05/26/2026
Here are the best practices for low back pain, and the worst would be weightlifting.🏋️♀️
Move to Heal: How Gentle Practices Can Support Pain Relief
Struggling with back pain and looking for natural relief?
A growing body of research is showing that mindful movement practices like Tai Chi, Qigong, and Yoga can do more than just help you relax—they may actually ease pain, reduce stress, and improve overall function.
Research from Florida Atlantic University (FAU) shows strong evidence that mindful movement can help relieve back pain.
Among nearly 3,500 participants, most studies reported less pain, reduced stress, and better overall function. Here's a look at the three practices they analyzed, along with their unique benefits:
1. Tai Chi
Tai Chi is a traditional Chinese martial art that's been around for centuries. Described as "meditation in motion," it incorporates mindfulness into gentle movements and stretches. It's based around the concept of Chi, or the vital life force energy within us all. In FAU's recent study, Tai Chi was found to reduce the intensity of low back pain, as well as lessen the bothersome symptoms.
2. Qigong
Similar to Tai Chi, Qigong is another traditional Chinese practice combining mindfulness with movement and breath. The main difference between the two is that Tai Chi is more of a full-body sequence, whereas one Qigong move can be used to address a particular issue. Qigong is also based around the idea of Chi, meant to help energy flow freely within the body.
3. Yoga
And lastly, yoga was the third movement practice the team looked at, finding that a consistent practice did improve back pain across 25 studies. Technically, yoga involves more than the physical poses or "asanas," but in this case, a physical yoga practice is known to help strengthen and loosen the body, as well as help manage chronic pain and mental health. It originated in India thousands of years ago as a spiritual practice and has evolved into exercise, stress relief, and more, across many unique styles.
Associate professor and corresponding author of the study Juyoung Park, Ph.D., notes that more trials and evidence are necessary but says, "Yoga, tai chi, and qigong could be used as effective treatment alternatives" when it comes to getting some relief from low-back pain.
Source: https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/3-exercise-based-techniques-to-alleviate-lower-back-pain
Looking for a way to ease pain naturally?
Qigong and Tai Chi have helped thousands find relief through slow movement, breathwork, and self-massage. Learn at your own pace with "The Healer Within Video Library": http://iiqtc.org/mqlibrary
