Back Pain - Using Pilates To Help Relieve The Pain
There are several ways to treat back pain and many have achieved various levels of success
. The reason there are so many is because the medical world and experts have different opinions of what causes back pain and the same applies to the way they think it should be treated. These differences of opinion often result in contradictory advice that is communicated by the medical community. It also has a lot to do with them not knowing or fully understanding what causes back pain in the first place.
Back pain is a very common problem and the condition costs billions every year to treat. The increase in the number of back pain cases can be linked to a number of factors that include lifestyle factors and people living longer. There are many conventional ways to treat the condition however, in recent years the popularity of certain alternative and complimentary methods has increased. These include acupuncture, yoga and tai chi. In this article I will be covering a method that is also growing in popularity and that is Pilates.
Pilates was developed by a Joseph Pilates over a hundred years ago. The method was originally used to rehabilitate people who were recovering from accidents. Joseph was a physically weak child however, this motivated him to develop physical conditioning techniques and methods to help build strength and flexibility in his body.
Pilates focuses on the correct and proper alignment of the body. The techniques also emphasised the importance on correct breathing, posture and muscle stretching. The great thing about Pilates is its low impact qualities that allow people of all ages to use it even those already suffering from back pain.
Pilates focuses on building strength in your core muscle groups. The core muscles are located around your stomach and lower back. It is these core muscles that support the back and the bodys movement. In Pilates it is believed that the health of the body begins with a strong foundation and that foundation is your core muscles. It also focuses on creating the natural and balanced alignment of your spine.
There are various exercises that can be performed on the floor. You can also use a Pilates machine that is designed to do specific movements. This involves various positions that include kneeling and sitting on a moving platform with tension ropes that you pull to build strength.
Due to certain complexities of these methods it is advisable that you consult an expert and take lessons first.