Lower back and legs
6 Legs Up The Wall variations, from gentlest to strongest
Also called viparita karani, legs up wall pose, legs elevated.
Lying with the legs resting up a wall or on a chair. It takes the load off the lower back completely and asks nothing back, which makes it one of the most reliable positions in the library on a bad day.
Start here
The list runs from the most supported version to the most demanding. Viparita Karani: Bent Knees is the one to begin with. Harder is not better: the version you can do without gripping is the one doing the work.
Every version in the library
1 · Restorative · 300 to 900 seconds
Viparita Karani: Bent Knees
The most accessible wall version: bent knees eliminate hamstring tension so your lower back can settle into a neutral, fully decompressed position.
2 · Restorative · 300 to 900 seconds
Viparita Karani: Wide Leg
Legs wide against the wall adds a gentle inner thigh stretch to the decompression benefits, improving adductor flexibility while your spine rests.
Make it work for you: Reduce width. Pillow support
3 · Restorative · 300 to 900 seconds
Viparita Karani: With Bolster
The bolster under your sacrum creates a gentle lift that enhances spinal decompression, making this restorative pose accessible and therapeutic for all back types.
4 · Restorative · 300 to 600 seconds
Viparita Karani: One Leg Up
One leg up targets unilateral drainage and creates a gentle asymmetrical stretch, helpful for addressing side-to-side differences in your hips and legs.
Make it work for you: Bolster. Classic. Reduce angle
5 · Restorative · 300 to 900 seconds
Viparita Karani: Classic
Gravity-assisted spinal decompression with your legs up the wall, reducing swelling, calming your nervous system, and gently releasing your lower back.
Make it work for you: Bolster under pelvis. Bent knees. Reduce hip angle
6 · Restorative · 300 to 900 seconds
Viparita Karani: Legs Up Chair
Legs resting on a chair at ninety degrees provides maximum lower back decompression without needing a wall: excellent for soothing tired, compressed spines.
Make it work for you: Move slightly further from the chair: less hip and lumbar flexion. Sit slightly further from the chair. Reduce hip flexion
Move within a range that stays comfortable. Stop if this brings on sharp pain, dizziness, or symptoms that travel down an arm or a leg, and speak to a clinician before repeating it.
Every version above is drawn from the clinically authored Vinys library. This page is general movement information, not medical advice, and it is not a diagnosis. What helps for a specific condition.