Originally Posted by
mm718
I have a chronic back issue unrelated to cycling. It was getting to the point that getting out of bed was painful and bending over would cause sharp pains. A yoga/stretching routine reduced the pain by about 80% and keeps it mostly in check. I've always meant to incorporate yoga into touring but haven't actually done it yet. Cool topic, thanks for the link.
I too have back and neck problems from numerous car accidents (mainly people running red lights.) One of the benefits I found after starting yoga practice was the the back and neck pain reduced greatly. I can really tell when I start slacking.
On another note regarding stretching (and gymnastics for that matter) I have since noticed that much of it is indeed simple yoga poses.