The Ultimate Guide to Yoga for Back Pain: 10 Poses to Relieve Pain from Sitting Too Long

 

If you spend most of your day sitting — whether it’s at a desk, in front of a laptop, or hopping between video calls — your back probably feels it.
That dull ache in your lower spine. The stiffness that settles into your shoulders. The heaviness in your body by evening.

This is what we call desk back — one of the most common results of our modern, sedentary lifestyle.

The human body is designed to move, stretch, and stay active. But long hours of sitting weaken the glutes, tighten the hip flexors, and round the shoulders — putting constant strain on your lower and upper back. Over time, this imbalance leads to pain, fatigue, and a loss of mobility.

The good news? You can reverse this — gently and naturally.
Through mindful movement, breath awareness, and consistency, yoga for back pain helps release tight muscles, strengthen your core, and restore your spine’s natural alignment.

At Harmoni Yoga, we’ve seen thousands of people experience lasting relief through simple, guided practice. The key isn’t intensity — it’s intention. This guide walks you through 10 beginner-friendly yoga poses that can help you ease tension, build strength, and bring balance back to your body.

Why Does Sitting Cause So Much Pain?

Before we get to the poses, let’s understand the enemy. When you sit for hours, three main things happen:

1. Your Hip Flexors Get Tight: These muscles at the front of your hips shorten, pulling your pelvis forward and putting immense strain on your lower back.
2. Your Glutes Get Weak: When you sit on your glutes all day, they “turn off.” These muscles are essential for supporting your lower back, and when they’re weak, your back has to do all the work.
3. Your Shoulders and Back Round Forward: This “slouch” over-stretches the muscles of your upper back (causing tightness) and compresses your spine.

Yoga is the perfect antidote because it reverses these actions. It stretches your tight hips, strengthens your weak glutes, and opens your chest and shoulders.

A Quick Word Before You Start

Listen to your body. This is the #1 rule of yoga. You should feel a gentle stretch, never a sharp or stabbing pain. Move slowly, breathe deeply, and only go as far as your body feels comfortable. If you have a pre-existing spinal injury, please consult your doctor first.

10 Simple Yoga Poses for Back Pain Relief

Here are 10 beginner-friendly poses you can do at home. Hold each for 5–10 deep breaths.

1. Cat-Cow (Marjaryasana/Bitilasana)

Why it’s great: This is the perfect warm-up. It gently moves your spine from a rounded (flexion) to an arched (extension) position, bringing fluid to the discs and relieving tension.

How to do it:

1. Start on your hands and knees (a “tabletop” position). Wrists under shoulders, knees under hips.
2. On an inhale (Cow Pose): Drop your belly toward the floor, lift your tailbone and chest, and look forward.
3. On an exhale (Cat Pose): Press into your hands, round your spine up to the ceiling, tuck your chin to your chest, and draw your tailbone down.
4. Flow gently between these two poses for 10 breaths.

2. Child’s Pose (Balasana)

Why it’s great: This is a gentle, passive stretch for your entire back. It elongates the spine, relaxes the muscles, and is incredibly calming for the nervous system.

How to do it:

1. From your tabletop position, bring your big toes to touch and spread your knees wide.
2. Exhale and sink your hips back toward your heels.
3. Walk your hands forward and rest your forehead on the mat.
4. Breathe deeply into your back, feeling it widen with each inhale.

3. Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Why it’s great: This pose stretches the entire back of your body, from your heels to your calves, hamstrings, and all the way up your spine. Tight hamstrings are a major cause of lower back pain, and this pose is their nemesis.

How to do it:

1. From tabletop, curl your toes under and lift your hips up and back, forming an inverted ‘V’ shape.
2. Bend your knees generously! This is key for back pain. Focus on creating a long, straight line from your wrists to your hips.
3. Press your chest toward your thighs, not the floor.
4. Gently “pedal” your feet, bending one knee and then the other to stretch your hamstrings.

4. Sphinx Pose (Salamba Bhujangasana)

Why it’s great: This is a gentle backbend that counteracts the forward slump of sitting. It strengthens the spinal extensors and opens the chest.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your stomach.
2. Bring your forearms to the floor in front of you, with your elbows directly under your shoulders and palms flat.
3. On an inhale, gently lift your head and chest, pressing your pubic bone into the floor to protect your lower back.
4. Look straight ahead and breathe. You should feel a gentle compression in your lower back.

5. Seated Spinal Twist

Why it’s great: Twists are like a “wringing out” for your spine. They help improve mobility and release the deep muscles that run alongside your spine (the multifidus) which get very tight.

How to do it:

1. Sit on the floor with your legs extended (or sit on a chair!).
2. Bend your right knee and cross your right foot over to the outside of your left thigh.
3. Place your right hand on the floor behind you for support.
4. Inhale to sit up tall, then exhale and twist your torso to the right, hooking your left elbow on the outside of your right knee.
5. Hold for 5 breaths, then repeat on the other side.

6. Thread the Needle

Why it’s great: This pose is a lifesaver for the upper back and the area between your shoulder blades, which holds all that “mouse and keyboard” tension.

How to do it:

1. Start in your tabletop position (hands and knees).
2. Inhale and lift your right arm to the sky.
3. Exhale and “thread” your right arm under your left arm, resting your right shoulder and right ear on the mat.
4. Keep your hips high. You can leave your left hand where it is or walk it forward for a deeper stretch.
5. Hold for 5 breaths, then press into your left hand to unwind. Repeat on the other side.

7. Supine Figure Four (Reclined Pigeon)

Why it’s great: This targets your glutes and piriformis muscle, a small muscle deep in your hips that can cause major lower back pain (and even sciatica) when it gets tight.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Cross your right ankle over your left knee, keeping your right foot flexed (to protect the knee).
3. This might be enough of a stretch. If you want more, lift your left foot off the floor and interlace your hands behind your left thigh.
4. Gently pull the “figure four” shape toward your chest.
5. Hold for 10 breaths, then switch sides.

8. Knees to Chest (Apanasana)

Why it’s great: A simple, beautiful release for the lower back. It gently massages the sacrum and decompresses the lumbar spine.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your back.
2. Exhale and draw both knees into your chest.
3. Wrap your arms around your shins and give yourself a gentle hug.
4. You can stay still or rock gently side-to-side to massage your lower back on the floor.

9. Supine Spinal Twist

Why it’s great: A final, restorative twist to neutralize the spine before you rest. This is a very safe and supported way to get the benefits of a twist.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your back with your knees hugged to your chest.
2. Open your arms into a ‘T’ shape at shoulder height.
3. Exhale and let both of your knees fall gently to the left side.
4. Turn your head to look over your right shoulder (if it feels okay for your neck).
5. Keep both shoulder blades pressing down into the mat.
6. Hold for 10 breaths, then inhale your knees back to center. Repeat on the right side.

10. Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)

Why it’s great: The ultimate restorative pose. It drains fluid from tired legs, calms the nervous system, and allows the lower back to release completely into the floor.

How to do it:

1. Sit on the floor with one hip touching a wall.
2. In one smooth motion, swing your legs up the wall as you lie back.
3. Scoot your hips as close to the wall as possible.
4. Let your arms rest by your sides, palms up.
5. Close your eyes and just breathe. Stay here for 2–5 minutes.

Don’t Just ‘Deal With’ Pain. Take the Next Step.

Reading this article is a fantastic first step. But the real magic happens with consistent, guided practice.

These poses are your new toolkit. You can pick and choose, or you can link a few together for a 5-minute “Desk Back Rescue Routine” (Cat-Cow, Downward Dog, and Knees to Chest is a great combo!).

If you’re ready to stop “dealing with” pain and start building a stronger, more resilient back, we’re here to help. Our online yoga classes at Harmoni are designed for real people with busy lives. We have live, guided “Gentle Yoga” and “Back Pain Relief” classes where an expert instructor can help you find the right alignment and finally get the relief you deserve.

Ready to feel better? Click here to sign up for your free trial session at Harmoni Yoga and join your first class today.