Back pain: 4 Pilates moves to help relieve back pain

If you suffer from back pain and are looking for natural remedies, then Pilates may be the answer for you. Just grab a yoga mat after a long day and ease your back. A study in 2016 proved that Pilates can help relieve pain for patients with chronic lower back pain. However, it is always a good idea to check with your doctor before trying anything, as it could have a negative effect in some cases.

1/ Curl-up

This pose will help strengthen your core, which then helps your back. It can also create some length in your upper back and neck.

Step by step:

• Lay on your back with feet flat on the floor and knees bent (if comfortable, you can lift feet off the ground in a tabletop position).
• Interlock hands behind the back of your head and lift your elbows a little.
• Inhale, then engage your core.
• Exhale and curl your head off the mat, nodding your chin towards your chest.
• Focus on your head being heavy in your hands.
• Keep stomach pulling.
• Then inhale as you lower your head slowly to the floor.

For results, try doing between 10 and 20 reps as you slowly build strength.

2/ Rotation

Step by step:

• Lay on your side with bent knees.
• Stack your hips on top of each other and reach your arms out in front of you, stacked one on top of the other (use a small cushion under your head if needed).
• Inhale to prepare your core.
• Exhale as you engage your core and lift the top arm, reaching it behind you as far as you can go.
• Be sure to keep your hips stacked.
• Take several deep breaths as you stretch into the pose.

Repeat this pose on each side between 5 and 10 times.

3/ Extension

Step by step:

• Lay on your belly, legs apart and hands under your forehead.
• Inhale as you engage your core.
• Push your pubic bone towards the mat.
• Exhale as you lift your head and hands (keep them connected to the head) off the mat.
• You don’t have to lift high off the ground (it all depends on flexibility).
• Try to keep your shoulder away from the head and keep your core engaged.
• Inhale as you slowly lower everything back to the mat.

Try 10 to 15 reps, making sure you do the movements slowly and controlled, allowing you to increase your movement range.

4/ Lateral Flexion

Step by step:

• Sit on your mat with knees to one side (one knee forward, the other toward the back).
• Place one hand on the opposite side of your feet.
• Inhale
• As you exhale, lift up your hips and reach your free hand over your head into a side bend.
• Inhale once in the pose.
• Exhale out of the pose.

Try repeating the pose 5 to 10 times on each side.