Could Pilates Be the Cure to All Your Back Pain Woes?

How’s the back? Still aching? Over a year of work-from-home-ing hasn’t helped, but even before all of this, back pain was still a silent epidemic with a reported 4 in 5 adults likely to suffer from it at one point in their lives. Some have developed a WFH stretching routine to combat the pain, but others might need to take it up a notch. And that’s where pilates can help.

Invented in the 1920s by a former gymnast called Joseph Pilates — quelle surprise — pilates was originally a series of 500 body-strengthening moves known as the ‘pilates method’. This regime is still the bedrock of the activity a century later, with contemporary studies including a 2014 study published in the scientific journal PLOS One backing up Joe’s belief that practicing pilates was the key to significantly lessening chronic pain (the study likens the effect to massage therapy).

As part of her new email course aimed at helping those with back pain, pilates instructor Isa-Welly Locoh-Donou answers any questions you may have about how exactly pilates can help, along with an exclusive pilates for back pain video workout for you to follow at home.

In What Ways Might Our Current Lifestyle Be Harming Our Back?

There are many reasons why your current lifestyle and the activities within that might be causing you back pain. These include general inactivity, intense workouts with no rest, long hours sitting down at the desk, a general lack of core strength, and tight hip flexors due to constantly sitting down all day.

How Does Pilates For Your Back Go Beyond Simple Stretching?

Pilates goes beyond what you’d normally do in a stretching routine by focusing on the key core and back muscles that strengthen the overall body. This focus will then prevent physical ailments and injuries such as back pain.

Could Back Pain Get Worse With Improper Pilates Technique?

Absolutely. I see it all the time in my class. Alignment is crucial in pilates exactly for that reason. Poor alignment and posture puts stress on our bodies which in turn causes injuries. In my pilates for back pain course, I go through five key postures with do’s and don’ts so you can work towards correcting any alignment and posture issues.

What Are Your Top Tips For Pilates Beginners?

• Start with gentle, short classes that are focusing on releasing tension from your hips, legs, neck, and shoulders as well as strengthening the core.
• Don’t rush through it, one step at a time.
• Trust the process. Pilates is truly magical. I don’t know anyone who has not benefited from it.

Isa-Welly’s Pilates For Back Pain Workout

Want to find out more? Isa-Welly’s Pilates for Back Pain course is now available and open for enrollment until May 5th 2021. Go to isawelly.com/pilates-for-back-pain to sign up.