Chair Yoga for Back PainI was looking on Pinterest for some great photos of chair yoga for back pain to share with my students. But I didn’t find the method I was looking for. This is one of the simplest, but also most effective, ways to sit to relieve back pain. Here is a photo of one of my students demonstrating it:

In Iyengar yoga circles, I’ve heard this called “Chair Upavista Konasana”, but I simply call it “seated cowboy style”. The thighs should be pushed far back, away from the chair rails. If you’re lucky, this will stimulate the muscles around the hips. This area is essential for supporting the muscles of the back and therefore the spine. SO Chair yoga for back pain can be that simple.

If you want to add an extra level of difficulty, you can add an arm exercise as shown. Parvatasana (or Baddhangulyasana) simply involves interlocking your fingers and raising your arms. This can help lift the abdomen and chest, which also protects the back. Don’t forget to change the finger nest to repeat a second time.

Many of us are spending more time sitting at home and less time traveling. Being less active can cause back problems. Some people sit in their home office and do Zoom calls for several hours each day, which can exacerbate existing back problems. When you first try this pose, you may find that you can only manage a minute or two, but Chair Yoga for Back Pain will improve with repetition, perhaps extending the duration by a minute per day.
Eventually, you may find it more comfortable to sit as well as to sit in the “normal” way. Making sure the screen you’re looking at is elevated to eye level will also help improve your posture. Good luck!