Do you suffer from back pain? Do you believe that it is because of old age or any particular sitting posture that you cannot change due to your job profile? If you are of the view that back or neck pain is irreversible, then think again and read on about cat cow pose and camel pose that can be highly beneficial for you.
Yoga for muscular and neck pain
I need not emphasise that ancient Indian practice of Yoga has miraculous powers to minimise or completely eliminate many ailments from the root. It is especially true for muscular pain and related issues that are often a result of bad postures or continuous exposure to certain living or working conditions.
Is yoga suitable for you?
That is really a valid question as many of us are not comfortable practicing yoga. There are various reasons such as lack of time or inability to adhere to certain dietary restrictions, which are often recommended to help you gain the maximum possible health benefits of yoga. Though modern yoga practitioners believe that yoga can be practised any time of the day, I firmly believe that the best results can be achieved only by practising it in the morning hours and on an empty stomach. However, there are certain postures that can be performed any time of the day. We’ll discuss them one by one. If you can make time in early morning hours, then you’ll get the maximum possible health benefits of Yoga.
Yoga for neck pain
More often than not, neck pain develops due to forward hunching position which causes muscle strains and result in neck pain. Yogic postures that require you to bend your neck backwards ( opposite of leaning over a computer) are the ones that minimise or eliminate neck pain remarkably. here are a few yogic positions or Asansas for neck pain relief.
Cat cow posture
As the name suggests, what you need to do is mimic the action of a cat when it wakes up after a sound sleep. In fact, this quick posture can be performed immediately after waking up in the morning. Here are the steps:
- Start on all fours as soon as you wake up in the morning
- Fill your belly with air and lower it while looking up at the ceiling just like a cat does (you may have noticed). Keep looking upwards or bend your neck backwards as much as possible and remain in this position for 10-15 seconds.
- Exhale and look over to your right shoulder and remain in this position for 10-15 seconds
- Return your head to the centre and now look over to your left shoulder. Remain in this pose for a 10-15 seconds
- Return to centre position and try to touch your chest with your chin and round your spine with your head hanging down.
Camel Pose (Ustrasana)
Kneel on your yoga mat. You can put some padding under your knees if they are sensitive. Your soles should be facing upwards, and toes should touch the ground. Keep your soles hip width apart. Put your palms on your heals making sure that your elbow creases face forward. Now just imagine that something is pulling you from your waist towards the sky whilst arching your back as high as possible until your arms become straight, spine arched almost in a semi-circle pose and head bent backwards as much as possible. Make sure that your thighs are perpendicular to the ground.
Remain in this position for up to 30 seconds in the beginning. You can lengthen the duration gradually. In fact, camel pose or ushtrasana helps not only with neck pain but also with many other health issues.
Health benefits of Camel pose or ustrasana
- Cures constipation and improves overall digestion
- Relieves lower back pain
- Relieves neck pain
- Tones abdomen and pelvis
- Burns fat from the belly and thighs
- Expands your chest and improves respiration
- Thighs and arms are strengthened
- Endocrine glands get stimulated
- Improves spinal flexibility which is important for overall health
Read about stretching for back pain relief