8 Yoga Poses for Lower Back Pain
February 10, 2026
How do you spend your day? If you’re sitting for hours or standing up all day without much variation, there is a good chance you’ll suffer from lower back pain now and then. Lower back pain can also be the result of poor posture, muscle imbalances, or repetitive strain. The effects can be surprisingly debilitating and seriously compromise your quality of life.
Including selected yoga poses into your practice can help minimize discomfort and improve mobility through a combination of stretching, strengthening, and mindful breathing. Yoga supports spinal health, allows you to relax tight muscles, and enhances body awareness. Take a look at these poses to support your back, reduce back pain over time, or even prevent it from occurring altogether.
How Yoga Helps Lower Back Pain
Your lower spine takes a lot of strain every day. Practicing yoga can help support this region of your body by both strengthening and stretching muscles and connective tissues around it. In fact, regular yoga classes are an excellent way to care for your spine even before you feel any discomfort.
Yoga helps lower back pain both by strengthening muscles and by improving flexibility and increasing your range of movement. Mindful moves stretch tight muscles like hamstrings, hip flexors, and glutes and prevent them from pulling on your spine, allowing your lower back to move more freely.
If you’re lacking strength in the muscles that support and stabilize your spine, practicing yoga regularly helps by strengthening them and reducing unnecessary strain on the lumbar region.
Plus, breathing mindfully during your yoga practice supports relaxation, reduces overall tension, and may help ease pain and help you enjoy your practice more.
Having said that, if your back pain is severe, you suffer from a back condition, or if you suspect that you may have underlying health issues such as a slipped disc, consult your doctor before trying challenging poses. All bodies are different, and something that works well for one person may not be right for another.
Yoga Poses for Lower Back Pain
You don’t need to be a seasoned practitioner to enjoy yoga poses for lower back pain. In fact, some of the easiest and most beginner-friendly asanas are excellent for supporting a healthy, strong back.
Here are some of our favorite back-strengthening and -lengthening poses:
1. Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)
Cat-cow pose is one of the most accessible backbends, even if you’re completely new to yoga. It’s also one of the most common poses at the beginning of many Upton Yoga classes. This pose helps mobilize your spine and relieves stiffness in the lower back as you alternate between flexing and extending your spine.
Remember to inhale and open your chest as you arch your spine, then exhale and draw your navel toward your spine.
2. Child’s Pose (Balasana)
Child’s pose is one of the most effective resting poses between challenging asanas, if you want to wind down at the end of a busy day, or are looking to calm your nervous system while gently stretching your lower back and hips.
Slowly relax into the pose as you send your breath to your lower back. You may find that it takes a few breath cycles for your body to let go and sink deeply into this pose. Be patient and allow your body to move at its own pace.
3. Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Another resting pose, especially for more experienced practitioners, downward-facing dog lengthens and decompresses your spine. This pose also helps you stretch your hamstrings and relieves lower back tightness.
During Uptown Yoga vinyasa-style classes, we often use this pose to transition between asanas, but it’s also an excellent pose to practice on its own if you need some relief from spending hours in front of a screen.
4. Sphinx Pose (Salamba Bhujangasana)
Sphinx pose is a gentle backbend that is great for relieving strain on your lumbar spine and improving mobility and flexibility in this area of your body as you’re strengthening your lumbar muscles.
Inhale deeply into your belly as you rise up on your forearms and extend your spine without straining. Exhale to relax your shoulders downward. Release and repeat a few times.
5. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
Cobra pose is another prone backbend that opens your chest and stretches your abdomen while strengthening the muscles around your lumbar spine. It’s a little more intense than sphinx pose, so you may want to practice that asana first before moving on to coba.
As you inhale, open your chest and rise onto your hands. Remember to keep your hands under your shoulders for support. Exhale to lower yourself down to your mat.
6. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
Bridge pose is another great option for strengthening and mobilizing your lower back while also activating your glutes and core. Use your glutes to lift your hips off your mat and gently stretch your spine and hips.
If you’re struggling, place your hands under your hips for support. Exhale as you lift and inhale to lower your body back to the mat.
7. Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana)
Standing forward folds are another (almost) fixture in many of our classes. Our experienced instructors love the range of comprehensive physical and mental benefits this simple pose delivers.
Keep your knees slightly bent to avoid straining them as you inhale and lengthen your spine before exhaling and folding forward. Stay here for a few breaths to allow your lower back and your hamstrings to release tension and lengthen slowly.
8. Supine Spinal Twist
Supine spinal twists are ideal poses for promoting spinal mobility and relieving tension in your lower back. At the same time, these twists also allow you to open your chest and create space in your shoulder area.
Inhale as you prepare and place your feet on your mat. Exhale as you drop your knees to one side. Straighten the opposite arm and turn your head away from your knees. If you find it difficult to drop your knees to the floor, consider placing a prop under them for support or place your arm on your knees as a gentle weight.
Final Thoughts
Think of yoga as a helpful tool for managing mild to moderate lower back pain by combining gentle stretching, strengthening, and mindful breathing. Your practice can also help you prevent back pain, even if you just dedicate a few minutes each day to this area of your body.
Practice the poses above to improve spinal mobility, ease muscle tension, and support better posture. You’ll soon notice that the effects accumulate to reduce discomfort over time. Remember to move slowly, listen to your body, and avoid any pose that causes sharp pain.
Our team is happy to advise you during our regular classes, but if you have a specific back condition or significant pain, consult your doctor first. With regular practice and proper alignment, yoga can be a powerful supportive part of a holistic approach to lower back health.
FAQ: Yoga and Healthy Aging
1. Can yoga help lower back pain?
Yes, yoga can effectively help alleviate lower back pain by strengthening core muscles, improving flexibility, and promoting better posture. It also reduces stress, which often exacerbates pain.
2. What yoga poses are best for lower back pain?
The best yoga poses for lower back pain include Child’s Pose, Cat-Cow Pose, Downward Dog, Sphinx Pose, Bridge Pose, and Legs-Up-the-Wall. Start with gentle holds of 30-60 seconds each.
3. How often should I practice yoga for lower back pain relief?
Practice yoga 2-3 times per week for 20-30 minutes per session to achieve relief from lower back pain. Consistency over 4-6 weeks yields the best results; daily gentle sessions work too if pain allows.
4. Is yoga safe for people with back pain?
Yoga is generally safe for people with back pain when done correctly with modifications and under guidance, but consult a doctor first to avoid aggravating issues, especially with conditions like herniated discs.
