9 Relaxing Yoga Poses to Release Shoulder + Back Pain

People around the globe mostly have white-collar jobs. They have to sit back at the desk, drive a car or stand for a long period. This makes your backache like hell.

Here are some of the yoga poses that would help you stretch the back and make you feel comfortable.

The thoracic spine is attached with the rib bones and hence it remains immovable most of the time, whereas the cervical spine is free to move and hence endures too much tension than the thoracic spine and the lumbar region.

Unknowingly, we stay in an inappropriate posture for a long time when we sit or use mobile phones for a longer period. This leads to tightness in the neck, chest, and shoulders.

The following 9 yoga poses would help you fight the ill effects of the wrong postures that you have. It releases the tightened muscles in the shoulders, chest and at the back and thus give relief to your back pain.

1. Cat-Cow (8 breaths)

This is a combination of two yoga poses, the cat pose, and cow pose. This warms up the total spine and elongates the trapezius and rhomboids. It also loosens the tightened muscles in the upper back region. The procedure of the cat and cow pose is as follows.

1. In the beginning, stand in the table position. Make sure that your legs are bent at right angles exactly by your shoulders. Also, your hands should be perpendicular to the floor.
2. While you inhale, bring your hip bone upwards and bring down your mid-spine towards the ground. This is called the cow pose. And you can feel that your abdomen is being stretched.
3. While you exhale, you must bring down the tail of your spine downwards and bend your spine towards the ceiling so that your back is bent. This is called the cat pose. Being your head down so that your chin meets the neck.
4. Do 8 rounds of alternating cat and cow pose.

2. Thread the Needle (8 breaths)

This pose can relieve you from stress n the trapezius, rhomboids, and shoulders.

1. For this pose too you can start with the table position.
2. Inhale and take your right hand from the mat and bring it to the sky.
3. Now, exhale and fix your right arm under the left arm. Now, bring your head and the right shoulder to rest over the mat.
4. Now, stretch the left hand over the head onto the mat and feel the stretch.
5. Remain in this position for 8 breaths. Come back to the original position slowly and repeat his same pose for the left side too.

3. Double V Pose (8 breaths)

This pose can relieve you from stress n the trapezius, rhomboids, and shoulders.

1. You need the help of a block here. Place the block at the head side of the mat and lie towards your belly on the floor.
2. Move your arms up over both sides of your head and stretch your abs muscles.
3. Now, bend your right arm at them maximum under your body towards the left side.
4. Similarly, bend your left arm under your body towards the right side.
5. Make sure that your chest is directly above the crossing of your right and left arms.
6. Now, bring your forehead down over the block so that it rests on the block.
7. Remain in this position for 8 slow breaths and then switch the sides and remain there for 8 more slow breaths.

4. Child’s Pose with Side Stretch (8 breaths)

This pose can relieve you from stress and it stretches the muscles between the ribs.

1. Keep your hands and knees as if you are in a tabletop position.
2. Bring your feet closer together and spread your knees a little apart.
3. Sit comfortably over your bent feet and stretch your whole body in front.
4. Lower the chest portion on the mat and bring both of your hands over your head.
5. Press your hip and chest over your legs and feel the stretch.
6. Hold in this position for 8 slow breaths.
7. You can even perform this on your sides alternatively for 8 breaths each.

5. Eagle Arms (8 breaths)

This is a binding pose where the tension between the rhomboids and traps are relieved.

1. For this, kneel on your mat and rest your hip comfortably over your heels.
2. You must make sure that you engage the abs.
3. Twist your left arm and right arm together in front of your chest.
4. Twist your palms again to face each other and clasp them.
5. If you find this position to be difficult, then press your hands on the opposite shoulders.
6. Lift the elbows and press the forearms so that you can feel the stretch on the upper shoulders.
7. Do this for 8 slow breaths.

6. Puppy Pose (8 breaths)

This pose can relieve you of tightness in the laterals, trapezius, shoulders, and chest.

1. Stand in the table position at the start of this pose.
2. Keep your hip at the same position intact.
3. Move your front body in front of you by stretching the chest and hands forwards.
4. Bend your head so that it is facing downwards.
5. You can feel the stretch in the lateral muscles and shoulders.
6. Be in this position for 8 breaths and release.

7. Rabbit Pose (8 breaths)

To relieve yourself from stress through your entire shoulders and back, you can perform this pose.

1. Stand at the table position.
2. Keep your legs together and lower your body to sit over your legs comfortably.
3. Lower your chest and thighs downwards so that you meet the mat.
4. Now bring your hands behind your body to reach the foot with both your hands.
5. Now, rise from the sitting position, from your legs and make yourself stretched.
6. Put your head down and feel the stretch along your neck, arms an nd shoulders.
7. Hold in this position for 8 slow breaths and relax.

8. Supine Twist (8 breaths)

This relieves the tension that has been built up in your spine, shoulders, and chest.

1. Lie down facing the ceiling and pull your legs towards the chest.
2. Keep your right arm to your side with the palms facing upwards.
3. Use the left hand and take your right leg’s knee. Move it over your body to the right side.
4. Care must be taken that you keep the shoulders and right hand in their position constantly.
5. Keep your head facing the right side or the ceiling.
6. Be in this position for 8 breaths and do the same for the opposite side too.

9. Supported Fish Pose (2-5 minutes)

This is a relaxing posture. It i\opens up the chest and shoulders and makes you feel relaxed.

1. Keep the yoga block at the medium height at the top of the mat.
2. Keep another block down to the previous one which is of the same height.
3. Sit in front of the bottom block so that your back is facing the block.
4. Now lie over the block so that the lower block is at your shoulders behind the chest and the first block supports the head.
5. Feel yourself at rest and be in this pose for 2-5 minutes.
6. Make sure that you close your eyes and relax.