Pain? Try Yoga
Gentle yoga can help ease pain
If you have chronic pain, you know how it can consume your life, drain your body, and distract the mind. But did you know that one of the greatest benefits of yoga is that it can help ease your pain? Yoga helps with arthritis, fibromyalgia, migraines, lower back pain, and other types of pain. Learn about 6 exercises that may be useful in treating pain from VA’s yoga practitioners.
Before you begin any kind of exercise program to address pain, check with your health care team.
Start with your breathing
Practicing yoga for even a few minutes a day can help you gain more awareness of your body. It all starts with your breathing. Breathing can center your attention and set a sense of calm. Before you begin, watch this video on how to get started.
Next up: Cat cow pose
This gentle, manageable backbend stretches the spine. Practicing cat cow pose stretches your torso, shoulders, and neck. Watch how to do cat cow pose with a pain psychologist and a physical therapist.
Move onto child’s pose
Child’s pose stretches your hips, thighs, and ankles. This gentle forward fold is the perfect way to release tension in your neck and back. Practicing this pose can help relieve stress and fatigue. After mastering your breathing, watch this video on how to do child’s pose.
Try a back bend
Back bends are some of the most rejuvenating and recharging moves you can make on a mat. This pose helps improve your posture and increases flexibility. Watch two VA doctors show you how to do this gentle backbend.
Next pose: Spinal twist
This twist promotes movement and mobility in the spine and back. The spinal twist pose stretches your spine, back, and shoulders. Practicing this pose can help relieve pain and stiffness in your back and hips. Watch this video on how to do a spinal twist.
Finish with Savasana (relaxation)
Watch a pain psychologist and a physical therapist show you how to end your yoga session. They’ll help you come into a relaxed pose, known as Savasana, a pose of total relaxation at both the physical and mental levels.
Sign in to track your pain symptoms
Don’t forget to track any pain in My HealtheVet. Tracking or keeping a diary of your yoga routine may help you stick to your plan and stay motivated. With My HealtheVet’s Activity Journal, you can record physical activities and track progress.
After January 2025, you'll need to use a Login.gov or ID.me account to sign in to My HealtheVet and other VA tools. Sign in or create an account
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Read More
Managing Chronic Pain: Therapies for Mind and Body (Veterans Health Library)
VA YouTube Yoga Videos for Veterans (Veterans Health Library)
Updated August 19, 2022
