Ease
Movements that bring the pain down
Practices chosen to lower the pain, so that the back can settle.
Yoga for back pain · Private online sessions
Understand your back pain first. Then ease it, step by step.
Online sessions with Sohan that begin with the movements and ranges where your back feels comfortable.
Before you begin
Start with your doctor's advice.
Doctor first
The safest way to practise is to see a doctor first and to begin on their advice. Yoga sessions work alongside medical care and do not replace it.
Never into pain
Movement is never taken into pain. The practice stays within the range where your back is comfortable.
Private sessions
Understanding how deep an injury goes takes one-to-one attention, which a group class cannot give. Private sessions are the right approach for back pain.
How it begins
First, understanding your back.
The cause
Sohan looks for what may be behind the pain.
Movement and range
He finds which movements bring the pain on, and in which range of movement.
Timing
When the pain comes, and how long it has been there.
What feels easy
Which movements can be done with no pain at all. The practice starts from here.
The practice begins from what your back can already do without pain.
The practice
Easing the pain and building strength, together.
Strengthen
Movements that build support
Practices that strengthen the muscles which support the back.
Both are practised together, slowly. The muscles are gently stimulated, circulation is brought to the area, and every movement stays within the pain-free range.
The whole region
The muscles around the back matter too.
Core
The core muscles support the back and share its load, so they are strengthened.
Hamstrings
The muscles at the back of the thigh are made more flexible.
Glutes
The muscles of the hips and buttocks are strengthened.
Back stiffness
Stiffness in the back is gently released.
Quadriceps
The muscles at the front of the thigh are worked on as well.
Hips
Stiffness in the hip region is released.
The approach
Each movement, only as much as needed.
The practice draws on traditional yoga postures, props and simple movements, and uses each one only as much as the body needs.
The right movement, in the right amount, is what helps the back. A wrong movement can do harm, and even a right one can when it is overdone or done the wrong way. So each movement here is done with care, and never overdone.
Questions
Good to know.
What happens in the first session?
Sohan begins by understanding your back: what may be behind the pain, which movements and ranges bring it on, when it happens and how long you have had it. He also finds the movements that feel comfortable, and the practice starts from there.
Will the practice hurt?
Movement is never taken into pain. The practice stays within your pain-free range, and each movement is done only as much as your body needs.
Do I need any equipment?
Nothing special is needed. A wall, a chair or whatever is within reach can support you, and props are used where they help.
Should I see a doctor first?
Yes. The safest way to practise is to see a doctor first and to begin the practice on their advice. Yoga sessions work alongside medical care and do not replace it.
How do I book?
Back pain is addressed in private sessions, by appointment, with a plan shaped around you. Write to Sohan and tell him a little about your back.
Begin
Tell Sohan about your back.
Write a few lines: where it hurts, since when, and which movements bring it on. The first session begins from there.