Easing Back Pain Through a Pilates Lens

Posted on December 6, 2009
Filed Under Back Pain Relief | Leave a Comment

By Nicki Noftz

Back pain is a struggle for those who deal with frequent or daily pain. It can be even more frustrating when it occurs at a young age. It can create hopelessness and depression when your movement and socialization is hindered by frequent pain. There are many reasons for back pain and without analyzing or a proper diagnosis I can not speak specifically about any one particular issue. However, through movement many times the pain can be eased. It is important to see a physician, a trained movement specialist, and know your limitations with movement before diving head first into a regimen. In general, Pilates can be a great way to help strengthen and build flexibility to help ease back pain.

Although core strength is important to stabilizing the spine and is most commonly associated with Pilates, it is only a small piece of the puzzle. Pilates is more than an abdominal workout. Pilates is about creating the right amount of tension in the body to balance between strength and flexibility throughout the entire body while creating proper alignment. This will be different for each person based on what your body needs. This includes moving the spine in all directions to keep your spine strong and flexible. Joseph Pilates said, “If your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you are old; if it’s completely flexible at 60, you are young.” From a Pilates perspective, you want to make sure to move the spine in flexion or bending forward, extension or arching backwards, rotation or twisting, and lateral flexion or side bending. Whenever you practice Pilates you want to move the spine in these four directions. This will help keep the spine supple, which is important to easing back pain.

At the same time, there can be other pieces to the puzzle of back pain. Many times the feet, hips, and shoulders can lead to causing excess strain on back. The feet are the foundation of our body. When the foundation has a crack, it resonates through the rest of the body. Many times attacking the feet can help back pain. One of my favorite homework assignments to give my clients to help the feet is a foot massage. Place a tennis ball under your foot and add pressure while rolling through the entire foot. Make sure to focus more on the tight areas.

Another problem especially for those who sit for many hours of the day is the hips. When the hip flexors or front side of the hips are tight, it can pull your pelvis into an anterior tilt or causing your booty to stick out. This can over stretch the hamstrings and create tightness in the low back. It is important to be aware of this because many times people will try to tuck under to correct this. When you tuck you may pull yourself into a posterior tilt or causing excess flattening of the low back. When you create this motion to counter balance the tightness, you may lock out your hips straining the back. You may find relief from back pain by freeing the hips because you balance the muscles around the pelvis. This will help create better alignment in the spine. A great exercise for helping free the hips is Knee Folds. Lay on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Inhale as you lift your left leg into a table top position and exhale as you release it back down. Repeat on the right side. Practice about 5-10 on each side. Try to allow your femur or thigh bone to be heavy in the socket as you pick the leg up while avoiding the pelvis rocking from side to side as you lift the leg.

Lastly, the shoulders can add to back pain. When the shoulders are tight in the front and rolled forward, the chest becomes closed off hindering our breathing while over stretching the upper back muscles. This can also cause excess strain in the neck leading to headaches and other head and neck problems as the head is pushed forward. Many will correct the shoulders by squeezing the shoulder blades together; however, this may create an over stretching in chest while causing excess strain on the upper back muscles leading to less movement in the upper spine. The key to the shoulders is to work them by balancing the strength and flexibility rather than forcing them into a variety of positions. Instead of focusing on a specific shoulder placement try working on spinal movement allowing the shoulders to be free. A great exercise is Shoulder Bridge. Lay on your back with your knees bent and feet under your knees. Place your hands on the floor with palms pressing to help keep your chest open. Inhale as you roll your spine lifting your pelvis up as high as you can maintain without excess strain. Exhale as you roll your spine down starting from your upper chest until your pelvis is back on the floor. Think of creating a wave in your spine that travels up to your neck and then back down.

Attacking multiple areas will create the balance needed to help ease back pain. There is also ways you can prevent strain throughout the day especially if you sit in front of a computer. It is important to take breaks and move through the four spinal movements to combat the stress of the work day. Here are some exercises that can be performed in the workplace. For forward flexion, try the wall exercise. Stand against the wall with your feet a few feet away allowing your spine to be flat on the wall. Roll your spine off the wall starting with your head until you are in a forward bend allowing your arms to hang. If you have tight hamstrings, make sure to bend your knees slightly. Let your arms dangle and create small circles performing 5-10 in each direction. You can hold 1-2 pound weights to help decompress the shoulders. Once you complete the circles in both directions, roll your spine back onto the wall until you return to standing. For extension, reach your arms around your back grasping your right wrist with your left hand placing them at your tailbone with palms facing away. Inhale as you lift the arms away from your tailbone opening your chest by extending in your upper back and slightly lifting your chin to the ceiling. Make sure to not pull down on the shoulders. Rather lift the hands away and up while the palms continue to face away. For rotation, sitting in a chair place your feet evenly on the floor. Inhale as you twist to the right and exhale as you bend forward reaching for the outside of your right foot with your left hand. Reach your right arm behind with the palm facing towards the ceiling. Create more twist be opening your chest toward the ceiling and opening the right shoulder by lifting your palm to the ceiling as high as you can comfortably. Come back to starting position and then twist to the other side. Practice 5-10 on each side. For lateral flexion, sit in your chair with hands at your side. Reach the left arm to the ceiling while placing the right hand on the chair next to your hip. Inhale as you stretch sideways reaching your left hip down into the chair and creating a rainbow with your trunk to bend to the side. Exhale as you return to starting position and repeat on the other side. Practice 5-10 on each side. Avoid rolling the shoulder forward on the side that is stretching. Instead try to open the shoulder more by slightly twisting the ribcage and shoulder back to open the chest more. Try these exercises several times during the work day to give your spine a break from the mundane.

Nicki Noftz is the owner of Mindful Movement, LLC in Big Bend, WI. Mindful Movement is a wellness community offering Pilates, Yoga, and massage. Nicki teaches Pilates to empower the body, mind & spirit of her clients. Visit http://www.youtube.com/mindfulmovementllc for videos on a variety of Pilates exercises or become a fan at http://www.facebook.com/mindfulmovement

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