The stress and activities of our industrialized world have not been kind to our bodies. Slouching over the computer all day leads to difficulty straightening up. Lifting, pushing and pulling with poor body mechanics leads to lower back wear and tear. And, as you may have heard, looking down at your phone places 27 to 60 lbs of force on your head and neck.
Back pain is the result of too much movement in the spine relative to the surrounding areas. It can be from too much flexion (forward bending), too much extension (backward bending), or too much rotation during our everyday lives. Yoga can decrease your back pain if you learn to perform the poses in a way that promotes stability of the spine. Doing the poses the wrong way can contribute to hypermobility and pain.