Rita Triegger - Yoga Heals Your Back: 10-Minute Routines that End Back and Neck Pain

Rita Trieger is one of those rare people (teachers) who can combine the Eastern philosophies of yoga and meditation with a very active Western lifestyle. Through her own personal experiences, she can always relate to her students and give them the kind of direction that fits into their busy lives. If she can do it, being an editor, a yoga teacher, and a woman with a family life, then those around her are inspired to try as well. And they do. She teaches students ranging from chronic overachievers to those who are chronically ill. She touches each life in a different way because she uses her deep understanding of yoga to lead her with each person.

Watching those who are in her classes return week after week religiously, gaining from her teachings, I can see improvement not just in their flexibility but in the way each person enjoys his or her life. Rita is a great teacher because she has a true belief in what she does, combined with a sense of humility.

She isnt forcing the body to conform, but allowing each participant to progress based on what he or she brings to his or her practice. Having worked with Rita for many years, I am glad that this book will be able to bring the joy of yoga, and relief from back pain, to so many more people. Her openness to learning is catching. So many who want to try yoga are inhibited by back pain and inflexibility. Through these simple daily programs, each person can gain the benefits I have seen in all those who are blessed to have her in their lives.

Elaine Petrone

Program Director

The Health and Fitness Institute, Tully Health Center, Stamford Health System

Author of The Miracle Ball Method, Workman Publishing

One cold, lazy winter day, I wrapped myself in a blanket and settled into an afternoon of cable TV and hot tea. I felt tired but completely comfortable as I reached for the remote, when suddenly there was a hot flash of pain shooting through my left lower back. The pain was so sharp I felt as though I couldnt catch my breath, let alone move. After several minutes, I managed to gently rock myself up into a seated position but couldnt straighten up beyond halfway. I had to shuffle my way to the bathroom, bent over, to look for Ben-Gay. I felt like I was about 100 years old, and I couldnt stop whimpering. What was going on? This had never happened to me before. I was in good condition. I went to the gym six days a week, I was a personal trainer, I had never experienced any kind of injury before and certainly hadnt ever had the slightest twinge in any part of my back.

What I didnt know was that I wasnt alone. According to recent studies, more than 80 percent of the population will experience low back pain at some point in their lifetime. Many people end up having only a few episodes, while others develop lingering problems. Back pain doesnt discriminate; it affects men and women equally. Age isnt a factor eitherit can occur at any age, striking most frequently between the ages of twenty-five and sixty. And because the human spine is so complex, the exact cause of acute low back pain is often easily masked. Pain can come from origins as varied as muscle trauma, nerve damage, infections, inflammatory diseases, and circulatory disorders, among others.

But for most of us who fall in the 80 percent zone, the best way to treat back strain and pain is to take a few days of rest and then get right back into action. Its also recommended that you start a plan of gentle exercise to stretch the muscles and keep the blood and oxygen flowing. It can be something basic like swimming or walking, or, better yet, a complete mind/body makeover with yoga.

Lets face itlife can be overwhelming. Most of us cant stop running long enough to take a significant break; clear the mind; and release some of the anxiety, frustration, stress, anger, and fear we deal with on a daily basis. When we dont deal with it, we end up storing stress in the bodypushing the tension aside until some later time, when, hopefully, we can sort it all out. More often than not, we end up burying it deep within our bodys handy storage bins: the neck, shoulders, middle back, lower back, and hips. This stored tension in the body can result in weakness, exhaustion, illness, or chronic pain.

Thats why yoga is such a useful tool for dealing with back problems. It teaches us to breathe more deeply, to consciously connect with the body and eventually release all the pent-up aggravation.

The simple 10-minute yoga practices in this book will help you to tune in to your body, let go of tension, relax tight muscles, and will even help relieve some developmental disorders such as scoliosis. However, if you have persistent, chronic, or severe back pain, its always wise to check with your doctor before you start any sort of exercise program. The practices are gentle, but your doctor will be able to let you know if you need to avoid anything specific.

As for me, after about a week or so, my low back pain was gone. Thankfully Ive never again had that kind of pain, although as I get older, I do find myself feeling soreness in the back from time to timeespecially if Ive been working at the computer all day or if Im tired. When that happens, I get onto my mat and into one of my favorite yoga poses (down dog). Then I breathe deeply, let go of the negative thoughts that inevitably float through my brain, and let my body blossom into beautiful openness.