Pilates is a whole body, low impact style of exercise that can be done at home or in a class. It aims to build strength and control, while improving postural alignment and flexibility. It can be done with or without equipment.
Below are some examples of introductory Pilates exercises
Pelvic Tilting + Glute Bridge
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Activate your core stability muscles, tilting your pelvis towards you so that your lower back flattens and your tailbone rolls off the floor. Now tighten your buttock muscles and continue to peel the rest of your spine off the floor until you are in a bridge position. Hold in the bridge position before you then lower, keeping your navel drawn in and slowly lowering your spine back down onto the floor one vertebrae at a time. Keep your buttocks tight until your pelvis rests on the floor.
Progression: in the bride position, slowly drop one knee out to the side while maintaining pelvis and spine position.
Regression: begin with pelvic tilt and squeeze your glute muscles together, slowly raise just your hips off the ground and slowly back down. Keeping lower back and ribs on the ground
Table Top
Lie on your back and bring your legs up to a table-top position with your hips and knees at a right angle. Relax your upper body as you extend one leg down to the floor, whilst maintaining the table-top position with the other. Bring this leg back up and repeat with the other leg. Ensure you keep your core strong and back flattened to the floor throughout this exercise.
Progression: extend your opposite arm backwards as you lower your leg
Regression: keep one foot on the ground and raise one leg into the table top position, then lower down and alternate.
Four Point Knee + Leg Extension
Start on your hands and knees, with your hands under your shoulders, and knees under your hips. Make sure your back is flat. Gently squeeze your pelvic floor and stomach muscles. Without moving your back, slowly lift one leg out behind you. Bring the leg back down. Repeat with the other leg. Keep your back still throughout the movement.
Progression: extend opposite arm forwards as you extend your leg.
Regression: slowly slide one knee forwards and backwards, without lifting off the surface.
David runs through a couple of these exercises in the video below.
Below is an introduction to the myCore class we run at our clinic. These classes are a great way to get engaged in targeted exercises, in a relaxed setting with guidance from a trained Physiotherapist.
Summary:
Pilates exercise is a great way to manage low back pain, maintain your health and mobility to enable us to keep doing the things we love.
No matter what level you are at, there are always some exercises to start with, whether that is in the pool with hydrotherapy, home based exercises or in the gym.
Start today with an assessment by a trained physiotherapist, who can identify your strengths and areas to work on, who can design a specific management program for you and discuss the best way forward.
All images courtesy of Physiotec, exercise software and Physitrack, an online exercise platform.
By Henry Pope, Physiotherapist, myPhysioSA.
