A new student approached me with soreness in the low back and sacrum. She had previously dealt with a sciatic pain and recognized that this was not the same. She was very dedicated to her health and fitness and routinely exercised after work. However, sitting for much of the day at a desk had taken a toll on her QL. Launching a tired, overworked low back into her gym routine had become unbearable. Starting with a few deep breaths, it was evident that something was “stuck” in the low back. Using Yoga Tune Up® Therapy Balls to massage the low back was extremely intense but brought almost immediate relief (see the clip below, and you can get more lower back therapy with the Lower Body Therapy Ball Program). We continued with poses that would strengthen the area like Sidewinder and Cobra at the wall. Yoga Tune Up® is now her regular practice!
Nancy began practicing ashtanga yoga while studying in Montreal. It seemed like a perfect fit from her background of ballet and martial arts and degree in Physiology. She began teaching in 2004, and shortly after joined the De La Sol team in Hamilton to share her passion with others. Learning the Yoga Tune Up® philosophy was like hearing the other shoe drop to find, at last, her pose of equal standing. YTU has provided the framework to create change in her own body, her teaching and inspired a deeper focus into yoga therapy.
I have a desk job and there’s a reason why they say sitting is the new smoking. It’s just not good for anyone. I just completed my level 1 where we did the sidewinder. Crazy exercise. I’m adding that one to my personal practice!
QL sure becomes the workhorse of the body when glutes don’t show p to help pull the cart! Love these deep lateral flexions for QL stretch, and I find that they give my clients much relief.
I always have a pair of yogatuneup balls in my desk draw at work. Even sitting at my desk with the balls toted between my lower back and chair back can work wonders at releasing tension from sitting. And no-one can even see the balls working their magic
Wonderful article! I like to combine working on the QL with also YTU rolling along the erector spinae group as they tightness in the low back can then radiate up the spine and cause pain in other areas of the upper back and head and neck. Including ball work on the occipital lobe I find is a great trigger point to relieve tightness in the erector attachment site which can help reduce tension headaches. Given QL can also affect breathing, I like to combine it with rolling out the pectoralis minor and then doing some strengthening exercises for the QL.
Really fantastic video. Short blog post, but one of the most impactful for me personally because I can relate 100% to your new student. I practice regularly, and am in relatively good shape, and still I have some pretty awful back pain depending on the day. No matter how well I stretch or how I often get into the studio, there’s still that little nagging. But one thing I’ve found that can go that extra mile is the tune up balls. I’ve learned numerous ways to use them for my back, but it’s always good to add a new one to mix things up and make sure I’m hitting muscles from different angles. The first portion of this one is good, but that second part where you dip to one side – just wow. Adding this to my repetoire!
Yoga Tune up balls for the lower back is a wonderful way to release lower back tension. So glad you pointed out that it is important to relieve the tension in this area but follow it with strengthening as part of your regime as well. Too often lower back pain is attributed to weakness in the abdominals. We need to focus on the tubular core – strength all the way around!
I’m hunching at work all the time. This is something I’m going to try right now…although I have no blocks, so I’m hoping that putting my feet on a firm pillow will have the same effect. Thanks!
My lower back has been restricting me so much and flares up in back bending postures I’ve been using to strengthen that area. This move is heaven sent as it helped right away.
I really like the modification of lifting the feet onto blocks to reduce the effect of gravity when rolling out this often-sensitive area. My low back is often loaded with hidden tension from flexing over a desk for most of the day. Even my favorite leisure activities encourage me to flex my spine (for example, gardening, reading, knitting). Taking this time to use the balls to bring the back into a gentle extension, along with using them to increase circulation, often provides immediate relief. Being able to breath better is an added bonus!
I think many of my corporate students with low back pain do not realize with some easy self-care, they can greatly low back pain. I regularly tell them about the YTU therapy balls to help but am excited to give them exercises that target the QL specifically. Thanks!
I loved using the balls for my lower back. It’s never been an area of pain for me but I’m always concerned about protecting it as I sit nearly twelve hours a day at my desk. I find that sitting on a chair ball and alternating between standing and sitting (with a raised monitor for the standing position) has greatly contributed to protecting my lower back for life and for yoga.
I also bring the Tune Up balls to work with me sometimes to rub on my back during a long day. they are simple, discreet, and make sense for any office setting.
For those of us who never even knew what a QL was until a week ago, but has had lower back pain and scoliosis, this simple self massage technique works wonders!
For years I have been saying “I’m just over flexible in my low back.” Why this didn’t make the immediate translation to weak, I don’t know, but I know I am not alone. These are wonderful exercises to first find relief and then being the process of strengthening. It takes patience and self love and yes a little bit of work, but it works. I am on the path and know I’m not alone. I hope I can help others as well.
Every time I use YTU balls on my back I get instant relief! It is an incredible daily tool to use instead of paying for a massage you can give yourself one. It’s not what you do on a weekly or monthly basis, it’s what you do on a daily basis that makes a difference. It’s all in the goal- What are you doing today to achieve your goal of a pain free back? Stop complaining and start rolling!
I need to remind myself more to use my yoga tune up balls. I have a job that places a lot of pressure on my low back and they truly can help. I usually feel some sense of relief immeadiately.
[…] on and off the mat will ensure that I can lead my double life for decades to come! (See my previous post for a video clip of lower back ball work!) tweetmeme_url = […]
I have a desk job and there’s a reason why they say sitting is the new smoking. It’s just not good for anyone. I just completed my level 1 where we did the sidewinder. Crazy exercise. I’m adding that one to my personal practice!
QL sure becomes the workhorse of the body when glutes don’t show p to help pull the cart! Love these deep lateral flexions for QL stretch, and I find that they give my clients much relief.
I always have a pair of yogatuneup balls in my desk draw at work. Even sitting at my desk with the balls toted between my lower back and chair back can work wonders at releasing tension from sitting. And no-one can even see the balls working their magic
Wonderful article! I like to combine working on the QL with also YTU rolling along the erector spinae group as they tightness in the low back can then radiate up the spine and cause pain in other areas of the upper back and head and neck. Including ball work on the occipital lobe I find is a great trigger point to relieve tightness in the erector attachment site which can help reduce tension headaches. Given QL can also affect breathing, I like to combine it with rolling out the pectoralis minor and then doing some strengthening exercises for the QL.
Really fantastic video. Short blog post, but one of the most impactful for me personally because I can relate 100% to your new student. I practice regularly, and am in relatively good shape, and still I have some pretty awful back pain depending on the day. No matter how well I stretch or how I often get into the studio, there’s still that little nagging. But one thing I’ve found that can go that extra mile is the tune up balls. I’ve learned numerous ways to use them for my back, but it’s always good to add a new one to mix things up and make sure I’m hitting muscles from different angles. The first portion of this one is good, but that second part where you dip to one side – just wow. Adding this to my repetoire!
Yoga Tune up balls for the lower back is a wonderful way to release lower back tension. So glad you pointed out that it is important to relieve the tension in this area but follow it with strengthening as part of your regime as well. Too often lower back pain is attributed to weakness in the abdominals. We need to focus on the tubular core – strength all the way around!
I’m hunching at work all the time. This is something I’m going to try right now…although I have no blocks, so I’m hoping that putting my feet on a firm pillow will have the same effect. Thanks!
My lower back has been restricting me so much and flares up in back bending postures I’ve been using to strengthen that area. This move is heaven sent as it helped right away.
I really like the modification of lifting the feet onto blocks to reduce the effect of gravity when rolling out this often-sensitive area. My low back is often loaded with hidden tension from flexing over a desk for most of the day. Even my favorite leisure activities encourage me to flex my spine (for example, gardening, reading, knitting). Taking this time to use the balls to bring the back into a gentle extension, along with using them to increase circulation, often provides immediate relief. Being able to breath better is an added bonus!
I think many of my corporate students with low back pain do not realize with some easy self-care, they can greatly low back pain. I regularly tell them about the YTU therapy balls to help but am excited to give them exercises that target the QL specifically. Thanks!
I loved using the balls for my lower back. It’s never been an area of pain for me but I’m always concerned about protecting it as I sit nearly twelve hours a day at my desk. I find that sitting on a chair ball and alternating between standing and sitting (with a raised monitor for the standing position) has greatly contributed to protecting my lower back for life and for yoga.
I also bring the Tune Up balls to work with me sometimes to rub on my back during a long day. they are simple, discreet, and make sense for any office setting.
For those of us who never even knew what a QL was until a week ago, but has had lower back pain and scoliosis, this simple self massage technique works wonders!
For years I have been saying “I’m just over flexible in my low back.” Why this didn’t make the immediate translation to weak, I don’t know, but I know I am not alone. These are wonderful exercises to first find relief and then being the process of strengthening. It takes patience and self love and yes a little bit of work, but it works. I am on the path and know I’m not alone. I hope I can help others as well.
Every time I use YTU balls on my back I get instant relief! It is an incredible daily tool to use instead of paying for a massage you can give yourself one. It’s not what you do on a weekly or monthly basis, it’s what you do on a daily basis that makes a difference. It’s all in the goal- What are you doing today to achieve your goal of a pain free back? Stop complaining and start rolling!
I need to remind myself more to use my yoga tune up balls. I have a job that places a lot of pressure on my low back and they truly can help. I usually feel some sense of relief immeadiately.
[…] on and off the mat will ensure that I can lead my double life for decades to come! (See my previous post for a video clip of lower back ball work!) tweetmeme_url = […]