Gentle Somatic Yoga for Back Pain: Relief and Prevention Techniques

Chronic back pain can be debilitating, and in this technologically advanced world it is all too common. 

Sitting at a computer or on your phone for extended periods of time can lead to rounded shoulders, poor posture, and pain. I know I can feel the strain and stiffness in my back muscles if I’m at my desk too long. In fact, its so common that yoga for low back pain is often one of the most popular online yoga searches!

We all know that yoga can help alleviate common pain conditions like this; but a great way to work with your body and become pain free is to incorporate somatic exercises into your practice. Somatic yoga for back pain could just be the answer to your muscular tension and lower back pain!

What Is Somatic Yoga?

Somatic yoga combines traditional yoga poses with somatic movement principles to promote body awareness, stress relief, and emotional balance. It focuses on slow, mindful movements that emphasize internal sensations over external form, encouraging your body to release tension and restore natural movement patterns. Typical yoga practices often prioritize achieving certain postures, but somatic yoga prioritizes reconnecting with your body’s innate ability to heal and move freely.

Somatic yoga also offers you a profound way to reconnect with your body, especially if you’ve experienced trauma, stress, or chronic tension. This soothing practice allows you to explore gentle movements without forcing your body into rigid shapes. Which can be beneficial not only for physical symptoms, but for emotional health. As you learn to listen to your body’s cues, you unlock a deeper understanding of the mind-body connection, fostering a sense of self-compassion and inner peace.

Somatic Therapy Origins

The term “somatics” was coined by movement theorist Thomas Hanna in the 1970s. Hanna’s aim was to bring various movement practices together in order to combat things like sensory motor amnesia and correct habitual bracing patterns. His research on biofeedback techniques spanned over decades and is still studied today.

There are several different methods/techniques of somatic therapy, all of which aim to re-educate the body, relieve pain, and bring the body back to homeostasis. The goal in somatic healing is to be able to connect to your body on a deeper level. To have awareness around the physical sensations or patterns stemming from emotional responses or trauma; then to release blockages and develop new behaviors.

Somatic yoga incorporates this by using traditional poses and techniques as a launch point of self exploration in order to rediscover and reintegrate the parts of your body you may feel disconnected from.

Somatics And Back Pain

Somatic yoga is great at alleviating back pain by addressing underlying muscle tension, postural imbalances, and your body’s natural movement patterns. It encourages slow, mindful movements that help rewire the neuromuscular system, promoting greater mobility and flexibility in the spine. By focusing on the internal sensations of the body, rather than external goals or form, embodiment practices can release chronic muscle tension stored in your body and fascia, which often contributes to back pain.

Research supports the use of mindful movement practices like somatic yoga for pain relief, showing they improve posture and back pain. A study also highlighted how somatic exercises can help to improve proprioception (awareness of body position) and voluntary control of muscles. This leads to decreased pain and improved function in people with chronic pain. This is because somatic experiencing helps to retrain the brain and body to move more efficiently, reducing stress on the spine and associated muscles.

Additionally, somatic yoga’s emphasis on breathwork helps to relax the nervous system, which is vital for pain management. A calm, regulated nervous system reduces muscle tension and improves blood flow to areas affected by chronic pain. This aids in recovery and overall spinal health.

Bringing somatic awareness to your practice is beneficial in so many ways.

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Best Somatic Yoga Poses For Back Pain

Below are the best poses to release tension, increase mobility, and relieve back pain. Each of these poses emphasizes internal awareness and slow, deliberate actions to help reset the nervous system and support the spine. You can also find a variety of somatic yoga practices on my YouTube channel.

1. Pelvic Tilts

Pelvic tilts are a gentle somatic release. Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Gently tilt your pelvis forward and backward, focusing on the subtle movement of your lower back muscles, pressing into the mat, then arching slightly. Repeat this with mindful breath.

Variations:

• Perform with a rolled towel under the lower back for more awareness or in a sitting position.

Benefits:

• Relieves tension in the lower back and brings mobility to the spine.

Pro Tips for Yoga Teachers:

• Cue students to move slowly, with attention to the natural rhythm of their breath.
• Incorporate touch, asking students to place their hands on their thighs or hips if it feels comfortable.

2. Cat-Cow Pose

Start on all fours in a tabletop position. On an inhale, drop your belly and slightly lift the chin to look forward (Cow), lifting the tailbone. On an exhale, round your spine (Cat), pulling the chin toward the chest and tailbone between the knees. Move slowly with awareness.

Variations:

• Stagger the hands and knees to explore how that feels in your body.

Benefits:

• Increases spinal flexibility while relieving tension in the back and neck.

Pro Tips for Yoga Teachers:

• Let this be an intuitive exercise, encouraging students to listen to their body and move in any way they feel called to that feels pleasurable.
• Emphasize fluidity, suggest students move like seaweed or rolling waves.

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3. Constructive Rest Pose

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor, taking the feet as wide as the mat. Let the knees relax toward each other. Breathe here and focus on releasing tension in the lower back, noticing any areas of discomfort and allowing them to soften with breath.

Variations:

• Place a block under the lower back for more support and awareness. Or you can take legs up the wall or create a restorative savasana position.

Benefits:

• Promotes relaxation and alignment, reducing pressure on the spine.

Pro Tips for Yoga Teachers:

• Guide students through a regulation meditation to invite more comfort and safety into their bodies.
• Start your practice with constructive rest rather than ending with it.

4. Somatic Twist

Lie down on your mat, knees bent and feet on the mat. bring your arms out to the side. With knees and ankles together, let your knees fall to one side in a gentle spinal twist. Turn your head in the opposite direction. Move slowly between sides, moving with your breath and with attention to the rotation in your spine.

Variations:

• Place a pillow between the knees for a gentler twist. Hold the twist statically if it feels good to do so rather than rotating back and forth.

Benefits:

• Stretches the lower back, hips, and shoulders, releasing deep-seated tension.

Pro Tips for Yoga Teachers:

• Really focus on moving with the breath and moving slowly, avoid forcing the twist.
• Encourage students to check in here. What sensations arise in their body? Is there an emotion that seems to bubble up? Welcome it and let it release.

5. Bridge Pose

Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, arms press lightly into the floor at your sides.. Slowly lift your hips towards the ceiling, creating a bridge shape. Hold for a few breaths, then lower gently.

Variations:

• Use a block or cushion under the sacrum for a restorative variation. You can also subtly play with the position of your arms and feet to find a spot that feels good for you. Remember to make the motions slow and mindful.

Benefits:

• Strengthens the lower back while stretching the chest and spine.

Pro Tips for Yoga Teachers:

• Encourage slow, controlled lifts and lowering bringing awareness to each subtle sensation as the body moves through this motion.
• Make this restorative and incorporate a body scan.

Somatic movement is gaining more awareness in the yoga community. That’s why the somatic yoga category in the Uplifted membership is one of the most popular. You don’t want to sleep on the benefits of this amazing practice!

Closing Thoughts

By integrating breathwork and mindfulness, somatic yoga not only alleviates physical tension but also promotes mental clarity and emotional stability. This holistic approach to healing makes a powerful tool for anyone seeking to balance their physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Somatic coaching is a great place to start if you’re feeling unsure. Or, if you already know how much you love this practice and want to share it with others check out my Somatic Yoga Training Certification.