I have had many clients come to see me because they have heard through the grapevine that Pilates can help with back pain. Its not that Pilates has some magical formula for back pain; instead, it is because Pilates addresses all the components that help back pain. Pilates is a well-rounded, comprehensive exercise form that addresses the cause of back pain, not the symptoms.
Most back pain has a common origin in poor posture, spinal alignment and poor exercise habits. For example, women have a tendency to stand with their hips pushed out behind them. This posture pinches on the lower back and it is not surprising that after a decade or two of spinal misalignment that the muscles around the spine are sore and tired. Anytime the spine is not held in perfect alignment there is going to be added pressure on the muscles that surround the spine including the shoulders and hip. There is also going to be pressure on the discs between each vertebra. As a result of poor posture, the hip flexors (muscles at the front of the hip) gluteals or butt muscles and hamstrings (muscles at the back of the thighs) become tight and inflexible. The muscles of the upper back become tight because of poor posture, along with the muscles at the front of the shoulders. A tightness of the shoulder muscles generally lead to more upper back and neck pain. The misalignments begin to feed into one another. The misalignment of the spine causes the muscles to tighten. The tight, inflexible muscles then hold the poor postural alignment in place, making it difficult to fix poor posture. In fact, after many years of poor posture it may be impossible to stand up straight in perfect posture.

How does Pilates help?
Pilates is first and foremost about Proper Posture, it isn’t just a matter of telling you to stand up straight, but also educating you about what muscles need to be stronger and which need to be more flexible in order to correct this misalignment. Every Pilates exercise works with a shortening contraction in one direction and a lengthening contraction in the other in order to lengthen the muscle. Pilates promotes flexibility through the very nature of the choreography of the exercise. Many of my clients feel at least some relief if not a lot of relief from their back pain after their first lesson. Sound impossible? It really isn’t. The relief is just your body’s way of thanking you for releasing some of the tension you have been holding for probably decades.
The Core (your abdominal and spinal muscles) is generally very weak in people who experience back pain. Every Pilates exercise concentrates on the core in order to make it stronger and more efficient. A strong core improves spine health, and of course; looks great!

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