I have just been diagnosed with severe lumbar disc degeneration complete with osteophytes ! I've been told by my physiotherapist- no more forward bending for me and most yoga practices include lots of that. I know that yoga didn't cause my problems but they are certainly aggravated by it ! I'm going to miss it so much !
Thank you for this article - it helped me make my decision to discontinue classes after 10 years . Perhaps I can find therapeutic yoga classes - but I'm sure there will always be forward bending.

I agree with other comments as this article is very helpful, especially for new teachers.
thanks!

Wow, this is such great advice which so many people are not aware of -- I certainly was oblivious until I had a herniated disc from too much forward bending. I am more into lifting and taekwondo, but there is so much wisdom in yoga. I have been using a number of poses which, I think, have helped (some I did not even know were yoga) like "superman" (locust pose in yoga), also cobra pose, upward dog and more recently reclining hero pose and upward bow. Also do lots of back extensions at the gym.

Very helpful article! But I would like to add a warning that even the suggested stretches may be too advanced for people with a flat back condition. I have kyphosis, a flat lower back and tight hamstrings and was starting to get lower back pain which I think was exaggerated from these lying leg raises (I had already stopped doing forward bends). Although much safer than seated forward bends they can still be problematic, especially if you think it was a safer position to have a longer, deeper stretch. A flat lower back still won't have the natural inward curve in a lying position. After straining my back recently and I couldn't pinpoint when I did it, I gently tested out the lying stretch to see if it is what caused it. I found out that yes, it was a strain to the position, and therefore the likely cause. I also noticed it was pain-free with a towel underneath to support the natural curve in the lower back. I could raise the leg nearly to 90 degree without the towel, but only 45 degress with the towel. So it seems that the lying stretch was still putting too much strain on the lower back. I am not suggesting to try it with a towel, just that even these lying leg raises can be harmful to people with a back condition as bad as mine (and should see a doctor):

Hi Julie, Thanks for this article, it's so intelligent and informed. I'm a 52 year old male (with a very infllexible phsique) who's been doing hatha yoga for about a year and enjoyed it immensely but my lower back pain just kept getting worse and worse. I stopped for a while and just did my usual routine of walking, kayak paddling, bike riding and swimming and it went away, then I started yoga again (a gentle class), and it came back staright away. Your explanation of the bio mechanics of it really made me understand what was going on. thanks