What Is The Single Best Pilates Exercise For Pain Relief?
Jan 12, 2025
When it comes to overcoming chronic pain through Pilates many people are looking for a "magic bullet" or one single exercise that will cure their pain. I've been taken aside many times over the years by new clients who have asked me for that one exercise that alleviates back pain. Why practice a whole program of exercises when you only need one? I understand completely that when you are in pain and searching for solutions you just want relief. I know - I've been there. How I wish I could show you that one magic exercise that cures back pain but unfortunately, I can't. There isn't one and if someone tries to tell you there is - run!
The Human Body is a Complex Interconnected System
In Pilates, we emphasise that the body is an interconnected system, where no muscle or movement works in isolation. This concept, often called the kinetic chain, highlights how different parts of the body influence and support each other. When muscles don’t work together as they should, compensations and imbalances can develop, leading to, poor posture. chronic pain, reduced range of motion, and increased risk of injury. To overcome pain through Pilates, I help my clients improve their movement efficiency, balance and symmetry, and improve their overall strength, flexibility, and coordination.
This interconnected approach is what makes Pilates so effective for rehabilitation and overcoming chronic pain.
The Pilates Method - 34 Mat Exercises
Recently one of my lovely clients who uses my on-demand video library for her Pilates practice had a flare-up of back pain. We discussed what she was experiencing and it became apparent that she had been practicing one particular Pilates exercise only daily for the past 5 months. If we ever need living proof that there is no, one single Pilates exercise to overcome pain then this is it! When life had become busy my client had fallen into the habit of doing the same, one exercise. Her commitment to this is admirable and the exercise she chose is a very valuable one but our bodies need variety and our joints and spines need to move in all the directions they are designed to. Joseph Pilates designed 34 different Mat exercises as the basis of his method with many, many more on the machines he invented. He aimed to provide a full-body workout and his exercises can be performed as he originally designed them or modified for individual needs and pain levels.
Different Exercises For Different Bodies
One of the amazing benefits of Pilates is being able to adapt and modify the exercises as I mentioned above. Not everyone can do all the exercises Joseph Pilates designed and some of them are actually harmful if you have certain conditions. The cause of your pain is an important factor and certain spinal movements need to be avoided for particular back injuries or osteopenia/osteoporosis for example. It's all about ensuring you are including as many different exercises as you can in your program that will benefit you while avoiding those that will harm you to help you overcome your pain. As you can see, when you are in pain, there is no "one single exercise" that will cure your pain but an integrated, whole-body approach that Pilates provides is what your body needs.
If you are ready to make positive changes in your life to overcome pain email me at [email protected]. Alternatively, you can start 1 on 1 virtual Pilates sessions with me by signing up HERE and we can schedule an appointment time. If you want to work independently join my online Pilates program of on-demand videos which I specifically designed to help you recover from pain or injury It would be my pleasure to assist you on your Pilates journey to pain-free living!
