Yoga With a Herniated Disk

I am a 31-year-old male with a herniated disk in my upper back at T3-4 and in my lower back at S5. Which asanas would create space at these levels and re-nourish the disks?

By Roger Cole

—Randy Jellen, Lisle, Illinois

Roger Cole's reply:

First of all, your yoga program should be tailored to your individual needs by an experienced teacher; some postures that are wonderful for one person may bad for another. That said, most of the postures you practice should probably be modified with props—your teacher can show you how to use blankets, blocks, bolsters, straps, and other props to put gentle traction on your spine.

Here is some general advice for protecting your back after disk injury:

• While your back pain persists, do not bend forward past 90 degrees with straight knees.
• Avoid all seated forward bends.
• Avoid rounding your back.
• If a pose causes any pain, tingling, or numbness, stop immediately.

Bear these cautions in mind as you practice this list of asanas that many people with disk problems find helpful. They may be practiced in the order presented, but it is not essential. You can start out with just one or two postures, then gradually add more over several days or weeks. You can consult B.K.S. Iyengar's book Yoga: The Path to Holistic Health (London: Dorling Kindersley, 2001) for photos and detailed descriptions of many of the poses.

Editor's Note: Please be aware that by clicking on the links below, you will not find the fully modified versions of the poses described. They are simply to be used as a guideline. To correctly modify the poses for disk problems, be sure to follow the detailed instructions described in this article.

• Savasana (Corpse Pose)—legs elevated, knees bent, calves supported on chair seat
• Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
• Marichyasana III (Marichi's Pose)—stand sideways at wall with foot nearest wall supported on stool or chair seat; twist gently toward wall
• Bharadvajasana (Bharadvaja's Twist)—seated in a chair
• Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II Pose)—stand with back against ledge or counter top, press hands down on ledge for support
• Utthita Parsvakonasana (Side Angle Pose)—take bottom hand to block for support
• Utthita Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)—stand with back against ledge or counter top, slide bottom hand along ledge to support and lengthen spine, use top hand on ledge behind top hip to improve alignment
• Ardha Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Half Upward-Facing Dog Pose)—with hands on back of chair, not on floor or seat of chair
• Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Big Toe Pose)—with belt around foot, with bent knees at first
• Balasana (Child's Pose)—with trunk supported on a bolster or three long folded blankets
• Savasana (Corpse Pose)—legs elevated, knees bent, calves supported on chair seat

Roger Cole, Ph.D., is a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher and a research scientist specializing in the physiology of relaxation, sleep, and biological rhythms. He trains yoga teachers and students in the anatomy, physiology, and practice of asana and pranayama. He is based at North County Yoga Center in Solana Beach, California, and teaches workshops worldwide.