Rx: Pilates for Back Pain and Athletic Performance

Ah, yes. The Pilates Body. That long, lean, toned body with cathedral-esque posture. The Pilates Method has rightfully earned a place in our syche as one of the most effective exercises for changing the shape of the body. Which celebrity hasn’t burned the baby bulge through Pilates? The Method, however, goes beyond just muscle, shape, and fat burning.Dancers were clued in years ago to the Method’s rehabilitative properties and now, doctors and athletes are catching on. So should you. There are 26 reasons to do Pilates.

We have 26 vertebrae in our spine, and with our “work-at-a-computer-all-day” lifestyle, that vital framework screams for renovation! For years, doctors and patients weren’t sure where they stood on the issue of exercise to help ease back pain. According to a recent New York Times article titled, “Exercising That Back Pain Away,” more and more doctors are prescribing spoonfuls of exercise to help heal backs. Among the most widely prescribed is Pilates. I tell my clients suffering from back pain to consider Pilates Prozac for the spine, lifting it out of the doldrums of our day-to-day back beating habits. Sitting all day hunched over our desks, strolling baby carriages or breast feeding, and carrying heavy bags on one shoulder all contribute to muscular and skeletal imbalances and unnecessary compression on the inter-vertebral discs, those jelly-like shock absorbers between each bone in our spine. Nerves that feed blood to our muscles throughout our body exit from the lower back and without that compression, the system is more efficient and effective at building strength through muscle.

The classical Pilates system of exercises was masterfully designed to lift and lengthen the spine through a sequence of movements on the mat and on the apparatus. At the same time the back is getting more mobile, the core abdominal muscles are getting stronger which is essential to making the work stick! If we hold ourselves up with a strong core, then the back is allowed to maintain the lift and back pain diminishes altogether. The Method’s focus on the core muscles and proper alignment (to govern a strong back) is what attracts athletes to the method also. Pilates can realign the postural imbalances of swimmers whose shoulders tend to be elevated and rotated inward as a result of thousands of swimming strokes.

Equestrians gain greater balance, flexibility, core strength and posture for standing and riding. Runners can counter the tight-hamstring effect of pounding the pavement and keep knee and hip joints properly aligned through Pilates. Surfers, rock climbers, skiers and snowboarders alike all benefit from the balance, pelvic stability and core strength that come with the Pilates workout. The wave of professional golfers that have turned to Pilates to increase their swing is another testament to the Method’s boost to athletic performance. By building stability in the pelvis and shoulder girdles and balancing both sides of the body through Pilates, golfers can swing and hit farther, straighter and with more precision. A strong core and flexible spine are vital to supporting the rotation required in that robust pro-swing. So whether you spend your days running, golfing or you prefer a park bench and a book, the Method doesn’t just promote better physical performance.

We perform better as humans through two of Pilates’ founding principles – concentration and breath. Our core connection not only gets stronger but our mental stamina too – allowing all of us to gain a deeper connection to the world around us – free from pain (and hopefully, prozac too!)

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