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6 Yoga Poses to Fix Lordosis Effective
- Lordosis is a condition resulting from the disorder of the spine.
- Lordosis is due to the inward curve of the lumbar spine (lumbar spine is the region of the back bone just above the buttocks).
- Usually, Lordosis is normal to certain degree of extent.
- Lordosis is a term used to describe the inward curves in the spine commonly found in the lumbar and cervical areas.
- The cervical area has a lordotic range of 20-35 degrees and the lumbar ranges between 40-60 degrees.
- When the curvature exceeds these ranges it is considered hyperlordosis.
- If the curvature is less than these ranges, therapists use the terms straightening or flattening of the spine.
- Normal aging process, poor posture, or developmental or progressive disorders may result in a straightening of these curves, or hyperlordosis
- The unique upright posture and lordotic lumbar curvature of the human spine suggest that an understanding of the evolution of the human spinal column, and the unique anatomical features that support lumbar lordosis may provide insight into spine health and degeneration.
- Evolution and spine mechanics research show that lumbar lordosis is dictated by pelvic incidence, spinal musculature, vertebral wedging, and disc health.
- The evolution, mechanics, and biology research all point to the importance of spinal posture and flexibility in supporting optimal health.
- In 1994, Helliwell et al. performed a cross-sectional study on the prevalence of “straight” cervical spines in three populations to assess whether there would be any correlation between loss of lordosis and muscle spasms.
- One group had acute posttraumatic neck pain, one chronic neck pain, and another group was made up of healthy controls.
- Interestingly “straight” cervical spines were more frequent in the chronic and healthy groups as opposed to the acute post injury group.
Lumbar lordosis is unique to the human spine and is necessary to facilitate our upright posture.
- aging reduces the total lumbar lordosis and the total range of motion in flexion (RoF) and extension (RoE) of the lumbar spine,
- locally, the change in lordosis and mobility with aging varies between different lumbar sub-regions,
- the total lumbar lordosis is larger in females than in males.
However, decreased lumbar lordosis and increased thoracic kyphosis are hallmarks of an aging human spinal column.
Are you new to yoga? Do not worry. Try this. While you practice the plank and Downward Facing Dog yoga poses, Slowly and gradually level up the time you spend especially on your hands. This technique helps to build up the required strength in your muscles of the wrist. It is advised to start practising Half-Plank pose with your knees on the floor. This tip will help to increase and maintain your strength and builds up the ease to do the full plank pose without any discomfort.
What research says about the effectiveness of Yoga Poses to Fix Lordosis?
Here are a few key points based on research:
- Stretching and Strengthening: Yoga poses often involve stretching tight muscles and strengthening weaker ones, which can help correct imbalances contributing to lordosis.
- Improving Posture: Yoga promotes awareness of body alignment and posture, which is crucial for addressing lordosis by encouraging proper spinal alignment.
- Core Strength: Many yoga poses engage the core muscles, which can support the spine and reduce excessive curvature.
- Flexibility: Yoga increases flexibility, particularly in tight muscles like hip flexors and hamstrings, which can pull on the spine and contribute to lordosis.
- Mind-Body Connection: Practices like yoga also emphasize mindfulness and relaxation, which can reduce stress and tension that exacerbate postural issues.
Research supports these benefits, but it’s essential to approach yoga with proper technique and guidance, especially if dealing with a specific condition like lordosis.
There is a lot of research done on the Yoga poses effectiveness to fix lordosis.
One such study is discussed here
A study conducted with an objective to understand the affect of the Yoga Poses on the shape of the curvatures of the spine, the anterior and posterior curves of the spine.
- The primary objective of this study is to compare the thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis of male and female yoga practitioners with non-practicing participants.
- The secondary objective of this study is to determine the possible dependencies between sagittal spinal curvatures and somatic parameters, time spent on yoga exercise, and undertaking other physical activities in yoga practitioners.
- This study involved 576 women and 91 men ages 18–68 years (mean = 38.5 ± 9) who were practicing yoga, and 402 women and 176 men ages 18–30 years (mean = 20.2 ± 1.3) as a control group.
- Plurimeter-V gravity inclinometer is used to measure the angles of thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis.
- This study proved that yoga exercises can affect the shape of the anterior-posterior curves of the spine and may be an efficient training method for shaping proper posture in adults.
Here are the 6 Yoga Poses to Fix Lordosis Effectively
- Full Plank Pose
- Plow Pose
- Wind Removing Pose (Pavanamuktasana)
- Standing Forward Bend /Intense Forward Stretch/ Uttanasana
- Downward facing Dog Pose
- Half Boat Pose
Lets learn how to do these 6 Yoga Poses to Fix Lordosis
Full Plank Pose
For this Full Plank Pose, it is highly recommended to be aware of their breathing especially for the Beginners.
How to do Full Plank Pose
Step 1
- Plant hands directly under shoulders (slightly wider than shoulder width) like you’re about to do a push-up.
- Ground toes into the floor and squeeze glutes to stabilize your body. Your legs should be working, too — be careful not to lock or hyperextend your knees.
- Neutralize your neck and spine by looking at a spot on the floor about a foot beyond your hands. Your head should be in line with your back.
- Hold the position for 20 seconds. As you get more comfortable with the move, hold your plank for as long as possible without compromising your form or breath.
Step 2
- In the second step, slowly press your arms inward and place firmly the bases of your index fingers into the floor.
- Then, place your shoulder against your back
- Now spread your shoulders slightly away from the spine.
- Also spread your collarbones away from the sternum.
Step 3
- Face your front thighs up toward the ceiling
- At the same time resist your tailbone towards the floor
- Raise your head away from the back of the neck
- Now look straight down at the floor
Step 4
- This Full Plank Pose is one of the 10 poses in the Surya Namaskar.
- This pose can be performed individually for a duration of 20 seconds to 1 minute.
Tips to practice the Full Plank Pose for the Beginners
You’re new to yoga, right? Be at ease. Try it out. Increase the amount of time you spend, particularly on your hands, while you slowly and steadily work on the plank and downward dog yoga poses. This method aids in strengthening your wrist muscles to the necessary level. With your knees on the floor, begin the Half-Plank stance as recommended. With a little practice, you can build up the strength and ease to perform the entire plank pose without experiencing any pain.
Please pay attention to your thighs while you perform the plank stance. This plank stance requires strong abdominal muscles. It is undoubtedly helpful to activate the abdominal strength when the thigh muscles are adequately engaged.
When you are in this stance, you should feel your legs coming together. You could attempt to do this by squeezing a brick between your thighs.
When attempting to draw your front body part toward your back body part, exercise caution.
Try this too. Keep your body in a straight line from your head to your knees.
Plow Pose
How to do Plow Pose
- Begin with Salamba Sarvangasana
- Now lower your feet to the floor from the hips
- Then lie on your back with your upper back on a folded blanket
- Make sure your head is resting on the mat, so the blanket ends in the hollow of the neck.
- Draw your lower belly into your spine as you exhale,
- Then firm your back into the floor
- Now inhale and press your arms into the floor
- Lift your legs over your head towards the floor
- Stretch out through the heels.
- Bring your shoulders towards each other
- Place your chin little up and keep your hands on your lower back for support.
- Stretch your spine, tailbone pointing towards the ceiling, and hips over your shoulders.
- Stay like this for 5 to 10 breaths.
- In order to come out of the pose, release your hands and bring your arms back on the floor next to you, palms down and roll out of the pose as you exhale.
Wind Removing Pose (Pavanamuktasana)
Pavana Muktasana, also known as wind relieving pose, gives great relief to the back.
It is often done as a gentle counter pose to any back bend as it softly massages the spine.
Through the compression of the inner organs, this pose is also known to release gas from the stomach and intestines, and can help to relieve bloating.
How to do Wind Removing Pose
- Start with your elbows close to the body
- Fully interlace the fingers all the way to the webbing and take hold of the raised leg two inches below the knee
- Keep pulling to your same shoulder until you feel a pinch in your hip joint
- Keep both of your shoulders all the way on the floor
- When you are pulling in both of your knees look down through the diamond that is created between your arms and legs
Standing Forward Bend /Intense Forward Stretch/Uttanasana
How to do Standing Forward Bend Yoga Pose
Step 1
- Stand in Tadasana with your legs straight and fully stretched.
- Tighten your kneecaps and then pull them upward.
- Raise your arms toward the ceiling, the palms facing forward.
- Stretch your whole body.
- Take one or two breaths.
Step 2
- Exhale, and bend forward from the waist.
- Keep your legs fully stretched.
- Make sure that your body weight is placed equally on both feet.
- Extend your toes.
Step 3
- Bend your torso further and place your palms on the floor in front of your feet.
- Separate your ankles a little, to free your lower back, buttocks, and legs.
- Consciously stretch the skin at the backs of your knees and thighs.
For BEGINNERS: Lift your toes and press your heels down on the floor as you bend. Instead of your palms, you can rest your fingertips on the floor, until you are more flexible.
Step 4
- Move your hands back and place them next to your heels.
- Rest on your fingers and thumbs, with the palms raised off the floor.
- Keep your thighs fully stretched—feel the energy flow along the back of your legs, into the waist, and down your spine.
- Pull your kneecaps into your knees, and keep both knees parallel to each other and fully opened out at the back.
- The pressure on the inner and outer edges of your feet should be equal.
Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adhomukha Svanasana)
How to do Downward Facing Dog Pose
PROPS A WALL AND THREE WOODEN BLOCKS.
- Two blocks against the wall support the hands, stretch the arms, and reduce strain on the shoulder joints.
- The third block helps those with stiff backs to achieve the final pose.
Step 1
- Stand in Tadasana
- Exhale, and bend from the waist, placing each palm on the floor beside each foot.
- BEGINNERS Exhale, and bend from your waist. Bend both knees and place your palms on the floor next to your feet.
Step 2
- Exhale and lift your knees from the floor, at first keeping your knees slightly bent and your heels lifted off the floor. Lengthen your tailbone away from the back of your pelvis, lift the sitting bones toward the ceiling, and draw your inner legs from your inner ankles up through your groins.
Step 3
- Slightly Exhale and push your thighs back
Now stretch your heels towards the floor
Do not lock your knees and Straighten them
Step 4
- Now make your arms firm and then press the lower end of your index fingers onto the floor.
- Lift your arms from the wrists to the the shoulder level.
- Press your shoulder against your back
- Then widen your shoulders and draw closer towards your tailbone.
- Now Place your head between your both upper arms.
Step 5
- Try to remain in this pose for at least 10 to 20 breaths.
- Now bend your knees on an exhalation and try to be in the Child’s Pose
Half Boat Pose
How to do Half Boat Pose
- Begin with Dandasana – That is Make yourself sit comfortable on a mat and stretch your legs in front. Your legs needs to be straight.
- Now Bend your knees and place your feet on the mat with your hands on your side.
- Then lean yourself on your back and Roll your shoulders.
- Place your hands behind your knees.
- Now Inhale and start slowly lifting your feet away from the floor. Its then you need to extend your lower legs parallel to the floor.
- Now extend your arms with your fingers pointing forward.
- Make sure you keep your arms parallel to the floor, aligning with your lower legs.
- Try to remain in this position for 30-60 seconds.
- Continue normal breathing.
- Now slowly exhale and grab your knees
- Then slowly return your feet back to the floor
- Now Inhale and draw your upper body to the center
- Make sure your spine is straight.
- Then exhale, straighten your legs and return your hands to the floor.
- Do remind about your thighs while doing the plank pose. Lots of abdominal strength is required for this plank pose. Adequate engagement of the thigh muscles surely assists to activate the abdominal strength.
- You need to feel the action of the legs drawing together while doing this pose. For this you can try to squeeze a block between your thighs
- Be mindful when you try to draw your front area of the body towards the back portion of your body.
- Also try this. Maintain a straight line from your knees to your head.
Additional Tips
- Focus on Core Strength: Strengthening your core muscles, especially the deep core stabilizers, helps support the lower back and reduce lordosis.
- Avoid Overarching: In standing poses like Warrior I and II, avoid overarching the lower back. Engage the core and tuck the tailbone slightly.
- Consistency: Practicing these poses regularly can help improve muscle imbalances over time, but it may take weeks or months to see significant improvement.
Remember, if you’re experiencing pain or a severe curve, consult a physical therapist or yoga therapist who can create a personalized plan for your specific needs.
