If you ask most back pain sufferers they will tell you that doing yoga exercises can greatly help ease your back pain, as the stretching and strengthening of your body that is occurring will help. As well, most back pain sufferers feel that stress contributes to your back pain, and yoga exercises can help with this as well.

The yoga philosophy of never forcing or straining, and of moving in a meditative manner, has obvious value. But yoga philosophy also encompasses the harmony of mind, body and spirit - a concept that is foreign to many people.

Yoga instructors have the most success with people that have backaches, who are not crippled with pain and who are open-minded to the spiritual message of yoga. People who stay away from philosophical ideas when they study yoga by reading books and articles or listening to tapes might get a little help from this activity, but not as much help from people who are working with the yoga teacher.

Yoga particularly has offered relief from the minor aches and pains that occur with a main back problem. It can alter your mentality from "I can't do it" to "I can do it" and "I will do it".

I do yoga exercises regularly to strengthen my back and stomach muscles and try to listen to what my body says.

A word of caution: many yoga exercise positions are too difficult (and risky) for back sufferers who are not fully active and functioning reasonably well. In fact, it is advisable not to practice yoga whilst you are experiencing back pain. However, once you are able to perform normal everyday activities, yoga offers day-to-day help for the rest of your life.

You should attempt to use this easy type of yoga therapy that most individuals find beneficial, especially for . All it is deep abdominal breathing that allows back pain sufferers to ease and strengthen abdominal muscles. Attempt it in the middle of your work day. You may choose to do it for five minutes for even just a few breaths is helpful. Keep in mind though that you will need to be careful not to breathe deeply for the full five minutes or you may hyperventilate.

Start by getting into a position that you can be relaxed in, sitting, standing or lying down. Then take a deep abdominal breath in through your nose (touch your abs to make sure it is coming from there and not your chest). Hold that breath for about 3 seconds and then exhale slowly out your mouth. Feel your body relax as you repeat this process a few times. In just a short period of time you will feel revitalized and relaxed.

Although the formal research evidence for its success has yet to emerge, yoga provides very effective backache relief for non-incapacitated backache sufferers - with over 75% of people who try it reporting significant long-term improvement.