We have all had an occasion to shout that!! At times it is from lifting a sofa, and for alot of people it is a chronic condition that diminishes the quality of life. I have suffered both of these conditions. I am happy to say that I am pain free, I believe as a direct result of practicing yoga.
As a teacher, I get many, many students who suffer from back pain. I am often approached with a lament of "I have back pain, what poses can I do to make it go away?" The answer to that is nebulous at best, because the causes of back pain are numerous and far reaching. It can be from trauma, physical conditions, injury, lack of strength in the supporting muscles, or really just from carrying yourself "funny". I always emphasize getting medical approval before practicing with an injury or condition. Students should not go against medical advice and sometimes the body does need time to heal before coming to practice again.
What I have found, from my students who regularly and consistently practice, and from practicing myself, that with an all round practice, the body will strengthen itself, (supporting muscles and ligaments) and create space (contraction of the skeletal structure can cause compression pain) which goes a very long way to supporting the back in a healthy and pain free way. It is the consistent element that makes the difference in strength and flexibility, both of which are essential to keep the back happy.
I have had injuries that have caused various conditions in the back. I have sciatic pain that was debilitating, and was born with scoliosis and tilted pelvis. None of these conditions give me any bother at all. I trust that the overall execution of the poses, and the effect they have for the health of the body is what keeps me pain free today.
I think, as a species, (we humans being an ambitious lot!) stood up too fast in the evolutionary process and didn't give our backs the time to build the proper support! We need to take responsibility for our own back health. A good, well rounded, practice of yoga asanas, will help us shore up any shortfalls our back may have in supporting us. There is a reason we talk about things being"the backbone" of the situation, and that is because that is the most essential part of support. Without it, everything will fall apart. Pay attention, use your intention, to help your back help you.
Namaste'
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