Salabhasana for back pain
Salabhasana strengthens the back and improves flexibility in the spinal muscles. The
abdominal muscles become stronger, improving digestion. Stiffness is reduced in the neck and shoulders. Step by Step • Lie face down on the floor with the arms beside the trunk, feet together, knees straight and the toes stretching back.
• Turn the palms upward. Stretch the arms and raise them so that the hands are parallel to the floor.
• Press the sacrum downward and raise the head, chest and legs as high as possible taking care there is no back pain. • Extend the trunk forward, the legs and arms backward and lift the chest.
• Balance on the lower abdomen, look straight ahead and breathe normally. Hold the pose for 20-30 seconds and then release and lower the chest, head and legs. Focus In everyday life we are continually bending forwards, but have little reason to bend
backwards. Back bends help to extend the heart muscles, stretch the front side of the lungs and maintain flexibility in the respiratory muscles, thereby increasing lung capacity. They are also useful for nourishing and toning the abdominal organs and stimulating the adrenal glands.
Modification Don’t raise the arms and legs too high, as this will cause pain in the lower backstretch the shoulders back, keeping the arms parallel. Keep the legs together and the knees straight.
If it is difficult to do the pose with the feet together, place a foam block between the feet, press the inner edges of the feet into the block and lift the legs. In order to open the chest more, and increase the extension in the arms, put a wooden block on the palm of each hand. Imagine the blocks are heavy weights, and without actually lifting the hands any higher, push the palms into the blocks as if trying to lift them.