“You need to strengthen your core” – a statement we hear regularly when someone complains of low back pain. In many cases this is true, but the gem lies in the understanding of the what and how.
What is your core? We live in a world where gym and fitness is the craze and exercises such as situps are the go to for strengthening the core. But did you know, sit ups can add a stressful load to the lumbar spine stimulating or worsening low back pain?
Similar to an apple, the core is the centre of our body, made up of both deep and superficial muscles. When we speak of strengthening our core to rehabilitate low back pain, it is the deep muscles of the core which we focus on more intensely. These muscles include the transversus abdominis, pelvic floor, diaphragm and multifidus. Their primary role is to provide support to the lumbopelvic region. We often find in people with low back pain, there is a weakness of the deep core muscles resulting in a lack of support and stability around the low back and pelvis.
Now we know what the core is. The question remains, HOW do we strengthen these muscles? This is where Pilates comes into the picture. Pilates is a form of exercise aimed at improving posture, strength, flexibility and body awareness. The deep core is the foundation of all Pilates exercises and improving its activation and endurance is the ultimate aim.
By using Pilates exercises to strengthen the correct muscles we eliminate poor postures and reinforce the correct muscle patterns to support the low back. This results in improvements in low back pain and reduced risk of recurrence of low back injuries.
At Healthproof, we use Clinical Pilates in the rehabilitation of many injuries including low back pain. How is Clinical Pilates different? No one pilates program will fit every person’s rehabilitation journey. Clinical Pilates is individualised, where we cater to your specific goals and needs. We are able to modify and adjust exercises to ensure they are performed safely and suit your requirements to achieve your ultimate rehabilitation goals.
References:
College, T. P. (2021, September 16). Want a Stronger Core? Skip Sit-Ups. Retrieved from Harvard Health Publishing : https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/want-a-stronger-core-skip-the-sit-ups
