One of the most known yoga poses, the downward dog (adho mukha shvanasana), has a ton of benefits and straightforward to perform. Begin in a table top position on all floors. Place your wrist under the shoulders and your knees under your hips. Take a moment to warm up your spine with a few cat-cow postures. Starting off with a prep pose for downward dog start by dropping your elbows to where your wrist are. Placing all ten fingertips on the mat. Keep your hands and elbows in place, slowly walk your knees back. Letting the spine fall in line and your forehead kisses the mat. Raise your pelvis up to the sky and take a couple deep breathes. This posture is good for tight shoulders. Shift gears to the downward facing dog by inhaling, keeping your shoulders away from your ears. With grace and control slowly walk your knees forward curling your toes under. One by one life an elbow, an elbow, a knee, then the last knee. Like in the prep pose, rock the pelvis up and pedal your feet back and forth for a moment. Be sure to spread your palms out. Take a few minutes to relax and inhale and exhale deeply here. At first, this pose can be challenging, remember to relax and keep moving. Don’t be static. To exit this pose exhale gently and lower yourself back to all fours. Walking the hands back and finding the original table top position once more.
As mention before, down dog comes with multiple benefits. Including calming of the brain, and instating in the relief of stress and mild depression. At the same time energizing the body and stretching your shoulders, hamstrings, calves, and even your hands. It will assist in strengthening your arms legs while reducing symptoms of heads, insomnia, back pain, and even fatigue. It helps prevent osteoporosis, proves digestion, and can be therapeutic for high blood pressure and asthma. One other benefit this yoga position can have is with the aid of relieving symptoms of menopause and menstrual discomfort. Combining this posture with others mention here can help enhance the benefit outcome.
If you believe you are suffering from chronic lower back pain and think seeing one of our highly trained pain management physicians, as well performing this pose, will benefit you, please click here to schedule an appointment. Come to Denver Pain Management Clinic and get your active lifestyle back. Enhance your quality of living, enjoyment of participation in activities, and call us today to see if we can help manage your chronic back pain!