Have you ever wondered why your back, shoulders, and neck hurt so much? Well there’s a very good reason for it. Our bodies weren’t designed to sit for hours in front of a computer or to lie down for hours slouched in front of the television. It seems that these days, the only parts of our body that gets any exercise are our fingers and eyes.

The fact is that our bodies were designed to walk upright. To hunt, fight, and forage for food—all extraordinarily taxing physical activities. While our modern day lifestyle leaves us no room for such activities, our bodies are forced to react to other activities that it wasn’t designed to perform. When your muscles are not used and exercised in the way that they were supposed to, they become weak and tend to contract. This is what leads to pain in the neck, shoulders, and upper back pain.

How do I obtain upper back pain relief?

Regular exercise will go a long way in providing relief from all muscular aches and pains. Also, when you exercise on a regular basis, your muscles do not atrophy. Thus, you are able to cure the problem from the source itself.

However, if after years of inactivity, you suddenly decide to engage in a rigorous bout of exercise, the chances are that you will not only increase the pain, but also injure your body. Fortunately, there is a form of exercise that you can do which will not adversely affect your upper back and further compound your problems—yoga.

Yoga for upper back pain

The reason why yoga is so effective for upper back pain is because it incorporates gentle stretching movements that not only stimulate the muscles directly, but also increase the flow of blood to your muscles, thereby causing further growth. Yoga also promotes the drainage of lymph, and this helps to ensure that the accumulated toxins in your muscles are expelled from the body.

Yoga exercises for upper back pain relief

Let us look at some of the yoga exercises that can have a beneficial effect on your aching back.

Sukhasana
The Sukhasana or Easy Pose helps in straightening the spine and eliminates stress from the body. This basic seated pose can do wonders for upper back pain relief.

Bidalasana
The Bidalasana or Cat Pose also directly stimulates the spine, back, neck, and shoulders. It is one of the best poses for obtaining prompt relief from all aches and pains in the neck, shoulders, and back, especially when performed in tandem with the Adho Mukha Savanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose).

Bhujangasana
The Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose is another excellent exercise for getting rid of all the aches and pains from a stiff neck, aching shoulders, and painful upper back at the end of a stressful day at work.