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Chronic back pain is the leading cause for absence at work in industrialised countries, followed closely by cold and flu. But despite back pain being so common a condition, there is a surprisingly huge amount of misinformation out there on what actually helps. Here are three common myths (and facts) about back pain and three easy yoga poses that help stretch and loosen the back, hips and hamstrings.

Myth #1 - Training Your Core Will Strengthen Your Weak Back
A common myth about healing back pain is that the back is weak and that strengthening the core will help.

Fact: Whilst working your abs might look sexy, recent studies have shown that they do your body no more good than generally exercising your entire body. In fact, the contracted muscles of the core may even pull on the spine and cause more disc compression. So the better option is work the whole body, build strength and lengthen the muscles in the torso.

Myth #2 - Using an Ergonomic Chair Will Help Reverse Back Pain
You could be forgiven for believing the myth that adding an ergonomic back seat or cushion to your chair will improve your back pain. After all a huge industry has been created around that myth.

Fact: The truth is that our bodies are designed for movement, not for sitting or standing in any position for an extended period of time. In her book The Chair: Rethinking Culture, Body and Design, Dr Galen Cranz proposes that we radically re-invent the way we work by introducing movement at work and in schools. Indeed increasing numbers of employers in the US are starting to introduce treadmills at desks for their work force.

Myth #3 - Back Pain is Caused by Bad Posture
It may seem counter-intuitive, but there is actually no scientific evidence that people with bad posture are more prone to back pain than people with good posture.

Fact: There are other factors, such problems with the pain receptors in the central nervous systems that contribute more significantly to chronic back pain. Rather than asking your body to work even harder to maintain “good” posture, finding ways to ease the strain on your back is more conducive to reducing back pain.

3 Yoga Poses that will help you ease the strain on your back and stretch your back and hip muscles

1. Forward bend

Benefits: stretches the hamstrings, increases flexibility in the hip joints and stimulates circulation in the nerves and muscles of the spine.

This is a great starting pose. The picture to the left is a simplified version. As you become more supple, you can stretch out both legs and bend forward.

2. Pigeon Pose

Benefits: This pose will open and lengthen the hamstrings and hip rotators so there is less pull on your back muscles and more support from your lower body.

Instructions:

- From Downward Facing Dog, bring the right leg up into a Downdog split.
- Bend the right knee and swing the leg forward, bringing the right knee outside the right hand while releasing the top of the left leg to the floor.

- Square the hips towards the floor.  Shift as needed to stretch and release the tension in the hips, always making sure that the top of the left foot stays in contact with your mat.
- Rise back up, bringing the hands in line with the hips.

3. Half Spinal Twist

Benefits: tones the nerves of the spine, makes back muscles supple, relieves lumbago and muscular spasms, reduces inflammation and calcium deposits in spine.

Instructions:

- Sit with both legs stretched out in front of you
- Bend the right leg and place the right foot flat on the floor, toes facing forward
- Bend the left leg and bring the left foot around to the right buttock
- Pass the left arm through the space between the chest and the right knee
- Hold the right ankle with the left hand
- Raise the right arm in front of the body and gaze at the fingertips
- Slowly twist to the right and sit up as straight as possible without straining the back