Can Pilates Help with Back Pain?

The short answer is, Yes. Did you know that approximately 90% of people will experience at minimum one episode of lower back pain throughout their life? Due to the growing sedentary lifestyle in the United States along with what we like to call “tech neck” it is no shock that the majority of us will experience back pain at one time or another in out lifetime. So, where does Pilates come into play and how can it benefit your lifestyle, help with back pain, and grant other benefits? Sometimes the cause of back pain really isn’t back pain at all, but instead it could be an imbalance of the hips or pelvis. Yes, you read that correctly. Overtime our postural habits can greatly affect our back. Do you ever find yourself driving shifted to one side or crossing one leg over the other while in a seated position? If you answered yes, these are just two examples of what could cause back pain. Pilates exercises counteract and help to address postural imbalances. For example, if you drive a car or travel for work, sit at a desk all day, or even stand all day, it can lead to tight hamstrings and weak glute muscles causing the lumbar spine to pull into an anterior tilt which is not ideal for our posture or back. If you lean “over” while on your phone or computer, this can cause a kyphotic posture which is also not ideal. In Pilates we use a neutral spine for most exercises and oftentimes an imprinted spine (I teach most of my abdominal work in imprint and oftentimes clients are not able to hold a neutral spine due to strength so we have them start with an imprinted spine). We are wanting to mimic an IDEAL posture while on the reformer that respects the healthy curvature of the spine.

So, how long does it take to reduce back pain? Well, it is different for each individual, but you may just find relief after your first Pilates session. Similar if you were to go get a massage or cupping done. However, for the lasting results, we recommend at minimum two Pilates sessions a week and three to four if you really want to see improvement at a faster rate. I always tell people. “The more you commit to yourself and your Pilates practice, the quicker you will feel the results and benefits of Pilates.” The most common time frame to feel a difference is between three and seven weeks for most individuals. Sometimes longer or shorter depending on the person. Once you start your Pilates Practice, you’ll start implementing better movement throughout your day. Pilates not only helps reduce back pain, but it teaches you body awareness and you will start to correct your form throughout the day which leads to better posture and less back pain. Pilates can help you fix the harmful movement patterns in the moment while also helping to alleviate the symptoms of back pain and discomfort. If you are struggling with back pain and are wondering if you should start Pilates consult your physician, chiropractor, or PT prior to beginning any exercise regimen. Once you are cleared to start, we will work on exercises that help you learn the basic principles of Pilates such as activating the core muscles, breath, control and more. We will then walk you through a 50 minute reformer class that is suitable for YOU and your class mates. Due to the small size of our studio, we are able to adjust our clients form and give modifications if needed, such as performing the exercise with a smaller range of motion.

Movement is a gift and can greatly benefit your everyday lifestyle. So next time you have back pain, remember that Pilates could be a solution or an additional way to help you along with other forms of movement. Come see why Pilates is one of the most common recommendations for back pain for yourself!