A Simple Spinal Movement to Save Your Back
A healthy spine moves in four ways: flexion (rounding forward), extension (backward bending), rotation (twisting), and the topic for today, lateral flexion (side bending). Our most common position is flexion, as that’s what we do when we slouch. However slouching all the time leads to pain, especially in the neck and back.
To undo the strain of being in constant flexion, it’s important to practice spinal extension, which I wrote about here:
How Youthful Do Your Back and Spine Really Feel?
Extension, however, isn’t enough to keep your spine healthy. Twisting strengthens the core muscles and relieves tension in the lower back and hips. It’s important for sports like golf, tennis, and softball, as well as swimming and running. I write about how to twist properly here:
Twisting is Magic, but Only if Done Right
Lateral flexion isn’t a common movement in sports or life. We mostly move in the Sagittal plane (flexion and extension) as well as the Horizontal plane (rotation), and rarely in the Coronal plane (lateral flexion). However, to truly balance the body and make your back feel amazing, it’s important to play with side bending.
How to Side Bend so that it Helps and doesn’t Hurt
I like to toss in side bending poses when I teach yoga because they are perfect for stretching the lower back, specifically the Quadratus lumborum, aka the “QL,” as well as the erector muscles along the spine. Stretching the side body creates space between the ribs which can improve breathing, and it can relieve lower back stiffness and achiness.
However, how you side bend matters. If you collapse to the side, you cause compression in the lower back and can sometimes cause more pain instead of less. When practicing yoga, you always want to lengthen, rather than shorten or compress the body. You want to find more space in the body (as well as in the mind) and create more room for your breath.
When bending to the right, think about lifting your left ribs toward the ceiling. Go up and over an imaginary beach ball that is place to your right side. Always go upward first, then bend. This applies to backward bending as well. The more space you create between the rib cage and the pelvis, the better this type of stretching will feel.
Examples of side bending poses
Each of these poses offers a slightly different benefit to the side bending action. You don’t need to practice all of these poses every time you’re on the mat, but adding in 2-3 can enhance how your lower back feels.
Standing Half Moon pose/Ardha Chandrasana
Like is common with translations, sometimes there are a couple of poses with the same name. Typically Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon pose) refers to a one-legged balance pose similar to Triangle pose, but this pose is also called Half Moon. I don’t make the rules.
Start in Mountain pose/Tadasana and sweep your arms over head, interlacing your fingers. Press the palms to the ceiling while moving your shoulder blades downward (depression) and apart (protraction). Try to keep the hips stacked over the ankles. As you inhale, lift your left ribs toward the ceiling to create a side bend the the right. Connect your left foot into the floor as you press your palms to the right.
Stay for 3-5 breaths, then return to Mountain pose. When you do the second side, interlace your fingers with the other fingers on top, shifting all the fingers over by one.
Low Lunge/Anjaneyasana with a side bend
I love this pose, as in addition to stretching the Psoas (on of the hip flexors and a common culprit with lower back pain), it also stretches the TFL (Tensor Fascia Lata, another hip flexor) and opens the rib cage. I often pair this side bend with arm circles which adds a neck stretch, shoulder opening, and chest opening. So good. Start the circle by moving the arm backward, then down by your hip and forward to return to over your head.
Start in Table pose and step your right foot forward into Low Lunge/Anjaneyasana. Inhale to reach your arms upward while pressing your feet into the floor. As you exhale, lift your left ribs and bring your right hand to the floor or a block next to your right hip. Let your head relax toward your right shoulder. Stay 3-5 breaths, adding arm circles if you like, then repeat to the left.
Reverse Warrior/Viparita Virabhadrasana
This pose is common in Vinyasa yoga classes, but so often I see people collapsing into it, leaning on the back leg rather than lifting upward. It’s a challenging pose, since the lower body is deep into Warrior 2/Virabhadrasana 2, while the upper body is lifted into a side bend.
Start in Warrior 2 pose with your right foot forward. Spin both palms to face the ceiling, then lift your right ribs upward and place the back of your left hand on your left leg. Lift upward to go backward toward your left leg. There is no weight in your left hand, it just touches the leg.
Feel the stability in the pose by pressing your feet into the floor and engaging your glutes. Keep the right knee over the right ankle and move your right thigh toward the floor as you lift through your right ribs. Move the right ribs away from your right hip, and the hip away from the ribs. Stay 3-5 breaths, then repeat on the left side.
Tree pose/Vrksasana with a side bend
If you don’t find Tree pose challenging enough, give this variation a try. You can play with your gaze/Drishti as you see fit. Looking forward is challenging because your eyes are no longer horizontal, but that’s how I usually practice. You can also look downward toward your bent knee or upward toward the lifted arm. There’s no one right place to look.
Start in Tree pose/Vrksasana standing on your right foot. Raise your right arm over your head and place the back of your left hand on your left knee. Lift your right ribs away from your right hip and side bend to the left. See something with your eyes (pick a Drishti) to steady your balance. Stay 3-5 breaths (or as long as you can balance) then repeat to the other side.
I also practice this pose with fingers interlaced overhead, like in Half Moon. From there I will often move into another side bending pose which opens the entire side body from the ribs to the thigh. If you are standing on your right leg, step your left foot across to the right. Lean your weight into your left heel and press your hips to the right as your palms go to the left. So good. Stay 3-5 breaths then repeat on the other side.
Bound Angle pose/Baddha Konasana with a side bend
I find doing this variation first creates more opening when I do regular Baddha Konasana. The side bend opens the hips and lower back so that when I fold forward I get more range of motion. I often add arm circles to this one as well while relaxing the head and neck to the side. Delicious stretch.
Start seated with your pelvis vertical and the soles of your feet together. Bring your feet as close to your hips as feels comfortable. Feel free to sit on a block or rolled towel if you feel like your hip flexors are straining. Bring your right hand to your side a little bit away from your body, and as you inhale, raise your left arm over your head. Exhale to lift your left ribs and side bend to the right. Keep your left hip on the floor, moving the ribs and hip away from each other.
Stay 3-5 breaths, maybe do some arm circles, then repeat to the other side.
These poses are great first thing in the morning if your lower back feels stiff, or after sitting at your desk all day. I love adding side bending poses into my regular yoga practice, they feel so good! Plus, I can breathe more easily and take in more air when I breathe.
How does it feel to you? Do you practice this type of lateral flexion regularly? Try adding some of these poses to your regular practice and let me know what you think!
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