Today I want to start exploring several key poses of yoga that are frequently incorporated into a home care recommendation routine for chiropractic patients. Let’ start with child’s pose.

The positions of child’s pose allows for the combination of two powerful axis onto the lumbosacral spine: flexion and decompression. Considering that lumbosacral extension and facet imbrication, along with weightbearing compression are two common drivers of mechanical misalignment and pain, you can start to understand why child’s pose is so popular.

There are two version of the pose: traditional and extended. The traditional version has the knees together and the arms along the legs. The extended version (more popular in US vinyasa yoga) has the legs in a V shape and the arms extended above the head. The traditional pose tends to isolate the central portion of the lumbosacral spine, while the extended version starts adding stretch to the upper sacroiliac and iliolumbar ligaments. One is not better than the other, they isolate different structures. If I am unsure which one will benefit a patient most, I usually have the patient perform each one in the office while I palpate how much traction is generated by each while in the position. The extended pose requires more flexion of the hip socket, which is not always accessible to patients with advanced degeneration or with traditional hip replacements.

Child’s pose may require a few modifications for ankles and knees that you can see demonstrated on the photos:

• If full flexion of the ankle is uncomfortable, you can perform the pose on the edge of a bed with your ankles at 90’, or with a rolled towel under the ankle.

• For patients with limited knee flexion, you may be able to do the pose with a towel behind your knees, or assume the alternate “puppy pose” position which keeps your buttock away from fully contacting the heels but still creates maximum lengthening of the lumbosacral spine.