Muscle pain and spasms often take away the comfort even when trying to sleep. The pain in your body can be caused by many factors like tearing of a ligament while lifting anything heavy. Daily wear and tear is another inevitable cause of muscle cramps and pain. However, certain yoga poses can prove beneficial to treat muscle pain.
# Tiger breathing (Cat and cow pose)With synchronized slow breathing, this asana helps relieve the spine, back and neck muscle creating mobility in your spine.
To do cat cow pose, begin with your hands and knees on the floor. Keep your palms shoulder distance apart with your wrist right below your shoulders and keep your knees hip width apart. Start by keeping your spine in a neutral position.
Inhale, roll your shoulder blades back lifting your head up and arch your back.Exhale, round your back pulling in the naval into the spine. Tuck your chin towards your chest. Continue this fluid movement and connect your breath to each movement. Repeat this for 10 breaths.
# Fire log poseAs the name suggests, this pose creates intense heat in and around the groin and pelvic region, subsequently diminishing any sciatic pain. This pose is particularly helpful for bikers, runners, and desk workers.
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and shins stacked with the right leg on top. Use your hand to position the right heel over the left knee. Keeping your hips squared to the front of the room, hinge at the hips and slowly walk your hands slightly forward extending the spine. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.
# Downward-facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)I’m sure you’ve heard of this one. This asana helps unwind the entire body. It strengthens the arms and shoulders, lengthens the spine, calves, and hamstrings and energises the entire body by bringing blood flow to your brain.
Start on the floor by placing your hands and knees down. Straighten your legs by lifting your knees off the floor and push your heels down as far as they can go. Extend the spine by pushing away from the ground using your palms. Stay in this pose for 5 to 9 breaths.
# Parivratta Trikonasana Stretch (Revolved Triangle breathing)Start by standing upright and spread your feet 3 to 4 feet apart. Take a deep inhale and on the exhale bend forward from the waist. Place your hands on the floor- shoulder width apart. On the next exhale, twist the entire upper body to the right from the waist, touching the left hand to the right ankle. Stretch the right arm straight up in line with your shoulder without over extending your arm. Inhale getting your hands back to the center and exhale twist to the left side. Movement should be continuous and flowing. Repeat 10 to 15 times each side. Focus on being in full control of your movement and breath.
# Lizard pose (Utthan Pristhasana)Many yoga asanas are named after creatures of the wild. By embodying the spirit of the lizard we can strengthen our shoulder muscles, arms, chest and work on our glutes. Well, who doesn’t want a good booty? By bringing awareness into this pose one can also engage and strengthen the abdominal muscles and reduce excess fat around the belly and the hips.
Start by getting into downward facing dog position. Inhale, step your right foot forward to the outside edge of your right palm, coming into an extended lunge position. Now stink your hip keeping your arms straight and spine flat and lengthened. If comfortable here only then slowly lower onto your forearms. Press onto the ball of your left foot as you straighten up your left leg. Stay here for 30 seconds and then repeat on the other side.