Low Back Pain and Pilates: A Healing Combination

Low back pain is second only to the common cold as a reason for doctor office visits in the United States. Why is low back pain so common? Today’s jobs and functional activities are contributing to worsening posture and body mechanics, causing increased load and stress to the spine. 
 
There are a variety of problems and pathologies that cause low back pain.  These range from joint inflammation, soft tissue and facial tightness, disc herniation, degenerative disc disease, stenosis and lumbar nerve root inflammation or impingement. 
 
All current research concludes that the only long-term effective treatment for low back pain of all pathologies is therapeutic exercises. Unfortunately, research does not support massage, joint mobilization, or any other supportive modalities at this time. 
 
What is therapeutic exercise? It is exercise which helps to facilitate support and healing of the injured tissue. The specific exercises prescribed must be related to the type of pathology or structure creating the low back pain.
 
Pilates has become one of the most commonly prescribed therapeutic exercise treatments for low back pain. The movement principles of Pilates align with what allows for the healing of low back pain. 
 
Principle 1: Core control. The ability to initiate the deep muscles of the trunk (transverse abdominis, obliques, multifidi, pelvic floor, diaphragm) to control outside forces, such as gravity, from stressing spine structures. 
 
Principle 2: Axial elongation. The ability to lengthen the spine decreases gravitational stress again by creating more space or openness between vertebral segments.
 
Principle 3: alignment and organization of the body. This is essentially learning how to properly place our rib cage, pelvis, and hips to improve posture in all positions, which again decreases stress to the spinal segments. 
 
At Pilates Sante we develop an integrated whole body exercise program with the above principles in mind, which has given us an extremely high success rate in treating patients with a variety of low back conditions. Our clients feel the benefits of pilates mat and equipment exercise early on in their program, and most often continue as a wellness client once symptoms have resolved.  Our primary goal is to allow our clients to heal and return to a fulfilling pain-free lifestyle.

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