Fix Your Upper Back Pain with Grow Mobile Yoga

Are you reading this with a slouched back? Maybe you’re craning your neck down at your phone? Back pain afflicts most of us at one point or another, due to a variety of different stressors. Injury, poor posture, and sitting at a desk all day are common causes of those aches and twinges that continue to vex us. Part of why we at Grow Mobile Yoga offer classes to businesses and organizations is to help relieve pain and strengthen the muscles. Below are a few examples of some poses that a Grow Mobile Yoga class would take you through to help combat upper back pain. Try doing these poses for 30-60 seconds every day for two weeks to alleviate soreness and strain (and let us know how you feel after those weeks!):

Cat-cow (Marjaryasana to Bitilasana):

Difficulty: 1/5

Get on your hands and knees on your yoga mat, with your wrists below your shoulders and your knees below your hips. With a neutral spine and abs engaged, inhale deeply. As you exhale, curve your spine up towards the ceiling like a hissing cat. Imagine a string is pulling your belly button upwards and ensure your abs are still active. Let your neck relax and follow the arch shape of your spine. Inhale and arch your back, with your head and tailbone pointed towards the ceiling. Continue alternating between these poses, connecting the breath to each pose.

Thread the Needle (Parsva Balasana):

Difficulty: 2/5

Again beginning on the hands and knees, take a deep breath in and lift your right arm above your head. Follow your right arm with your gaze, turning your head up towards the ceiling. Exhale as you bring your right arm down and through the “eye of the needle”, which is the space between your mat and the left side of your body. Send your right arm as far through the left side as you comfortably can, bringing your head and upper back down towards the mat. Relax your spine and breathe into the stretch. Your left hand should be planted next to your head with a bent arm, but you can also stretch the left arm out in front of you or bring it up above your head to deepen the stretch. Repeat these steps for the left side of the body. 

Eagle Arms (Garudasana):

Difficulty: 3/5

Begin in a comfortable seated position, which can be on your yoga mat or in a chair. With your arms out in front of you and palms facing up, cross the right arm over the left and bend both arms up in a right angle. Hook the left hand around the right, so that both palms are facing each other (to your best effort). Bring your elbows up slightly, until you feel the stretch in your shoulders. Hold this pose for several breaths.

Doing these poses can help relieve upper back pain and strengthen the back and shoulder muscles. Grow Mobile Yoga makes it easy by coming to you and leading classes to help your employees and other community members feel better and have fun!

Written by Abby Rawson.