Sequence · 14 minutes · 13 poses
A back-friendly yoga sequence, mostly lying down
This back-friendly yoga sequence is 14 minutes of slow, small movements, mostly lying down: breathing into the back, pelvic tilts, knees to chest, Cat-Cow, Thread the Needle, Sphinx, a supported bridge, a strap leg stretch and a gentle twist, then rest. It has no deep backbends or straight-leg forward folds. Skip anything that hurts.
The sequence
| # | Pose | Hold | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Breathing into the Back | 1 minute | Lie on your back, knees bent, hands on the lower ribs. Breathe so the ribs widen into the floor and the hands. |
| 02 | Pelvic Tilts | 40 seconds | Knees bent, feet flat. Gently flatten the lower back toward the floor, then let it lift a little. Small and slow. |
| 03 | Knees to Chest | 40 seconds | Draw both knees in and hold the shins or the backs of the thighs. Rock a little from side to side if it feels good. |
| 04 | Child's Pose Balasana | 45 seconds | Roll to one side and come up to kneeling, knees wide. A cushion under the chest makes it easier on the back. |
| 05 | Cat-Cow Marjaryasana Bitilasana | 1 minute | On hands and knees, keep the range small: a gentle arch and a gentle round, moving with the breath. |
| 06 | Thread the Needle | 30 seconds each side | Slide one arm under the other and rest that shoulder and cheek down. Turn from the upper back, not the lower. |
| 07 | Sphinx Pose Salamba Bhujangasana | 45 seconds | Lie on the belly on the forearms, elbows under the shoulders. Lower the chest if the lower back pinches. |
| 08 | Child's Pose Balasana | 30 seconds | Press back to Child's Pose so the lower back can lengthen after Sphinx. |
| 09 | Supported Bridge | 1 minute | On your back, lift the hips and slide a block or firm cushion under the sacrum. Rest your weight on it. |
| 10 | Reclined Hand to Big Toe Pose Supta Padangusthasana | 45 seconds each side | Remove the block. Loop a strap around one foot and raise the leg only as far as the back stays flat. The other knee stays bent. |
| 11 | Supine Twist Supta Matsyendrasana | 45 seconds each side | Knees together, lower them slowly to one side, with a cushion under them if they do not reach the floor. |
| 12 | Knees to Chest | 30 seconds | Bring both knees back in to centre the spine before you rest. |
| 13 | Corpse Pose Savasana | 3 minutes | Lie with a cushion or rolled blanket under the knees so the lower back can relax. |
This sequence is for days when your back feels stiff from sitting, travel or a bad night, and you want to move it without asking much of it. It is not a treatment for back pain. If your back hurts, start with yoga for back pain, which explains when to see a doctor first, what yoga can and cannot do, and which shapes to leave out.
Everything is slow and small. You start on your back with the breath and the pelvis, come onto hands and knees for Cat-Cow and Thread the Needle, take a low backbend on the forearms in Sphinx, and finish on your back with a supported bridge, a strap leg stretch and a twist. There are no deep backbends, no straight-leg forward folds and nothing that puts weight on the head or neck.
A strap or a long towel, one yoga block or a firm cushion, and a folded blanket for the knees are all you need. A cushion under the knees in Savasana takes the arch out of the lower back. For single stretches to use between tasks, see the lower back stretches and the wider set of back stretches.
Stop if any movement makes the pain sharper, sends it down a leg, or brings numbness, tingling or weakness. Those are reasons to see a doctor or physio, not to push on. Back pain after a fall, with a fever, or with trouble controlling the bladder or bowel needs a doctor straight away.
Once moving feels easy again, the 10-minute yoga routine adds standing poses, and the hip-opening sequence works the hips, which often feel tight alongside a stiff back.
Sources: Mayo Clinic, Fitness program: 5 steps to get started; NCCIH (US National Institutes of Health), Yoga: Effectiveness and Safety; NHS, Exercise in pregnancy; CDC, Pregnant & Postpartum Activity: An Overview; Canadian Family Physician (Chan et al., 2014), via PubMed Central, Hot yoga and pregnancy: Fitness and hyperthermia; NHS, Back pain. Last reviewed 2 October 2026.
Questions
Why does a back-friendly sequence leave out deep backbends?
Deep backbends such as Wheel or full Camel press the small joints at the back of the spine together, which many stiff or sore backs dislike. Sphinx gives a small, supported arch instead. Add bigger backbends only when your back feels well, ideally with a teacher watching.
How often can you do a gentle back sequence?
Daily is fine if it feels good, since the movements are small. Many people do it in the evening after a day of sitting. If your back feels worse the next morning, shorten the holds or leave out the pose that bothered it, and see a physio if it keeps happening.
Is this back-friendly sequence okay if your back hurts?
It is built to be gentle: slow, small movements, mostly lying down, with no deep backbends or straight-leg forward folds. It does not replace medical advice, though. If your back hurts, check with your doctor or physio first, skip anything that causes pain, and stop if you feel numbness, tingling or pain spreading down a leg.
Updated