When the Flow Needs to Change
Rethinking Vinyasa for Low Back Issues
Yoga has been part of my life for years — it’s how I move, breathe, reflect, and reset. Vinyasa, in particular, has always been one of my favorite styles. I love its fluidity, creativity, and rhythm — like a moving meditation. For a long time, it was exactly what I needed.
But when you're dealing with low back pain — especially something like a herniated disc (in my case, at L4-L5) — that beautiful flow can sometimes become too much.
When Movement Stops Feeling Supportive
I remember being in a vinyasa class a few years ago when the teacher guided us from Urdhva Hastasana — Mountain Pose with arms reaching overhead — into a side bend, then a forward fold, rising into a side bend on the other side, and finally back to Tadasana. A sort of “around-the-world” flow.
Midway through, I felt a sharp, stabbing pain in my lower back. I knew instantly I had enraged an already sensitive area of my spine.
Like many people, I believed yoga would “fix” my back pain. And in many ways, it did help. But I also began to notice that certain elements of a typical vinyasa class — fast transitions, repetitive forward folds, and deep backbends — were actually making things worse.
The truth is, not all movement is inherently healing. Even yoga, when done without awareness or adaptation, can put stress on already vulnerable areas.
A Shift in Mindset — and Movement
I gained a deeper understanding of spine anatomy and dysfunction issues during my Yoga Medicine 500-hour teacher training. I came to realize that I didn’t need to give up vinyasa yoga. I just needed to approach it differently: slower, more intentionally, with a focus on support rather than sensation.
My practice shifted from performance to sustainability. From how it looked to how it felt. I started prioritizing:
Stability over depth
Engagement over stretch
Intention over intensity
This meant rethinking alignment cues, modifying poses, and listening more closely to my body — not just in moments of pain, but always.
What That Actually Looks Like
Swapping Upward Dog for a supported Sphinx Pose
Activating the core before folding forward
Slowing transitions to stay connected and in control
Using props as essential tools, not crutches
Letting go of the need to do every pose in the sequence
A New Way Forward
If you're managing a disc injury or chronic low back pain, it doesn’t mean you have to stop practicing vinyasa — but it might mean reassessing how you practice.
At its core, yoga is about awareness. Changing the way I move didn’t diminish my practice — it refined it. It became more aligned with what my body actually needed.
And if your flow doesn’t feel supportive right now? That’s okay. Try slowing down. Pay attention to how your body feels in transitions. That’s still yoga. And honestly? It might even feel better than before.
