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Yoga for a Happy Skeleton part 2: Spine Design & Keeping Your Lower Back in a Good Mood

Ahimsa
Sep 12, 2015
4 min read

Your spine is a design masterpiece. Elegantly composed of stacked vertebrae separated by cushioning discs, its curvaceous form is not only your structural centrepiece, but also the housing for a major part of your central nervous system. The lumbar spine, commonly known as the lower back, is the foundation of this pillar of strength. According to Sarah Key, “It works like a chunky, flexible strut that supports the rest of your spine towering above it.” [1]

Being at the bottom of the stack means gravity is a major issue and by the end of the day the lower back needs your understanding and a little TLC to keep it (and therefore you) in a good mood. You see, the discs get squashed and their fluid squeezes out, making them flatter and flatter as the day wears on. This means the bones come closer together and the potential for pain, suffering and injury increases.

The less you move and the more you sit, the worse the compression and hence the dehydration. Dry discs are brittle discs. Brittle things are more easily damaged. Sedentary lifestyles are a disaster for your lower back. Lacking circulation, the discs have no automatic way of relieving their thirst until you lie down for a good night’s sleep. During the peace of sleep, osmosis restores the nourishing fluid that keeps your intervertebral discs happy and healthy. The next day, the same pattern begins all over again.

Another important thing about your lower back is its gentle curve (lordosis), which is essential for efficient and effective load bearing. Too flat or too hollow means problems. Your abdomen is right in front of the lower back, so if its quite big and the tummy muscles are not nicely toned, life is much tougher for your hardworking lumbar spine. Imagine what a drag on this part of the spine a heavy, unsupported belly is, pulling the pelvis forward and taking the spinal joints out of ideal alignment. This is one reason that strengthening in pregnancy reduces low back dramas. Pot bellies are a nightmare for the low back.

At a more subtle level, yoga views the lower back in energetic, or pranic, terms.

The lower back is the region of mooladhara and swadhisthana chakras. These chakras are associated with your sense of security, your sexuality, your experience of joy and the world of your unconscious memories. Physical and psychological energies interact, so tensions or freedom in relation to these aspects will be reflected in this part of the body. Yoga practices that release tension, whether physical or psychological, influence this psycho-physiological dimension.

Lumbar spine’s favourite things

The lumbar spine works hard for you. It deserves your friendship and love. Be generous, give your lower back its favourite things and your relationship will flourish. Here’s the lumbar spine’s wish list:

Variety of movement
Good posture
Optimal lordosis (the curve)
Plenty of disc fluid
Strong tummy muscles (and preferably a trim tummy)
Yoga

Yes, your lower back loves yoga, as yoga provides all the other stuff on the favourite things list.

The routines we have in life mean that our movement patterns are generally limited and repetitive. Yoga gently takes the spine through its range of movement and includes asanas that decompress the spine.
The pumping effect of these movements replenishes disc fluid. This is nourishing, cleansing and plumps them up so that they can do their jobs of shock absorbing and protecting the bony structures of the spine.
Yoga encourages good posture by stretching and toning muscles and joints, preventing postural ‘seizing up’ and increasing awareness of alignment and posture patterns.
Strengthening the abdominal muscles plus the effects listed in points 1, 2 and 3 contribute to optimal lordosis.
Yoga can help with weight loss as lifestyle changes and a more balanced metabolism kick in.
Yoga helps you sleep well. A relaxed body ensures maximum rehydration while you are snuggled up in bed.
Yogic breathing strengthens the diaphragm, encouraging a deeper breathing pattern. The diaphragm is connected to the back. When your breathing is shallow you miss out on the gentle movement and mobilisation of the lower back that good diaphragmatic breathing provides. Breathing retraining can rid you of lower back pain.

For more detail, read an excellent article on the topic: Yoga and the Management of Back Pain (part 3) by Swami Bhaktipoornananda Saraswati in the Bihar School of Yoga magazine

Sadhana to keep your lower back in a good mood

All asanas are named according to Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha by Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Bihar Yoga Publications. Buy here

Decompressing the lumbar spine at the end of the day is a very good idea – this gives your body the best chance of spinal rejuvenation while you sleep. Here are a few practices to choose from:

Lie down in shavasana and place a folded blanket or rolled yoga mat under the sacrum – that’s the wide, bony part of your low back, level with the hips. Relax fully for 1 minute. That’s the optimal time, don’t stay longer.
Do some gentle Jhulana lurkhanasana (rocking and rolling) with awareness of the low back. That means don’t go to the extremes of this movement, take it very softly, feel the massage around the sacral area.
Supta pawanmuktasana (Leg lock pose) – decompresses the low back while strengthening the abdominal muscles.
Khandarasana (Shoulder pose) – modify by placing hands on the floor with fingers pointing towards the heels rather than gripping them. Roll the back from the floor and hold for up to 15 seconds.
Sleeping abdominal stretch pose and universal spinal twist
Shashankasana (pose of the child) and shashankbhujangasana (striking cobra pose)
Pada hastasana variation – rolling forward bend
Do squatting asanas - squatting is particularly good for the lower back, unlike sitting
Majariasana (cat pose)
Controlled abdominal breathing