(Back)ward Benefits

According to Dr. Anderson, 90% of us will experience at least one episode of low back pain in our lives. That’s about every 9 out of 10 people! For adults past their 30s, back pain can be a chronic or constant problem and can be especially relevant for overweight, inactive, depressed, and anxious individuals. Well, did you know that Pilates can relieve your back pain and discomfort? A Study titled “Pilates-based Core Exercises Improved Health-related Qualities in Life in People Living with Chronic Low Back Pain”, was written to discover the effects that Pilate exercise has on improving nonspecific low back pain. The results were primarily measured by a questionnaire in a structured form along with a visual analog scale. Pilates exercises are designed to counteract and address postural imbalances which can be a cause of back pain. For most people, one leg works harder than the other, or 1 hip might sit higher than the other which can be a reason for the back pain. Specifically, footwork and legs in the straps series provide a great picture of the imbalances that your two sides might have. But, practicing Pilates strengthens the abdominal muscles, lengthens the spinal muscles, and creates space between vertebral discs, that relieves pressure and works in tandem to create a stronger more supported aligned back.

A pilot study was written to discover the effects that Pilate exercises have on improving lower back pain (Yang et al.) This study included thirty-nine participants between the ages of 30-70 years old who have had nonspecific lower back pain for more than three months. The study was single-blinded which means that the participants in the study did not know if they were receiving the treatment or independent variable, but the experimenters did know. Throughout the intervention, the study had follow-ups with the participants at 4, 8, and 26 weeks following the 8-week intervention. The complete 8-weeks Pilates intervention included a group-based mat-based Pilates program. On the other hand, the controlled group 8-weeks intervention included typical pharmacological and rehabilitation standard care practices while also education on chronic low back pain and the degree of disability each participant had. The results were primarily measured by a questionnaire in a structured form along with a visual analog scale

The questionnaire results showed that by the end of the 8-weeks program, the Pilates participants achieved better health-related quality of life compared to the control group. The Pilates group also showed an earlier pain reduction than those in the controlled group which lasted until the end of the trial. These results show that a supervised Pilates-based exercise program is an effective practice in improving the health status of patients with chronic low back pain. This is great knowledge because now clinicians can alter what exercises and interventions they suggest for patients with chronic low back pain. For example, many exercises should be avoided for individuals with significant back pain or degenerative disk disease. These individuals should avoid exercises that push the spine into flexion, extension, or a combination of flexion with a side bend or twist of the spine. An example would be an elephant on the reformer

While taking a Pilates class with back pain always avoid exercises that hurt. Exercises should be difficult but not too much struggle that causes more back pain. Within a Pilates practice, you should avoid reaching the point of fatigue, physical or mental. Pilates strengthens the core like a corset that stabilizes the trunk and pelvis along with the abdominals. Think of it like a weightlifting belt. Driving and sitting at a desk tighten the hamstring muscles and weaken the gluteal muscles, thus pulling the lumbar spine (low back) into anterior tilt which puts a strain on the back. As for the upper body, a forward posture develops causing you to be kyphotic. This is when you have a rounded upper back and hunch forward.

In Pilates, there is an emphasis on the ideal posture with a healthy natural curve of the lower, mid, and upper back, also known as the “neutral spine”. For lasting results practicing Pilates 2-3 times per week will prevent future flare-ups for 4-6 weeks. It helps you fix some problems, increase awareness of proper spinal alignment and good posture overall; along with decreasing wear and tear from uneven stresses at joints and intervertebral discs.

Try it out:

1. Pelvic Tilt

Lay on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, arms long by your side
Feel the natural neutral curve in your spine, with a space under the lower half
Tilt pelvis down, hips draw upwards and get rid of the little space
Back to neutral and repeat
- It is a slight movement and helps to put your hands on your hip bones to feel the tilt happen

2. Chest Lift

Lay on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, arms long by your side
Bring your hands behind your head, elbows open
Lift your head, neck, and shoulder off the floor as your scoop your abdominal muscles in
Lower down and repeat keeping the shoulder down, core help, and elbows wide

3. Toe Taps

Lay on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, arms long by your side
Bring 1 leg into the tabletop with shins parallel to the floor, and lift the other leg to meet it
Lower 1 foot down and tap the toe on the floor while the other leg stays in the tabletop position
Come back to two legs in the tabletop position before alternating the toe tap
- Additional variation:
  - Tap both toes at a time

4. Dead Bug

Lay on your back with your knees bent feet flat on the floor, arms are long by your side
Feel your spine into the floor, keep that natural spinal curve with space under the lower spine
Bring 1 leg to tabletop position with parallel shins, then the other leg
Lower 1 leg so the toes tap the floor, bring back to tabletop, then switch
- Addition variation:
  - Arms long to the sky
  - Bring opposite arm to ear as the leg to the floor
  - Back to center before switching

5. Hinge Bridges

Lay on your back with your knees bent feet flat on the floor, arms are long by your side
Press your feet into the mat as you lift your hips to shoulder blade off the mat in one straight line from your shoulders to knees
Think about squeezing your butt in and lengthening through the front of your hips
Lower down in one line
- Addition variations
  - Bending at the elbows so the back of the arms are on the floor
  - Lifting arms to the sky as you lift your hips
  - While in a bridge lift 1 leg from the floor to the tabletop position, then switch before lowering
  - Lifting/lowering on 1 leg with the other one in tabletop

6. Neutral Spine – Quadruped Position

Your hands are on the ground directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips
- Additional variations:
  - Extend 1 arm long out in front, keep the hips square
  - Extend 1 leg long back
  - Float 1 leg long back off the floor
  - Extend right arm out long in front and left leg long back on or off the floor
  - Opposite elbow to knee inward curl with the abs, extend long to the neutral line, repeat
  - 1 arm, leg, or both move right or left, then back to the center line
  - Upper body rotation open with 1 hand behind your head

7. Clam

Lay on your side so that your hips and shoulders are stacked on top of each other and in a straight line, top arm can be on the mat in front of your as a base of support
- Head can be resting down on your bottom arm, or on your hand with a bent elbow holding you up
Bend your knees
Keeping your ankles together, open and close your knees like a clam, and rotate in the hip socket
Repeat each side 10 times

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