Steps
- Start on hands and knees.
- Slide one arm under the other, palm up, until the shoulder and the side of the head rest on the mat or a block.
- The other hand can stay planted or walk forward a little.
- Breathe into the upper back. Press back up and switch sides.
What this pose may help with
These lines describe why people practice the shape. A pose may help with ordinary stiffness or with settling your attention. They are not claims that the pose treats or cures a condition.
- A mild twist and stretch for the upper back and the back of the shoulder.
- Useful after desk work.
- Supported by the floor, so you can keep it small.
Common mistakes
- Forcing the shoulder to the floor.
- Collapsing all the weight onto the neck.
- Holding the breath.
Modifications
- Head and shoulder on a block so the twist is smaller.
- Do a seated version: one hand on the opposite shoulder, gentle hug.
Safety
- Shoulder, neck, or knee pain: use the seated version or skip.
- Do not stay in a position that creates tingling down the arm.
- Pad the knees.
If you are pregnant, injured, or dealing with back pain, consult a doctor before you follow this page. Stop for sharp pain, numbness, dizziness, or chest pain. This is movement education, not a diagnosis or a treatment. Read the medical disclaimer.
Thread the Needle (Parsva Balasana, said PARSH-vah bah-LAHS-uh-nuh) is listed here as a Beginner Kneeling pose. The body area it emphasizes is Shoulders. From hands and knees, one arm threads under the other and the shoulder rests down. A gentle upper-back twist.
Read the steps in order. Set the pose up before you try to deepen it. The first mistake called out on this page is: Forcing the shoulder to the floor. That line is there because the usual error is doing too much, not because a tighter shape is a better practice. The modifications keep the same idea when the full shape does not fit today. Use them on purpose. They are part of the pose, not a demotion.
People practice Thread the Needle for a plain reason: A mild twist and stretch for the upper back and the back of the shoulder. That “may help” is a description of why the shape is in a beginner library. It is not a claim that the pose treats, cures, or prevents a condition. Shoulder, neck, or knee pain: use the seated version or skip.
If you are pregnant, returning from an injury, or your back has been painful, consult a doctor before you practice Thread the Needle. A safety note on a website is education. It is not clearance. Sharp pain, numbness, dizziness, or pain that runs down a leg is a reason to stop and get care, not a reason to hold the shape longer. The medical disclaimer on this site says the same thing in more detail.
When you are done, come out slowly. One calm repetition you can repeat tomorrow is the point of the page. Pair Thread the Needle with a short routine from this site if you want a sequence, and keep the timer as a guide you are allowed to pause.