I'm a yoga teacher and this stretch helps me maintain lower back mobility while recovering from sciatica

Fit and well writing yanar alkayat wearing a lime long sleeved top and khaki leggings doing a modified pigeon pose on a sofa edge in her living room.

I’ve recently been focusing on back mobility work to help me recover from chronic sciatica. My go-to move each morning is standing downward-facing dog to ease overnight tightness in my hips and buttocks. Throughout the day, I also incorporate pigeon pose but with a slight modification.

Ardha kapotasana translates from Sanskrit as half-pigeon pose though in English it’s often simply called pigeon pose. It's excellent at releasing tension in the hips and glutes (muscles in the buttocks), which helps alleviate pressure in my lower back. However, it can be uncomfortable if you have limited mobility in your lower body or if you’re recovering from injury.