Pilates and Back Exercise Equipment

Share This Page »

Find out if you're a candidate for a minimally invasive alternative to open neck or back surgery

Warning: You must enable JavaScript!!

First Name

Last Name

State

Zip

Phone

Best Time

Have you been in pain for 6 months or more? Yes No
Select yes or no

Have you seen an orthopedic or neurosurgeon who has recommended that you have surgery to correct your condition? Yes No
Select yes or no

Have you had an MRI or CTScan in the last 2 years? Yes No
Select yes or no

Privacy

One of the leading causes of back pain is weak core muscles. The lumbar section of your back is a support system that provides stability for your body. Along with weakened muscles, excess body weight will add to back problems. A way to think of this is to imagine carrying around an extra 50 pounds everywhere you go. Your muscles get tired and sore without a break. When you carry around extra weight on your body, your back is only getting a rest from that weight when you relieve some of that pressure by sitting or lying down.

Abdominal and Back Exercise Equipment

In the following section we will review Pilates, one of the more popular types of back exercise and flexibility training. We will also discuss some Pilates back exercises equipment and how to make proper use of it.

Pilates

Following proper Pilates techniques will teach you proper posture and help improve your mobility through graceful movement. Pilates will also help increase your flexibility and help manage you of back pain through core muscle development.

Pilates can help manage back pain by developing strong core muscles. Your core muscles help with stability and include the abdominal muscle and other muscles close to your spine.

The majority of time when performing Pilates you will make use of a mat or a reformer, although there are other Pilates aids available.

Reformer: This is a resistance based piece of back exercise equipment consisting of a rolling carriage on frame most often made from metal or wood. The resistance and assistance mechanisms come from spring and ropes make a pulley type of system. The range of exercises on this machine is quite wide, being able to be performed standing, sitting, kneeling, or lying down.

Depending on your lifestyle a reformer may not be right for you. If you do a lot of Pilates from home, a reformer can be quite space consuming. Even though many reformers are easily stored away, many people find the time required for setting the machine up and putting it away can be better spent on a Pilates mat and elsewhere in their busy daily routine.

To add more intensity to your Pilates mat routine you can incorporate devices such as balance devices, stretching aids, or flexing rings/pads.

Whether you choose to use a matt or any of the above mentioned equipment, the choice is ultimately yours. It is important to receive some form of instruction when first beginning Pilates, either from a professional or by following along to a DVD.

Not only can Pilates help to alleviate back pain, but it can also help prevent it from occurring in the first place, or reoccurring.

More Spinal Columns
| All Columns