Can yoga help with a stiff back?

Yes, yoga can be very helpful for many people who experience an ordinary stiff or chronically uncomfortable back. Research on chronic low-back pain has found that yoga can improve function and may reduce pain, with benefits broadly comparable to other forms of exercise in some studies.

But good yoga for the back is not a collection of aggressive stretches. The spine benefits from a practice that combines comfortable movement, strength, breathing and gradual confidence. Gentle flexion and extension, appropriate rotation, hip mobility and trunk support can all have a place depending on the person.

Yoga also teaches us to stop treating the body as an object we must force into submission. Move with attention and let range develop. If back symptoms are severe, follow an injury, travel down a leg, involve weakness or numbness, or are otherwise concerning, seek professional assessment.