How Pilates can help with back pain.

Doesn’t everyone who has back pain get told to do Pilates? They get told to go to pilates to strengthen their ‘core’. And you may say, ‘well what is my core…’ ‘Isn’t that my abs?’, ‘I don’t have abs so my. core is weak’. But this here is where enlies the problem!

Pilates does strengthen your core, yes, but its important to distingush what your ‘core’ is and how to use it. It somewhat pains me to see people doing sit ups into infinity and wondering why their back still hurts. Your core is split into 2 essentially, inner and outer. We think of our core as just out outer core - these are our abs, obliques all your outer trunk muscles. But your inner core sits deep in your body, it’s your pelvic floor, deep abdominal muscles, spinal stabiliser muscles, and if we can learn to activate and strengthen these AND support movement, we are onto a winner.

The key to resolving back pain is to keep moving. Gentle and progressive movement will allow your spinal joints to stay mobility and reduce the ‘protection mode' that your muscles have gone into. This is where pilates is just perfect. Controlled and supported movement and strengthening all in one!

Even if you are in considerable pain, gentle movement like your pelvic tilts and bridging can be super helpful to start to break the pain cycle.

If you need more support with your back pain, contact Libby at Bloom Physio to book an appointment, alternatively join us for a foundations class here at Bloom, just let us know you’re stuggling with your back and we’ll adapt to help!