Pilates for Spine Health
Pilates for Spinal Health
This term we will be thinking about how Pilates can help us improve our back health.
Joesph Pilates says that you are as young as your spine is flexible. As physiotherapists we think that there is a fair amount of truth in that!
Our spines are an incredible column of 33 bones, 364 joints and 23 discs. It is a strong, flexible structure. It supports our body, protects our neural system and allows us to move. The neuromusculoskeletal system around our spines is resilient and strong. However, back pain is really common. It is thought that over 60% of adults will experience lower back pain at some point in their lives. Most cases of back pain are simple strains or sprains, often due to muscle imbalances, unaccustomed activity or sometimes inactivity.
The best evidence for treating back pain is exercise. Research has consistently shown that exercise helps relieve back pain and prevent future episodes. Physiotherapy guided exercises, including clinical Pilates will help you to understand the factors that might be contributing to your back pain, improve your back fitness and address any specific muscles imbalances or movement problems that might be contributing to your pain.
This term we will be focusing on the lumbar spine or lower back in our Pilates classes.
Can Pilates help me improve my spine health?
Yes! Exercise is brilliant for our musculoskeletal health in general but the evidence for its use as a treatment for back pain is clear.
Just like any joint, our spines need the mobility to give us the flexibility to do our day to day activities; the strength and endurance of the supporting muscular system, and the correct balance of these structures so that they can work together well.
Pilates can also help spine health by helping us to improve our wellbeing, increase our general fitness, maintain a healthy weight and improve our sleep.
How will Pilates help my joint health?
This term, your instructor will focus on a different aspect of spine health each week.
Our courses are always tailored to the clients in the group so we don’t follow a formula or set programme. Exercises are designed for you and your classmates. Each class is a holistic body work out during which your physiotherapist will assess and support you every step of the way.
As we work through all of the factors that promote healthy spines we hope that each week use your exercise to show you a different dimension or to look at your body and your Pilates practice through a different lens.
Week 1: Understand and recap the key elements of Pilates, the foundations of the Pilates method. This week your physiotherapist will be getting to know any new clients too.
Week 2: Spinal mobility, looking at the way the spine ‘articulates’ or moves segmentally and tackling any joint stiffness
Week 3: Spine health and overall wellbeing, including how mindful movement and managing stress are important in tackling pain
Week 4: Spine health with a focus on abdominal strength. This week we will look at how the abdominal corset works to support the lumbar spine.
Week 5: Spine health in functional movements. Looking at how our spines work in our everyday movements.
Week 6: Spine posture and balance. Your physiotherapist might look at the muscles involved in sitting and standing with you.
Week 7: Spine flexibility. This underpins so much of what we do in all of our classes, looking at the ability of our spines and muscle systems to lengthen and move.
Week 8: Recap of the term focussing on spinal health as a whole
You can find more information on the benefits of exercise and Pilates for spinal health here:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/back-pain/
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/
https://www.csp.org.uk/conditions/back-pain/treatment-back-pain
https://www.csp.org.uk/conditions/back-pain
https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/get-active/home-workout-videos/