As someone who struggled with lower back pain for years, I can attest to the fact that it can be quite debilitating. My plunge into the world of back pain started when I was in my 20s and slipped on a patch of ice while walking to work. I probably would have been better off had I just fallen, but instinctively I tried to catch myself. The result was a pain in my lower back that laid me up for more than a month. And without knowing it back then, resting for that month most likely worsened the problem.

From that time in my early 20s until my early 40s, I suffered from lower back pain almost continuously. Something as simple as tying my shoes would, as they say, "pull my back out” for weeks. I tried pain relievers and chiropractic care, both of which offered relief, although only temporarily.

When I began to do yoga in my early 40s, to me it was if by magic, my lower back pain went away. The slow, easy, stretching that occurs during yoga relaxed the lower back muscles, and indeed my entire body became less tense. The more I read about the benefits of yoga the more I learned that practicing yoga can balance the spine which then aids in relieving lower back pain. What I was experiencing was not magic, it was science.

When you are in pain, it may be counterintuitive to stretch or even feel like moving, but when done correctly, it is exactly what your lower back needs. Regular exercise and stretching will strengthen the muscles in your lower back, healing it faster and making it stronger. Alternatively, by resting, like I did in those early years, your lower back muscles become weak.

Before starting any type of exercise program, especially one to help relieve pain, consult your doctor to make sure that it is appropriate for you. The last thing you want to do is further aggravate the problem.

Once your doctor gives you the go ahead, it is important to choose those yoga poses that focus on relieving back pain, because not all yoga poses will achieve this goal, and some may actually aggravate existing pain. Choosing an instructor who is familiar with using yoga for back pain is an excellent way to proceed.

When first beginning to practice to yoga for lower back pain, you want to start slowly and with exercises that are not too intense. There are many different yoga positions and exercises that will strengthen the spine and increase overall flexibility. There are also many yoga videos online that show specific yoga exercises for reducing lower back pain.

In addition to strengthening the body and increasing flexibility, practicing yoga will also increase a person’s range of motion, which will assist in keeping the person from reinjuring themselves. Practicing yoga is just one of the many ways I have learned to create a vibrant, healthy and strong life in my 40s. I no longer go even a day without yoga, and I have not experienced lower back pain in over six years.