Are You Nervous About Exercising Due to Lower Back Injury or Pain?

Whether it's a lingering back injury that makes you wary of exercise or you simply prefer non-traditional methods of working out, Pilates might be the perfect solution for managing your lower back pain while building overall strength and fitness.

Is Pilates the Right Choice for You?

Pilates is widely recognised as an effective rehabilitation tool for managing chronic and intermittent lower back pain. Here are 6 key reasons why Pilates exercises are beneficial for managing back pain and enhancing your overall fitness:

1. Pilates Targets Your Core Muscles

Pilates focuses on activating the deep core muscles that support your lower back and pelvis. Key muscles like the Transverse Abdominis, pelvic floor, diaphragm, and Multifidus are integral to spinal support and stability. Pilates principles and exercises are designed to strengthen these muscles, helping to manage lower back pain and build functional core strength.

2. Pilates Emphasises Stability and Mobility

The range of Pilates exercises promotes both stability and mobility. By training your body to control joint movements through a full range of motion and maintain strength against external forces, Pilates prepares you for everyday activities like lifting, carrying, and sitting for extended periods. This balanced approach can increase your confidence in daily tasks and activities.

3. Pilates Incorporates Open and Closed Kinetic Chain Exercises

Pilates uses both open and closed kinetic chain exercises. Open chain exercises involve movements where hands or feet move freely in space, which can gently build strength and improve joint mobility. Closed chain exercises, where hands or feet are in contact with a solid surface, promote joint stability and bone density. This variety in exercise types is especially beneficial for managing conditions like osteoporosis.

4. Pilates Utilises Different Muscle Contractions

Pilates incorporates various muscle contractions, including isometric (muscle contraction without joint movement) and isotonic (muscle contraction with joint movement). This variety is crucial for functional movement in daily life, whether you're recovering from a recent injury or dealing with a long-standing back issue. Pilates exercises help strengthen your back and enhance its resilience for daily activities.

5. Pilates Exercises Are Functional

Pilates exercises are designed to mimic everyday activities, which makes them ideal for injury rehabilitation and prevention. By focusing on strengthening muscles and stabilising joints in positions used in daily life—like lifting, carrying, or reaching—Pilates helps reduce the risk of future injuries and improves your functional strength.

6. Pilates Promotes Efficient and Relaxed Breathing

Breathing is a fundamental aspect of Pilates. Proper breathing techniques during exercises help increase flexibility and relaxation, both during workouts and daily activities. Many clients find that learning to maintain a relaxed breathing pattern can reduce tension and improve their overall comfort.

Pilates as a Rehabilitation Tool at Central Performance

At Australian Mind Body Balance Ocean Grove, we start by assessing your individual needs to create a Pilates program tailored specifically for you. Our team will design a program to address your back pain, target your goals, and match your current fitness level.

Pilates Can Help With Many Low Back Injuries, Including:

Disc Degeneration / Disc Herniation
Osteoarthritis
Spondylosis
Spinal Stenosis
Spondylolisthesis
Facet Joint Syndrome
Sciatica
Sacroiliac Joint (SIJ) Dysfunction

Common Low Back Injury Symptoms Pilates Can Address

Pain in the lower back or leg pain originating from the back
Spinal instability or weakness with bending, lifting, or carrying
Tightness in the leg muscles
Poor posture or discomfort from prolonged sitting or standing
Stiffness in the lower back, pelvis, or hips
Difficulty bending or standing upright
Pain while walking or changes in your walking pattern
Feelings of weakness, tightness, or heaviness in the lower back

How Pilates Exercises Can Make You Feel Better

Boost Your Confidence: Start moving and exercising again with reassurance.
Strengthen Core Muscles: Support your spine and pelvis.
Build Back and Leg Strength: Enhance overall muscle strength.
Improve Flexibility: Increase your range of motion.
Increase Postural Awareness: Develop better posture and body awareness.
Restore Normal Movement Patterns: Help your lower back, pelvis, and hips function optimally.

Pilates Exercises for Low Back Pain During Flexion Dysfunction

If your low back pain worsens with forward bending or sitting (Flexion Dysfunction), here are three gentle exercises you can try at home:

Basic Back Extension
Lie on your stomach with a towel under your forehead. Lift your head and shoulders slightly off the ground as you inhale, then lower back down as you exhale. Repeat 10 times for 2-3 sets.
Leg Slides
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet hip-width apart. Inhale and engage your core, then exhale as you slide one leg away from your body. Return to the starting position and repeat 10 times per leg for 2-3 sets.
Freestyle Arms
Lie on your stomach with arms extended overhead and palms down. Inhale, lift your upper body and arms slightly, then exhale as you alternate raising and lowering your arms. Do 5-10 reps per arm for 10 repetitions.

Why Pilates with a Physiotherapist is a Safe and Effective Choice for Managing Low Back Pain

Pilates offers a safe, enjoyable, and effective way to manage chronic or intermittent lower back pain. Research has long demonstrated that the right type of exercise is crucial for managing and recovering from back pain.

Physiotherapists trained in Pilates have the expertise to design and supervise a rehabilitation program tailored to your specific needs. Their background in physiotherapy ensures a deep understanding of anatomy and injury management, while their Pilates training equips them to offer exercises that rebuild strength, stability, and flexibility. Many clients appreciate the confidence of knowing their Pilates instructor is a qualified physiotherapist experienced in dealing with back pain and other injuries.

Don’t let back pain keep you from exercising. Embrace Pilates as a beneficial tool for managing your condition and improving your quality of life!

If you have any questions or want to start your Pilates journey with us, contact AMBB today. Let’s work together to manage your back pain and achieve your fitness goals!

Contact Us:
Phone: (03) 5255 5792
Email: info@ambb.com.au

Step 1: Ergonomic desk sit up

Having a good understanding on how your desk should be set up can have a positive impact on your health, too, decreasing tightness in your neck and shoulders which can help to work efficiently.

The 90 degree Rule

Chair: Sit with your feet flat on the ground, knee bend and hips bent at 90 degrees, and lumbar supported against the chair sitting up tall (not Slouched forward).

Desk: Position your desk so your forearms can rest on the desk with your elbow at 90 degrees on the desk towards the keyboard.

Screen: Ensure your screen is positioned at a good high, inline with your eyes so that it prevents you from looking either up or down which can cause neck tightness and pain. Be aware to lengthen your neck and maintain a nice long line with your spine, preventing poking your chin out.

If you have two screens make sure this set up is for your screen you use for the majority of your time or in the center of both.

Using an Ergonomic Chair can assist you with this set up. It will provide Lumbar support and allow you to sit comfortably a duration of time.

Using a standing desk is a great alternative option as well.

Step 2: Take breaks / time off the screen

Sitting at your desk for prolonged periods can put significant stress on your spinal structure as well as other structures like hips, shoulders and necks.

This can affect our postural presentation and create poor posture and habits.

It is recommended that you get up every hour for 5 min to stretch or walk around. This is a good opportunity to do your exercise or stretch your health practitioner has given you.

A great idea is to put an alarm on your phone to break up the work day and move.

Step 3: Stretch

During your 5 min break this is an ideal time to stretch and do exercises prescribed by your practitioner.

Stretching helps to lengthen your soft tissue, increase blood flow to your muscles, improve range of motion in joints and soft tissue areas and decrease injury and pain.

Some great Neck stretches for the desk…..

Upper trap stretch
Levator scapulae stretch
Neck circle
Shoulder shrugs and rolls
Pectoral stretch

Some great Thoracic mobility exercises…

Book opening
Thoracic extension over a small rolled up towel
Seated Mermaid

Step 4: Drink lots of water

It is recommended to drink 2-3L per day.

Water is vital for our health. Try having a full bottle of water at your desk and have some water every hour when you move and do your stretches.

Step 5: Exercise before or after work

Making sure you move your body either before or after work can have a big impact on your health. If you work at your desk you have a sedentary work lifestyle which means you are at high risk or health issues.

You can change this by exercise before or after work, walk, run, join a fun community exercise group, join a pilates class, ride your bike, go for a walk on the beach.

Myotherapy is an evidence based Assessment, treatment and Rehabilitation for Musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction within the body.

We can help you with your desk set up, exercise and stretch you may need, and release soft tissue around your neck, shoulder and hips which may be caused by your sedentary work lifestyle.

Jenaye - Myotherapist and pilates instructor Ocean Grove

jenaye@ambb.com.au