7 yoga poses for neck and back pain relief. Stretch it out!
Bendy moves and posture correcting for banishing discomfort caused by working from home (WFH)
Text: Camilla Knight
Are long work hours quite literally causing you a pain in the neck? Working from home (WFH) means that we’re deskbound more than ever — and that means being slumped over a keyboard in your makeshift office on the world’s most uncomfortable chair. As if this isn’t bad enough, it’s causing potential damage to your back and neck in the process.
Camilla Knight, co-founder of Simply Pause Retreats
“Often, the most common ailments associated with a sedentary office lifestyle are neck and lower back pain caused by poor posture” says Camilla Knight, co-founder of Simply Pause Retreats, and a yoga teacher who teaches at Singapore’s Yoga Lab and with private clients. “Unfortunately, there’s now a rise of these kind of problems thanks to people working from homes where desks are not set up properly,” she says.
Having picked up yoga ten years ago as a form of therapy to combat her own stressful corporate life, Camilla’s aim is to bring the same life-changing experience she had to those undergoing similar pains. “Yoga is for every body and every individual. Doing a regular practice can not only ease physical symptoms, but also prevent new ailments from happening.”
Here, Camilla reveals her favourite yoga poses that offers neck and back pain relief and ease tension in the body. Give these exercises a try when you feel an ache creeping up your stiff shoulders for a good stretch and an effective and simple remedy.
Neck pain
1. Neck stretches
Come to a sitting or kneeling position. Bring attention to your breath and close both of your eyes and mouth. Gently drop your right ear down to your right shoulder. Keep both shoulders relaxed.
Without lifting the right ear off the right shoulder, stretch your left arm to the left, just off the floor and slightly behind you. Look to the ceiling and the floor a few times to ease any tension in the neck. Keeping your gaze on the floor, hold for three deep breaths. Repeat on the left.
For a more intense stretch, place your right hand on either the left temple or the back of your head and look down at your right thigh. Alternatively, hold the eye of your elbow.
2. Shoulder wave
Come to a sitting or kneeling position. Interlace your hands behind your head and press the back of your head into your hands. Lifting from the waist, breathe in and tilt your chest towards the ceiling. Look upwards but resist the head from tipping back.
Breathing out, tilt the chest forwards and inwards while bringing the elbows towards each other. Tuck your chin towards your chest. Feel the gentle resistance of your interlaced hands behind your head. Repeat for three complete rounds.
3. Half Lord of the fish
Come to a sitting position with both legs extended (sit on a folded blanket if you’re tight in the hips or hamstrings). Hug your right leg into your chest and cross your right foot over your left knee. Place your right foot on the floor.
Extend your left arm to the ceiling, keeping it close to your left ear. Straighten your spine and gently turn your torso to the right, extending your right arm to the back. Keep the right arm close to the spine (either on the floor or block). Now, bend your left elbow and place it on the outside of your right thigh. Alternatively, hug the right knee with the eye of your left elbow.
Gently move your neck towards the right and left a few times. If it feels comfortable, hold your gaze over the right shoulder. Breathing in, extend your spine upwards. As you breathe out, place the left arm over the right thigh as a lever to gently increase the twist. Keeping both shoulders relaxed, hold for three breaths and unravel gently.
Without moving your legs, turn your gaze to the left. Hold your right ankle with your right arm, coming into a counter twist position. Repeat with the left leg.
Lower Back Pain
1. Child’s pose
Come to a kneeling position (place a pad underneath your ankles if needed and/or underneath your thighs for tight quads/thighs). Place your forehead on the floor and stretch your hands out in front or behind you (whichever position makes the shoulders feel more at ease). You can also place your hands underneath your forehead.
With your mouth closed, breathe deeply. Focus on drawing your breath into the back of your body, expanding the lungs fully with each inhale. Exhale softly.
If lying forwards is too uncomfortable, lie on your back and hug your knees into your chest. Rock gently from side to side, circling your knees clockwise and anti-clockwise.
2. Head to knee
In a seated position, extend your right leg in front of you. Bending your left knee, place the sole of your left foot against your right inner thigh (sit on a folded towel if sitting on the floor is challenging). Keep your outstretched leg active and your foot flexed. Round the spine gently and drop your head towards the knee.
It doesn’t matter if you’re unable to touch your head to the knee, just feel the stretch in the rounded spine and on the back of the outstretched leg. For further relaxation and better support, fold forwards onto a bolster or pillow.
Forward fold. Credit: @yogalab._
3. Forward fold
Stand with your feet apart. Bend your knees and gently tuck your chin towards your chest. Round the spine as you fold forwards until your hands touch the floor. If you can’t touch the floor, use a block or book to assist you. After taking four full deep breaths (keeping the knees bent), gently unfold and stand upright.
For more support, tuck a bolster just above your hips and roll your body over the bolster. If you’re concerned about falling over, lean your hips against a wall.
4. Supported bridge
Lie on your back and take a yoga block (or two) and place it sideways along the sacrum (just above the tail bone but below the lumbar spine). Bend your knees, relax your glutes and breathe deeply. If this feels stable, extend your legs straight.
Find out more about Camilla’s work and her bespoke yoga retreats at Simply Pause Retreats.
