Benefits of Pilates for Back Pain Sufferers

Benefits of Pilates for Back Pain Sufferers

Chartered Physiotherapists have been teaching Pilates for years and use it as part of an effective treatment plan for those patients who suffer from back pain.

Many articles in the past have tried to undermine the benefits of Pilates and some even saying that it can make conditions worse. These articles are usually written by someone outside of the medical profession who have been misinformed and end up giving misguided arguments.

Glenn Withers, Director of APPI (Australian Physiotherapy & Pilates Institute) and Vice-Chair for the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Exercise Therapy (ACPET) who are involved in setting standards within the Physiotherapy industry, has for many years strongly disagreed with these articles. As Physiotherapists and Pilates teachers both Glenn and our team here at Sussex Physio Pilates have helped hundreds of patients with back pain, using the Clinical Pilates technique and have recorded their progress and recovery.

Many of the articles talk about sucking the stomach in (abdominal bracing using rectus abdominis - the 6 pack muscle) which drops the pelvic floor and can cause the exerciser to hold their breath (a technique that does not help to support the back).

In Pilates however, the deep lower abdominals are engaged with the pelvic floor to increase spinal stability (as scientific research shows), while continuing to breathe, thus helping support the back.

knee to chest hug

All of our Pilates teachers are APPI trained and also Chartered Physiotherapists, so they are in the best position to make assessments of patients, relive pain, restore mobility and strengthen through individually tailored treatments.

The benefits of Pilates are huge and below are just a few of them:

  • Increased flexibility & mobility
  • Improved posture and body alignment
  • Decreased stresses and strains on the back
  • A decrease in Back Pain!

If you need to book an appointment with one of our Physiotherapists or Pilates teachers, call us now on: 01903 256 500

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