Yoga can help certain kinds of lower back pain and can make other kinds significantly worse. That distinction is the whole reason this article opens with a safety section instead of jumping into the poses. Most yoga-for-back-pain content skips this part, which is how people with disc injuries end up doing forward folds and turning a manageable problem into a serious one.
The current best evidence — the 2022 Cochrane review of yoga for chronic non-specific lower back pain — concluded that yoga probably produces small improvements in pain and back-related function over three months compared to no exercise, with effects roughly similar to other forms of back-focused exercise. That's a real but modest benefit. The same review noted that back pain was the most commonly reported harm in yoga trials — meaning yoga can cause or worsen the very thing it's being used to treat, particularly when done without proper modification.
The key qualifier in that finding is "non-specific" — meaning back pain without an identified structural cause. Yoga works reasonably well for the muscular, postural, and mechanical lower back pain that most adults eventually experience. It does not work well, and can actively harm, when the pain is from a herniated disc with nerve impingement, an acute injury, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, vertebral fracture, ankylosing spondylitis, or any condition that produces sharp, radiating, or neurologically-marked pain.
Before you start any pose in this article, take this seriously:
See a physio, GP, or sports doctor before starting yoga for back pain if any of the following apply:
- The pain is sharp, not dull or achy
- The pain radiates down one or both legs (sciatica-type symptoms)
- Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the legs or feet
- Loss of bladder or bowel control (this is a medical emergency — go to A&E)
- Pain has lasted more than six weeks without improvement
- Pain followed a specific injury or accident
- You have a known diagnosis of disc herniation, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, ankylosing spondylitis, or osteoporosis
- The pain is worse in the morning and improves with movement (possible inflammatory cause requiring medical assessment)
For the more common scenario — mild-to-moderate lower back ache, often muscular, often tied to sitting all day or sleeping awkwardly, no neurological symptoms, no specific injury — the ten poses below are a sensible starting set. Move slowly. Stop if anything sharp shows up. The goal of yoga for back pain is not flexibility; it's gentle, controlled movement that decompresses the spine, releases the muscles that have been clenched all day, and restores some of the rotational and forward-bend range that desk life takes away.
1. Cat-Cow (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)
The best opening pose for almost any back-pain practice, because it gently mobilises the entire spine through its full flexion-extension range without loading it.
How to do it: Start on hands and knees, wrists under shoulders, knees under hips. Inhale and drop your belly toward the floor while lifting your chest and tailbone (Cow). Exhale and round your spine toward the ceiling, tucking your tailbone and dropping your head (Cat). Move slowly with your breath. 8-12 cycles.
What it targets: Spinal mobility across the lumbar, thoracic, and cervical regions. Eases morning stiffness.
Contraindications: Wrist pain (use forearms or fists if needed). Severe disc pain in extension.
Beginner modification: Reduce the range — small movements first, larger as the spine warms up.
2. Child's Pose (Balasana)
A passive, restorative pose that gently lengthens the lower back and provides almost-immediate decompression of the lumbar spine. Useful as a default rest position throughout a practice.
How to do it: From hands and knees, sit your hips back toward your heels, arms extended forward, forehead resting on the mat. Knees can be together or wide apart — wide is usually easier on the back. Stay 30 seconds to two minutes, breathing into the back.
What it targets: Passive lengthening of the lower back muscles, gentle hip opening.
Contraindications: Knee injury (use a cushion behind the knees, or skip). Late pregnancy.
Beginner modification: Place a folded blanket between your hamstrings and calves to reduce knee compression. A bolster or pillow under the chest is restorative and reduces strain.
3. Sphinx Pose (Salamba Bhujangasana)
A gentle backbend that gently extends the lower spine — useful for back pain that's been aggravated by prolonged sitting (which is most modern back pain). The propped-forearm position keeps it accessible for people who can't tolerate deeper extensions.
How to do it: Lie on your stomach. Place your forearms on the mat with elbows directly under shoulders, forearms parallel. Press your pubic bone gently down and lift your chest. Hold 30-60 seconds, breathing into the lower back.
What it targets: Gentle lumbar extension, which can ease the flexion-dominant posture from desk sitting.
Contraindications: Acute disc herniation (extension can worsen it). Pregnancy past first trimester.
Beginner modification: If even the gentle extension feels uncomfortable, reduce by stacking forearms in front of you and resting your forehead on them — same prone position, no extension.
4. Supine Knee-to-Chest (Apanasana)
A simple, low-risk pose that gently flexes the lower spine and releases the lower back muscles. Particularly good first thing in the morning if you wake up stiff.
How to do it: Lie on your back. Draw one knee toward your chest, holding the back of the thigh or shin with both hands. Hold 30 seconds, breathing into the lower back. Switch sides. Then draw both knees in for another 30 seconds.
What it targets: Gentle decompression of the lower spine, lengthening of the gluteal and lower-back muscles.
Contraindications: Late pregnancy (single-leg version only, no double-knee).
Beginner modification: Use a strap or towel around the thigh if you can't comfortably reach. Keep the other leg bent (foot on the floor) rather than extended, if extension causes any back tension.
5. Pelvic Tilt
Less glamorous than the named yoga poses but mechanically one of the most useful exercises for postural lower back pain. It teaches conscious control of pelvic position, which is the underlying skill that most chronic lower-back-pain sufferers have lost.
How to do it: Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor about hip-width apart. Inhale and gently arch your lower back away from the mat. Exhale and press your lower back into the mat by tilting your pelvis upward (engage the lower abdominals). The movement is small. 10-15 repetitions, slowly.
What it targets: Conscious control of lumbar position, gentle activation of the deep abdominal muscles that support the lower back.
Contraindications: Few — this is one of the safest movements available. Late pregnancy may make supine position uncomfortable.
Beginner modification: If you can't feel the movement at all, place a hand under your lower back to feel the pressure change as you tilt.
6. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)
A gentle backbend that strengthens the gluteal muscles and posterior chain — which directly supports the lower back. Weak glutes are a common contributor to lower back pain, because the lower back muscles end up doing work the glutes should be doing.
How to do it: Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, arms at your sides. Press through your feet and lift your hips toward the ceiling. Hold 20-30 seconds, breathing steadily. Lower slowly. 3-5 repetitions.
What it targets: Glute activation, posterior chain strengthening, mild thoracic extension.
Contraindications: Acute back pain (start with smaller lifts, or skip). Recent neck injury.
Beginner modification: Lift only a few inches off the floor initially. Place a block between the thighs to help engage the adductors and protect the lower back.
7. Supine Spinal Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)
A gentle, supported rotation that releases the lower back and hip muscles. The supine version is much safer than seated twists for anyone with active back pain — the floor supports your spine throughout.
How to do it: Lie on your back, arms out to the sides in a T. Bend your right knee and draw it across your body to the left, letting your right hip lift if needed. Look toward your right hand if comfortable for the neck. Hold 30 seconds to a minute. Switch sides.
What it targets: Gentle rotation through the lumbar and thoracic spine, release of the gluteal and lower-back muscles.
Contraindications: Disc herniation with radiating symptoms — rotation can worsen disc-related pain.
Beginner modification: Place a cushion or block under the bent knee so it doesn't have to fully reach the floor. Keep the rotation gentle.
8. Standing Forward Fold — bent knees only (Uttanasana)
Important caveat upfront: straight-leg forward folds are a major source of yoga back injuries, particularly for people with tight hamstrings (which is most office workers). For lower back pain, do this pose with knees bent enough that the fold is happening at the hips, not the lumbar spine.
How to do it: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Bend your knees generously — as much as needed — and fold forward from the hips, letting your torso hang. Hands can rest on shins, blocks, or the floor. Let the head and neck relax. Hold 30 seconds, then bend your knees more and roll up slowly.
What it targets: Decompression of the spine, gentle lengthening of the posterior chain.
Contraindications: Acute disc problems (forward flexion can worsen disc pain — skip this pose entirely if you have any radiating leg symptoms). High blood pressure, glaucoma.
Beginner modification: Generous knee bend is the modification — and it's not a step down, it's the safer way to do the pose for anyone with back pain. Tall blocks under the hands keep the fold from going too deep.
9. Thread the Needle (Sucirandhrasana)
One of the most reliable hip-opening poses for releasing the piriformis muscle, which when tight can mimic or contribute to lower back and sciatic pain. Done supine, it's accessible and safe.
How to do it: Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat. Cross your right ankle over your left knee, forming a figure-4. Reach your hands behind your left thigh (or in front of the shin) and gently draw the left leg toward your chest. Hold 30-60 seconds. Switch sides.
What it targets: Piriformis and deep hip rotators, which when tight pull on the pelvis and contribute to lower back tension.
Contraindications: Hip replacement (modified version only, consult physio). Sacroiliac joint pain (move very gently).
Beginner modification: Use a strap around the back of the thigh if you can't reach. Keep the bottom foot on the floor (rather than drawing the leg toward chest) for a milder version.
10. Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)
A passive, restorative pose that decompresses the lower back, gently lengthens the hamstrings, and provides a genuine moment of nervous-system downregulation. The best pose to end a back-focused practice on.
How to do it: Sit with one hip against a wall. Swing your legs up the wall as you lie back, so your legs are extended vertically and your back is flat on the floor. A folded blanket under the hips is optional. Stay 5-10 minutes, breathing slowly.
What it targets: Passive decompression of the lower back, mild inversion, parasympathetic activation (stress reduction).
Contraindications: Glaucoma, severe hypertension, late pregnancy.
Beginner modification: If hamstring tightness pulls the lower back off the floor, slide further from the wall until the lower back is fully supported. A bolster under the hips can deepen the restorative effect.
Where this leaves you
The ten poses above, done as a sequence two to four times a week for several weeks, are a reasonable starting practice for non-specific lower back pain — the muscular, postural, sitting-too-much variety that most adults experience at some point. The Cochrane evidence supports modest benefit at the three-month mark, comparable to other forms of back-focused exercise. The key word is "modest" — yoga is a useful tool, not a cure, and the benefit accumulates over weeks rather than appearing after a single session.
A few principles to carry into the practice. Move slowly — yoga injuries almost always happen when people push through resistance rather than backing off from it. Skip any pose that produces sharp pain, and modify any pose that produces dull pain that doesn't ease within the first few breaths. Build duration over time — 15 minutes daily is more useful than 60 minutes on a Sunday. Pair the practice with regular walking and, ideally, gentle strengthening work for the glutes and core, which are the muscles that take pressure off the lower back over the long run.
If the pain isn't improving after four to six weeks of consistent practice, or if it's worsening at any point, stop and see a physio. The two most common patterns we'd flag: people who try to push through what turns out to be a disc injury (where rest and professional assessment are the right call), and people who treat yoga as the entire solution when the underlying problem is something yoga can't fix (a desk setup that's wrong, a mattress that's failing, untreated sleep apnoea, an unaddressed lifestyle factor). Yoga is one tool. Use it alongside the others.
For broader writing on movement and recovery, see our health and wellness archive. For low-impact morning movement that pairs well with this practice, the 8-minute morning routine is a sensible complement on non-yoga days.
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