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Pilates for Back Pain

Pilates exercises will help you maintain a healthy back through good movements and good posture. Pilates won't help you fly, but it will change the way you look, feel and move.

Find a trained teacher in Pilates and join a class, or go to a physiotherapist, chiropractor or osteopath who can take you through a Pilates programme. Pilates exercises are of increasing difficulty. You must to be careful not to attempt anything too difficult when you're just starting out: you will need to build up your stamina to improve your endurance first. With Pilates, you work out for yourself what's the best possible combination of exercises for you and chop and change accordingly.

GOING THE PILATES WAY

You start by taking time to relax, to prepare your body and mind for your exercise session. You'll concentrate on the movements that you make, being really aware of your body and that you're ready to exercise. You'll focus on your breathing and how it feels to breathe right out. As you breathe out you'll pull your muscles up and in from your pelvis and abdomen. All this helps to create a strong, central spine. Then you'll be ready to undertake Pilates exercises in a rhythmical, smooth way, moving without strain or stress to your back or the rest of your body.

EXERCISING

There are beginner's exercises to improve the stability of your lumbar spine. With Pilates, you're aiming to be able to contract the muscles of your pelvic floor at the same time as hollowing your lower abdominal muscles, drawing them back towards your spine. (This is also the first step to turning yourself inside out, but Pilates doesn't follow that programme.) The pelvic floor comprises the muscles of the urethra in men and of the vagina in women. Once you've learnt how to contract these sets of muscles (just the one set, unless you're hermaphrodite), you'll learn to do so in lots of different positions, not just sitting in a chair. This might be kneeling on all fours on the floor, lying prone on your stomach or lying in the relaxation position, on your back, with your knees bent up and your feet flat on the ground. With this skill to hand, Pilates exercises can help you to align your spine centrally. They are designed to isolate and work on the deep stabilising muscles of your pelvis and spine, as well as your other bones and joints. They help you move individual segments of your spine safely.

In a healthy back, all the interlinking vertebrae work together, like in a bicycle chain. If one area of your back becomes stiff or damaged, it has knock-on effects on the neighbouring vertebrae, which may change their structure and movement to compensate for the problem one. This puts strain on your back. Many Pilates exercises work towards promoting the flexibility and stability of your spine. They include spine curls, hip flexor stretches, shoulder drops, neck rolls and chin tucks, arm openings, side rolls of your trunk, side reaches and many others.

You need to create the right environment for doing Pilates. Find a time and a place where you're not hassled by telephone calls or children's demands. Get a padded mat to exercise on, with plenty of room around, and wear loose, light clothing. Go barefoot so you're more aware of your body's movements. Do remember that if you've got a back problem, such as a slipped disc, you should take advice from a trained Pilates practitioner before attempting any of the exercises.


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