Back pain is perhaps one of the most common struggles we all encounter every so often. According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), it can be caused by several factors: fitness-level, poor posture, age, and more. What you eat and even your genes can increase your risk of back pain. “A diet high in calories and fat, combined with an inactive lifestyle, can lead to obesity. This can put stress on the back,” NIAMS warns. If your job involves heavy lifting, pushing, or sitting in front of your laptop or computer for hours on end, chances are you’ve experienced back pain too.
NIAMS reports, “Back pain can range from local pain in a specific spot to generalized pain spreading all over the back. Sometimes, the pain radiates away from the back to other areas of your body, such as the buttocks, legs, or abdomen. The intensity of back pain varies for each person.”
This medical problem is definitely a difficult and uncomfortable situation to be in. So with that in mind, how exactly can you address it? A quick and simple solution is through stretching. As a matter of fact, there’s one exercise that experts swear by to help stop back pain. Keep reading to find out what New York City-based yoga instructor Shanna Tyler recommends.
Child's Pose
In an exclusive interview with SELF, Tyler said, "Child's pose takes the pressure off your lower back by elongating and aligning the spine, which decompresses it and gives you a nice stretch." Ideally, the goal here is to lengthen your spine and release all the tension it currently has.
On top of that, the child's pose helps with relaxing and alleviating stress. Because it is usually done with deep breathing, not only do you get to relieve back pain but you also get to calm your mind and reduce anxiety. In fact, doing the child's pose helps increase blood circulation as well.
How To Do The Child's Pose
•Kneel on the ground with your knees hip-width apart and toes together.
•Lean forward with your arms extended with your torso over your thighs until your forehead hits the ground.
•Hold.
For a more detailed demo of how you can do the child's pose, watch this video.
