Yoga for a Healthy Spine: Safe Back Pain Recovery
Recovering from my own back injury taught me that yoga is as much about patience as it is about movement. My sessions focus on gentle spinal alignment and supported stretches to help you regain your strength.
This was my first headstand after my back injury. Dealing with a herniated disc taught me so much about patience, listening to my body, and the real meaning of healing. It’s why I’m so passionate about creating safe, injury-aware practices for everyone.
I remember what it felt like to be broken, but I also know the strength it takes to stand up for yourself and heal. My journey has taught me that you are your own greatest champion.
My own back injury, an anterolisthesis, taught me the importance of patience and consistent practice. Twisting the spine helps keep it supple and strong, and is a key part of my own recovery and teaching.
A strong core is key to a healthy lower back. Here, I'm guiding my student through an obliques and lower back stretch, a simple but powerful move to prevent and reduce back pain. We always find time for some fun too.
Backbends build confidence, but they require effort and proper technique. I guide my student Karishma through two variations of an advanced backbend, ensuring she feels challenged yet supported.
A supple spine is a healthy spine. With my 15-year-old student Amaira, we focus on gentle backbends and stretches to build a strong foundation for her back as she grows.
The locust pose, or Shalabhasana, is excellent for stabilizing the spine. I'm assisting my student with a passive stretch to lengthen his upper back, but it's important to avoid this if you have an active lower back injury.
We work on the spine in every class, focusing on both flexibility and strength. Here, I'm helping my student Mozez with an upper back stretch to release tension and improve posture.
A twisting spine is a happy spine. This wide-legged forward bend with a twist helps decompress the vertebrae, improves digestion, and challenges your balance.
Using props like ropes and a bolster allows for a deep, supported backbend. This technique is especially helpful for opening up the chest and shoulders without straining the lower back.
About My Journey with Injury: Yoga for a Healthy Spine
I do not just teach you how to do a pose; I show you how to modify it for your specific injury. Having lived through the pain of anterolisthesis, I know that standard group classes can sometimes do more harm than good if you are not careful. In our sessions, we use props like ropes, bolsters, and wooden bricks not just to go deeper, but to protect your vertebrae while you build back your core strength.
When you have a history of back pain, every movement feels like a potential risk. You might be hesitant to twist, fold, or even stretch. That is exactly why I developed this practice. My goal is to help you move from feeling broken to feeling at home in your body again. We do not rush. We use a hybrid mix of Iyengar-inspired alignment and functional strength to stabilize the muscles around your spine.
Whether you are dealing with a herniated disc, sciatica, or just years of stiffness from sitting at a desk, we start exactly where you are. I keep my groups in Bandra and Khar West small, with 8 to 15 students, so I can see you and provide the necessary hands-on adjustments. We focus on decompressing the spine, opening tight shoulders, and building the transverse obliques that actually protect your back.
The emotional side matters too. I have realized that the body holds on to stress, and sometimes, that is where the physical pain manifests. We work on the mat to resolve that, mixing pranayama breathwork with deep physical release. If you are looking for a space where you will not be pushed into a pose that hurts, come join us. It is about steady, mindful progress, not perfect performance.
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