Yoga
Postures, breath, attention. Cochrane-reviewed for chronic low-back pain; the stress benefit rides along free.
Why
Modern postural yoga combines strength-through-range, balance, and paced breathing. The Cochrane review in chronic non-specific low-back pain (21 trials) found yoga improves back function modestly versus no exercise at 3–6 months, with little clear advantage over other exercise — the honest summary is "exercise works; yoga is a sustainable way to do exercise". The breath-led pacing adds a regulated-arousal block that plain strength work doesn't deliver.
Slot in your day
How to do it
How
2–3 classes weekly, 30–60 minutes. Hatha or Iyengar styles suit beginners; props are allowed and encouraged. Tell the teacher about any back or joint issues.
Ideal for
Desk-bound stiffness, recurrent low-back complaints, people who keep abandoning gym programmes but will attend a class.
Sticking with it
Class bookings beat home videos for adherence; pay for a block up front.
Evidence
Cochrane 2022, 21 trials (n=2,223) — yoga produced small-to-moderate improvements in back function vs no exercise at 3–6 months; vs other exercise, differences were minimal. Tradition: Patañjali's eight-limbed path — the trial evidence above stands without it.