Pilates is known for not only toning the body (making it a lean, mean, muscle machine!), but for the immense benefits it has on the entire muscular system, which in turn affects the way we move and feel. A common complaint I hear from new clients is back pain. A lot of people have it and many never get rid of it. The ones who never get rid of it have probably never taken a pilates class before...just a hunch. My reason why? Pilates addresses the underlying structural imbalances in the body that lead to back pain.
Issues like lack of core support, pelvic instability, muscular imbalances, poor posture, and lack of body awareness all effect back health. Some of the most important things to look at when wondering where your back pain is coming from may be your alignment (posture, the way your body parts align in relation to your spine), flexibility (can you twist, bend, and rotate easily?), body-awareness (bad habits, lack of mind-awareness when working out), and core strength (meaning all of the muscles of the trunk of your body are strong, flexible, and working together to support and stabilize the spine).
Now I know what you're thinking...this is too much to think about! No person in their right mind has the time or the knowledge to sit down and evaluate themselves in a complete manner to find the underlying problem(s) of their pain. However, the professionals in the medical/health field (chiropractors, physical therapists, health and fitness instructors) can all help and offer solutions. Don't be afraid to fix things now before its too late and its hard to move as a senior citizen! No one wishes for that future and if you can prevent it...why wouldn't you? With all that said, back pain has many causes and pilates (in some rare cases) may not be right for all of them. If you have back pain, especially serious or chronic back pain, please check with your health care practitioner before you begin a Pilates program. If you do choose to begin Pilates, it is important to work with a fully certified instructor who is aware of exactly what challenges you are working with. Now get on it and move gracefully through the rest of your life--pain free!!
Pilates is known for not only toning the body (making it a lean, mean, muscle machine!), but for the immense benefits it has on the entire muscular system, which in turn affects the way we move and feel. A common complaint I hear from new clients is back pain. A lot of people have it and many never get rid of it. The ones who never get rid of it have probably never taken a pilates class before...just a hunch. My reason why? Pilates addresses the underlying structural imbalances in the body that lead to back pain.
Issues like lack of core support, pelvic instability, muscular imbalances, poor posture, and lack of body awareness all effect back health. Some of the most important things to look at when wondering where your back pain is coming from may be your alignment (posture, the way your body parts align in relation to your spine), flexibility (can you twist, bend, and rotate easily?), body-awareness (bad habits, lack of mind-awareness when working out), and core strength (meaning all of the muscles of the trunk of your body are strong, flexible, and working together to support and stabilize the spine).
Now I know what you're thinking...this is too much to think about! No person in their right mind has the time or the knowledge to sit down and evaluate themselves in a complete manner to find the underlying problem(s) of their pain. However, the professionals in the medical/health field (chiropractors, physical therapists, health and fitness instructors) can all help and offer solutions. Don't be afraid to fix things now before its too late and its hard to move as a senior citizen! No one wishes for that future and if you can prevent it...why wouldn't you? With all that said, back pain has many causes and pilates (in some rare cases) may not be right for all of them. If you have back pain, especially serious or chronic back pain, please check with your health care practitioner before you begin a Pilates program. If you do choose to begin Pilates, it is important to work with a fully certified instructor who is aware of exactly what challenges you are working with. Now get on it and move gracefully through the rest of your life--pain free!!
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