Daily Poses to Relieve Lower Back Pain: Seated Poses
These 3 simple, supportive poses are a great place to start if your spine needs some extra love.
Lower back pain is one of the most common complaints people bring to their yoga mat, and it’s no wonder.
We spend hours each day in positions that compress the spine and tighten the hips: sitting at a desk, driving, working on a laptop, lounging on the couch.
Over time, these postures pull our bodies out of balance and restrict mobility, especially at the base of the spine where so much of our physical (and emotional) tension gathers.
The good news? With simple, intentional movement, we can counteract those daily habits.
These three seated poses are accessible, supportive, and designed to help relieve tension while building healthy mobility in the hips and lower back.
Whether you’re looking for daily relief or preventative care, these poses are safe to practice regularly and can be adapted to your practice each time you do them.
Always honor what you feel. Remember these poses should be a stretch, and not a strain. Their benefit is experienced not in the deepest expression of the posture, but when you mindfully adjust to what your unique body needs.
Pose 1: Seated Forward Fold
How to Practice
- Start seated on the mat with your legs extended straight in front of you.
- Flex your feet so your toes point upward, and gently engage your legs without locking the knees. If your hamstrings feel tight, add a soft bend in the knees.
- Rock slightly side to side to move any extra tissue out from under the sitting bones so you feel grounded.
- Sit tall through the spine. A helpful way to find length is to place your hands beside your hips and press down to lift up through the crown of your head.
- Begin to hinge forward from the hips, not the waist. Imagine your chest leading the movement, not your forehead or shoulders.
Modifications & Props
- Place a rolled blanket under the knees for added support.
- Use a strap around the feet if your hands don’t comfortably reach.
- Stack pillows or blocks on top of your legs and rest your forehead on them for gentle support in the fold.
Benefits
- Gently stretches the hamstrings, calves, and spine.
- Encourages mobility in the hips and supports decompression of the lower back.
- Promotes calmness and ease, perfect for winding down or starting your day with intention.
- Offers a safe, gravity-supported way to stretch the back muscles without overexertion.
Note: This pose is ideal for daily practice. Even 3–5 minutes a day can create long-term relief and flexibility, especially if you’re regularly seated at a desk or in a car.
Pose 2: Seated Twist
How to Practice
- Begin in a seated position with both legs extended out in front.
- Cross your left foot over your right leg, placing it flat on the ground just outside your right knee.
- Bend your right leg and draw the right foot in toward your left hip. (If this feels uncomfortable or pinches your knee, you can keep the right leg extended instead.)
- Plant your left hand behind you for support.
Modifications & Props
- Sit on a folded blanket or block to lift the hips and help maintain a tall spine.
- Keep the bottom leg extended if crossing both legs feels uncomfortable.
- Keep the hand planted behind close to the spine to avoid leaning too far back.
Benefits
- Twists help maintain spinal mobility, especially important if your day involves lots of sitting.
- Stimulates digestion by gently massaging the organs.
- Keeps the chest open and shoulders active, improving posture and breath awareness.
- Helps release tension stored in the mid- and lower back while calming the nervous system.
Reminder: Repeat on both sides, taking slow, intentional breaths. Let your inhales create space, and your exhales guide the twist. It’s not about how deep you go — it’s about how aligned you are.
Pose 3: Seated Cat-Cow
How to Practice
- Come into a comfortable cross-legged seat. Sit on a folded blanket or block if your hips feel tight.
- Place your hands on your knees or thighs.
- On an inhale, pull your chest forward, arch the spine, and lift your chin slightly. Think “cow pose.”
- On your exhale, round the spine, tuck your chin into your chest, and lean slightly back. Think “cat pose.”
Modifications & Props
- Sit on a cushion or block to elevate the hips and reduce strain.
- If sitting cross-legged isn’t accessible, practice this in a chair (same movements, same benefits).
Benefits
- Gently mobilizes the spine and increases awareness of the connection between breath and body.
- Encourages healthy movement in the vertebrae and lubricates spinal joints.
- Can be done anytime during the day, especially great for breaking up long periods of sitting.
- Re-centers the nervous system and supports postural awareness.
Quick tip: This is a great pose to return to throughout the day. Even just a few rounds can relieve tension and help you reconnect with your breath.
Final Thoughts
You’re only as young as your spine is flexible, and small daily practices like these can make a huge impact.
These postures are simple enough to fit into a morning or evening routine and can be done on their own or as a warm-up for a longer practice.
Use props as needed. There’s no bonus for pushing past your limit. What matters is consistency, breath, and moving with intention.
Your lower back supports you all day long. Let your yoga practice return the favor.
