The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › Injuries, Restrictions, Ailments, Pose Modifications › Lower back › lower back pain
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I have been practicing Bikram for four years. I have a very strong practice yet I continually suffer lower back pain from doing yoga. I will take time off to stop the pain and in three or four days of not practicing, the pain is completely gone. I go back to practicing and eventually the pain comes back. Sometimes I feel like the heat is what’s killing me; even though I like sweating (FYI: I usually have a lake of sweat around me after practice).
I eat well, drink lots of water, take electrolytes and still the pain comes back. I do have to sit a lot at the computer but I take breaks regularly. Still I get spasms. When I’m not bothered by pain, I’m so flexible my instructor tells me I’m pushing too far forward in camel. I’ve never had back problems and don’t other than yoga making me hurt. Last year I took a month off to travel and never suffered any back pain. As soon as I started yoga, the pain came back. Any ideas?
Hi Jeffrey
Thanks for posting. It would appear that something is happening BECAUSE of the technique in your yoga practice.
Can you tell me if there is ANY pose or specific movement that you feel some discomfort, or twinge, or spasm?
I have an idea where this may be heading, but let’s hear from you first to clarify the situation. Any further specifics will be much appreciated.
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Thanks Gabrielle,
Poses that are hard for me are forward bends like Rabbit, Half Tortoise, Padahistasana (sp), Separate Leg with head to knee… My back bends are great. It’s the forward bends that are “killing” me.
-JeffreyWoopsie, will get to this one this week!
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hi Jeffrey
One of the issues could be core strength. You are very flexible and you could be quite strong but maybe not where it counts in this instance.
Are you a seemingly strong person? (Maybe washboard abs, muscly, maybe not.) Perhaps like many people you are sucking in your stomach to create rigidity in your ‘core’ which is often mistaken for actual core strength.
Let me ask you a question or 2:
When does it hurt in Rabbit? On entry or in the pose? Where is it hurting? Just the lower back? What about shoulders and neck? Where do you feel the stretch?
Padahastasana (or hands to feet) do you feel the pain only on entry as you descend to the floor? And what about sep leg head to knee and half tortoise? Same story?
Are you sure you’re doing these poses correctly? I know that’s a strange question but I guess one of the reasons you’re here is because you need some answers. I have to ask questions and try to get a better understanding…
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hi Gabrielle,
I know this question was posted by someone else, but I have the exact same issue with my lower back. I am pretty flexible in my backbends but I think it’s the forward bends that are causing the pain in my back.
And as you said, it’s probably due to my technique and lack of core strength.
I feel twinges of pain in postures where I am pulling such as Padahastasana and last part of Head to Knee Pose and Stretching Pose (with both legs outstretched on the floor). And I also feel it in my half moons.
However, I’ve noticed when I set up properly with my upper body leaning back a little it takes the strain off of my lower back as I go down to either the right or left. But I do feel my stomach puffs in half moon as well as the other forward bending postures which makes me think it’s a core issue as well.
So besides helping me with any pointers on technique that you may have can you tell me how to activate my core. You mentioned that sucking in the stomach was not ideal. What should I be doing differently?
Thanks, ChristinaHello Christina,
I am a hot yoga teacher from Gabrielle’s teacher training.
She gave me the nod to respond to some forum posts, I hope you don’t mind if I reply to yours =)As Gabrielle mentioned in one of the posts above, sucking your belly is completely different to engaging your core muscles.
Sucking your stomach in doesn’t help you to protect your lower back and the surrounding areas, so this is a very good and important question you asked! =)
Good news is that everybody has core muscles, most of just needs a bit of help in learning how to activate them!Here is how I like to explain to my students:
A way to ‘discover’ your core is what we call the ‘polite cough’. Put one hand on your tummy, with your mouth closed cough politely (Ahem!)…and say hello to your core =)
You will feel a gente ‘kick’ in the lower abdominal area.
Gabrielle also has a great video on how to strengthen these essential muscles. You can find the video here:
https://www.hotyogadoctor.com/index.php/site/topics/resources/free-yoga-videos
The more you practise the easier it will become to engage the right muscles.As to giving you advice on your alignment, can I ask you to be a bit more specific?
Which poses exactly do you need help with?
If you get back to me on that and describe how you enter and exit the pose and what sensations and where you feel while being in these poses, I will be happy to help you!Do let me know how the core discovery goes =)
Namaste,
Andrea
Hi Christina
Thanks Andrea. If you would like even more details on how to learn how to engage your core then you may have already received one of my email newsletters from me about this.
If you haven’t received it yet, then look out for it. It has the subject line: Ahem!’ Why a Polite Cough Will Transform Your Practice’
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Thanks Andrea & Gabrielle. Both the email and the video were both so informative. I’ve already purchased the ball to get a start on the core exercises! And I am amazed how I don’t have the strength to get my legs off the floor initially. It looks so much easier than it is.
I am trying to be more mindful in entering & exiting my poses and trying to lengthen as opposed to compress my lower back when I go into backbends. Thanks for all your help. I am so glad to have an exercise that will help strengthen my core!Hi Christina,
It’s great to hear that you are having fun with your ball 🙂 Haha…
I remember how much we LOVED (and still do!) this exercise when Gabrielle introduced it to us at her Teacher Training! To have a good core strength is sooo important! I am sure it will help you to transform your practice too!
Namaste,
Andrea
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