Clinical Pilates To Relieve Back & Neck Pain
Up to 80% of people will have back pain at some stage in their lives, & 10% will experience significant disability as a result. It’s one of the most common things we see here at Central Performance, & our Clinical Pilates program is one of the main tools we use to strengthen your spine to keep you active & moving in to the future.
How is Clinical Pilates different to regular Pilates?
Clinical Pilates is an exercise system based around core/central stability, balance, posture, movement control & breathing. Each person with back or neck pain will have a different injury history, lifestyle factors (eg desk workers compared to retail assistants) & a wide variety of things that aggravate or ease the pain. It is for this reason that specific individualised programs are vital to target each person’s pattern of instability, weakness or tightness.
New research has found that “exercises that are distinctly targeted to a patient & their individual needs have a strong correlation with improved symptoms, both immediately after exercise & over a three month period.” This individualised program feature is one area where Clinical Pilates differs significantly from more generic group-based Pilates classes.
Another way Clinical Pilates is different from regular Pilates is that your program is based on a specific initial assessment that clarifies patterns of movement (flexion or extension) that aggravate & ease your pain plus boost or inhibit your muscle function. Left & right asymmetry is also assessed to clarify target areas for your program. You are also regularly re-assessed throughout your sessions to ensure that you are improving & building strength as expected. Click for more information on Clinical Pilates.
Who Should Try Clinical Pilates?
Clinical Pilates is ideal for you if you have, or have had, pain in your back, neck or pelvis. It can be especially effective if you have had several episodes of pain in the past.
Many people will recognise the feelings of weakness or instability that often follow an episode of pain in the back, neck or pelvis. This happens because of our pain inhibition reflex – which is when our brain switches off our stabiliser muscles in response to pain signals. These muscles do not then automatically switch back to on to normal strength after the episode of pain passes, so we are left with a weak spot. This increases the risk of recurrent or continuing pain.
Research shows that there is an 80% risk of recurrence within one year after an episode of lower back pain. This risk can be reduced by 65% with a directionally-specific core re-training program such as Clinical Pilates, & the situation is similar for neck pain. Your Clinical Pilates program kick-starts your core stabiliser & other spinal muscles & builds their strength so you can confidently get back to doing the things that you love. |
