Fitness

7 Yoga Poses That Can Give You a Sore Back

If you're not thoughtful about the way you move, your "om" could turn into a serious "ouch." Here are 7 simple yoga exercises that can cause back pain -- and how to stay safe

by Kristin Kane

2 of 9

Cobra We've seen you -- pushing up on your arms and into the floor so that you can mimic the exaggerated arch of this pose's namesake serpent. While the graceful position is pretty easy on the eyes, it's not difficult to see how hard it can be on your spine.

All the force you are exerting to arch your back concentrates at a narrow point in the lumbar spine, causing a compression injury and most likely, a very sore back.

Though this may fly in the face of what you've always known a cobra to be, don't put any substantial pressure on your hands when you are moving into this pose, says Rowe. Allow your body to bend from your mid-back, instead of lower down. Make sure you feel your body lengthening from the front, pulling through your shoulder blades as you move into your arch. "This posture should be easy and comfortable, and it's more important to do it in a way that protects your body than to match the picture in your mind of how it is supposed to look," she says.

SEE NEXT PAGE: Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)

EDITORS' BEST OF

12 Best Acne Products for Your Clearest Skin Yet

11 Best Tinted Moisturizers for Easy, On-the-Go Coverage

leave a comment

Older comments

I became fascinated with the article on yoga poses; thanks for giving tips on avoiding pain with them!

by GigiSD Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 10:32AM Report as inappropriate

doing the superman always gives me a soar back!

by Mommy_of_Ethan Thursday, January 3, 2013 at 07:05PM Report as inappropriate

very good to know

by LittleBunny Sunday, November 25, 2012 at 06:18PM Report as inappropriate

As a 15 yr gymnast and black let in martial arts people think I am unaffected by yoga. I am very hyperexstensive and blew out my back afew years ago, which makes yoga much harder for me than the average person. Most of these moves are accurate and actually make my back pain worse than any gymnastic moves I still do. I now avoid yoga since it only forced me to relax my mind these days. Great article.

by Lani702 Thursday, November 1, 2012 at 10:32PM Report as inappropriate

I thought a lot of these were supposed to be good for your back. I definitely learned something!

by Chris213 Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at 07:21PM Report as inappropriate

These are amazing tips! I'll definitely keep this in mind next time I do any yoga...

by tallredamanda Thursday, July 5, 2012 at 06:36AM Report as inappropriate

I always thought those yoga moves were meant to stretch your back. I believe that if you are doing them correctly its okay to do it. I have a bad back and these yoga moves helps it feel a lot better.

by flirtygirl214 Saturday, June 30, 2012 at 02:01PM Report as inappropriate

Wait a minute, these are all basic yoga moves. Been doing yoga for almost 20 years. My mantra is if it hurts, don't do it!

by aimela Tuesday, June 26, 2012 at 05:10PM Report as inappropriate

Good to know...thanks for the tips!

by sweettpea29 Monday, June 18, 2012 at 02:38PM Report as inappropriate

Good tips... although any activity, even sitting, can be bad for your back! If you want to do the more difficult poses, it's a good idea to have a yoga instructor examine your form closely. I just recently have been able to do bridge!

by LipglossandSpandex Friday, June 15, 2012 at 11:13PM Report as inappropriate