengthen. This simple starting position helps ground your body and prepare your mind for movement.
- Seated upward salute: Inhale as you sweep your arms overhead, stretching long through your fingertips. Exhale and lower your arms. Repeat several times to warm up your shoulders.
- Seated side bend with cross-armed forward fold: Place your right hand on the mat beside you. Inhale and sweep your left arm overhead, leaning gently to the right. Return to center, then cross your right arm over your left, placing each hand on the opposite knee. Exhale and round forward, letting your chin drop toward your chest. Repeat the sequence on the other side.
- Dynamic heart opener: With one hand on the mat, lift the other arm to the sky, bend your elbow, and open your chest as you inhale. Exhale and bring your elbow toward the opposite side. Repeat three times on each side to mobilize your upper back.
- Seated twist: Reach both arms up, then exhale and twist to one side, placing one hand behind you and the other on your knee. Stay for a few breaths before switching sides.
- Cat-cow stretch: Move to your hands and knees. Inhale, drop your belly, and lift your chest (cow pose). Exhale, round your spine, and tuck your chin (cat pose). Repeat several rounds.
- Child’s pose: Sit your hips back toward your heels, arms reaching forward. Rest your forehead on the mat and breathe into your lower back.
- Sphinx pose: Lie on your belly with your forearms on the floor. Gently lift your chest as you press into your elbows. Keep your neck long and relaxed.
- Windshield wipers: Lie flat and make a pillow with your hands, resting your forehead on them. Bend your knees and draw your heels toward your hips. Gently drop your knees side to side, like windshield wipers moving across a window.
- Supine twist: Bring your knees to one side while keeping your shoulders grounded. Hold for several breaths, then switch.
Finish lying on your back with knees bent and feet wide. Let your body fully relax before getting up.
How yoga helps with back pain
Gentle yoga can relieve back pain by increasing flexibility, improving posture, and easing muscle tension caused by sitting or stress. Many postures in this sequence engage the core and lower back muscles, which provide essential support for the spine.
Unlike high-intensity workouts, yoga doesn’t strain the joints or overwork the muscles. Instead, it focuses on awareness and breath. Whether practiced in the morning to prepare your body for the day or at night to unwind tight muscles, this 12-minute routine offers an accessible way to care for your back. The next time it feels tight, try rolling out your mat.