You've heard Pilates is great for back pain, as well as improving posture, balance and mobility. It's true! But what if your back needs special care?
THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO DEVELOP A STRONGER CORE WITHOUT DOING CRUNCHES!!
I wish someone had told me that a long time ago.
I wish someone had told me that just because I was in pain, it didn't mean I was broken and that a back is more than an MRI report.
Back injury? Osteoporosis? Stenosis? Those can be scary things. All of a sudden it feels like your body can't be trusted; that it could break at anytime. It becomes scary to move at all for fear that you'll just make things worse.
It's not true! You're not broken. You still need to move.
You just need to do it in ways that support your body's natural healing process rather than in the ways you were taught back in gym class 30 years (or more) ago.
My latest class was designed to focus on movements you CAN do even if your spine has special needs including osteopenia, osteoporosis, stenosis, or injuries such as slipped and herniated discs. The focus is on ways to improve posture and build strength without aggravating these conditions by avoiding deep flexion (rounding of the spine), side bending and twisting. (Keep scrolling down to read more about why I’ve left these movements out of the video.)
BUT . . . you don't have to have a back injury to benefit from this class. Learn how to create stability, strength and better posture WITHOUT CRUNCHES!!
Watch now. . .
WHAT IS OSTEOPOROSIS?
Osteoporosis (and osteopenia), causes bones to become weak and brittle, potentially leading to fractures - most commonly in the hip, wrists or spine. This degeneration can lead to back injuries and pain, loss of height and a hunched posture.
RECOMMENDATIONS
A regular exercise routine that involves strength training, balance exercises, flexibility exercises and weight-bearing movement is recommended for maintaining bone density and strength as well as mobility and avoiding falls. Pilates is a great workout for improving all of these!
PRECAUTIONS
Certain movements, such as deep flexion, twisting and side bending can place too much pressure on weakened bones and joints and lead to injury.
Flexion refers to rounding the spine. Examples are bending over from the waist to pick something up from standing or curling up to perform an abdominal crunch (or roll out of bed).
Generally it's advised to be cautious of these types of movements, particularly while weighted (i.e. picking up a full laundry basket) or moving through the end ranges of your mobility (bigger is not better). There are lots of ways to build core strength and stability while protecting the back. You know your body best, don't do anything that makes you uncomfortable or causes pain.
Have more questions?
Leave them below in the comments and let me know how this practice feels in YOUR body.