How Can Pilates Help My Back Pain?

Exercise has long been proven to relieve low back pain (LBP). Many studies show that being physically active is a better approach than avoiding movement when it comes to addressing chronic LBP. As a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Pilates Teacher, I have many years of experience helping people in the Atlanta area overcome chronic pain by incorporating Pilates exercises into their treatment programs.

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So how does it work? Pilates optimizes your strength, flexibility, posture, breathing, and range of joint motion to build resilience and reduce strain on the spine.

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Hip Tightness

A common cause of low back pain is tightness and lack of mobility in the hips. When our hips are tight, the body has to find the available mobility from somewhere else, which means it puts undue pressures on our back. For instance, if we need to take a big step up, but our hamstrings are too tight to allow for the large step, our back has to flex to allow us to step up. When this movement is repeated many times over the course of a day or a week, the back is moving beyond its tolerance and eventually begins to hurt. By stretching our hamstrings and hips through specific Pilates exercises, we can reduce these pressures on the back. 

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Core Weakness

Strengthening the glutes and core is another important goal of a Pilates based physical therapy program. Our hips and pelvis are the foundation for our spine. Without a strong foundation, the spine has to work more than it should. Targeting the gluteus medius can make a big difference. It is one of 3 glute muscles that helps to stabilize and support our spine. It is a lateral glute muscle that holds the pelvis in neutral when we lift one leg off the floor.

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Since walking is basically a series of micro single-leg balances, the gluteus medius serves a very important role. If it’s weak, the pelvis can shift slightly with each step we take. Even though it might not be noticeable to you, this shift puts a significant amount of strain on the lumbar spine. And, just like in the previous example, with every step, it multiplies over the course of a day to cause low back pain. In other words, a small, seemingly insignificant weakness in the hip can turn into a chronic problem.

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Spine Motion

Sometimes low back pain stems from having too much range of motion at the lower lumbar spine joints and not enough motion at the upper lumbar and thoracic spine joints.

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We have 3 sections of our spine: 7 cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic vertebrae, and 5 lumbar vertebrae. Many people are stiff in their thoracic and upper lumbar levels which causes more strain and shear forces at the lower levels. This is why L4-L5 and L5- S1 are the most commonly herniated discs, because these levels of the spine are the most mobile. So one of the goals of Pilates is spinal articulation which can help even out the forces on the spine. These types of exercises increase range of motion in the thoracic spine while stabilizing segments in the lower levels of the lumbar spine.

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If it sounds like Pilates based physical therapy can help you, please reach out to me at Activcore Atlanta to schedule a consultation now!

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Disclaimer: The views expressed in this post are based on the opinion of the author, unless otherwise noted, and should not be taken as personal medical advice. The information provided is intended to help readers make their own informed health and wellness decisions.