A good, regular yoga practice will go far in relieving the stress and tension that sometimes cause mild back pain, and in fact,studies have shown that yoga is the number one most effective exercise for low back pain relief.

Here are 6 yoga poses for low back pain relief.Each pose should be held from five to ten seconds, depending upon your level of comfort, and should be done on a mat or other soft, supportive surface.

Low back pain relief pose #1: the corpse

Lie flat on your back in a relaxed position, armsresting at your sides, palms down, and legs lying naturally, with knees turned out slightly. If it hurts your back to have your knees turned outward, do this pose with knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Breathe in and out for a few seconds while allowing any tension to leave the body.

Low back pain relief pose #2: cat stretch

Start out on your hands and knees with a flat back. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders with fingers spread. Knees should be directly under the hips.Head is held loosely so that you are looking at the floor between your hands. Inhale, and as you exhale, arch your back toward the ceiling, tuck your chin in to your chest so that you are looking at your navel, and tuck your tailbone underneath. Hold, then release back into your original position.

Low back pain relief pose #3: wind-releasing pose

Lie flat on your back as in Corpse pose. As you inhale, bend your knee, place your hands right below the knee, and draw your leg towards your chest. Your left leg should remain flat on the floor. Exhale and bring your forehead up to touch your knee. Inhale, and then as you exhale,return to your original position. Repeat with the other leg.

Low back pain relief pose #4: palm tree

Stand with feet facing forward, arms at your sides, weight distributed evenly on both feet. Raise both arms over your head, interlock your fingers, and turn your hands so that your palms are facing upward. Next, place your palms on your head and turn your head so that you are looking slightly upward. Stretch your arms upwards, and at the same time, come up onto your toes if you can do so without pain. Stretch your entire body upward and hold, if you can. Some people have difficulty balancing during this pose, so just do the stretching parts if you need to.

Low back pain relief pose #5: fish Pose

Lie on your back with knees bent and arms at your side. Arch your back as far as you comfortably can and raise it off the ground by pushing the floor with your elbows. If you can, tilt your head backwards and rest the crown of your head on the floor. Breathe deeply from the diaphragm and hold pose for one minute if you can.

Low back pain relief pose #6: locust

Lie face down with arms at the side, palms down, and elbows slightly bent with fingers pointing towards the feet.Raise your legs and thighs as high off the ground as possible without causing your back any pain.Hold for one second and repeat up to twelve times. This can be a vigorous exercise so you must take care to strain already injured muscles.