The 8 Best Pilates Exercises That Relieve & Prevent Lower Back Pain

planks are a basic exercise that can strengthen your core muscles to keep back pain at bay. According to the Pilates instructor Albina KatzmannThis movement activates the lower abdominals, which in turn offer support to protect the lower back.

– Grab a mat.

– Lower the palms of the hands to the ground.

– Keep shoulders over elbows and wrists.

– Walk your toes back and press through the balls of your feet.

– Stay in this position.

– Point at hold your plank for 30 seconds to a minute.

– To modify your plank, lower your knees to the ground.

– Repeat 3 times.

Jessica Roberts, NCPTa national master coach in pilates clubsays that the Pilates bridge is another simple but effective exercise that strengthen your corehamstrings and glutes, all in the name of supporting your lower back. “Staying active can play a big role in back pain,” she adds. “Exercise can help promote circulation, muscular endurance, and improve strength and flexibility.”

– Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip-width apart on the mat.

– Keep your arms at your sides with your palms facing down and pressing down.

– Exhale to engage your core.

– Slowly lift your pelvis and spine off the mat working to articulate your spine to lift.

– Hold at the top as you inhale.

– Exhale to articulate and lower torso back onto the mat.

– Repeat 10 times.

Jessica O’ToolePilates instructor and studio owner willow pilatessays that this exercise is one of the the best thing you can do for the lower back. “Helps strengthen the muscles of the back, legs, arms, abdominals and buttocks while improving coordination and mobility in the hips and shoulders,” he says.

– Begin by kneeling with your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders.

– Exhale to activate the abdominals and pelvic floor.

– Raise your right arm forward and left leg back to reach in opposite directions.

– Raise them to hip and shoulder height.

– Keep your hips square and your back straight.

– As you exhale, slowly lower your limbs down.

– Repeat on the other side.

– Do 5 to 10 repetitions.

A reduce lower back painRemember that it helps to work in the surrounding areas. “By strengthening the back of your legs, you’ll have better walking and standing posture,” says the online Pilates instructor. Lesley Logan. “By stretching the thighs, reduce the pull on the lower back of the hip flexors.”

– Kneel on a mat with your feet and knees fist-width apart.

– Press the tops of your feet on the mat.

– Stretch your arms above your head.

– Keep your back flat as you lower your arms and lean back.

– Lean back enough to feel a stretch in your thighs without arching your back.

– Raise your arms up as you come back up to the starting position.

– Repeat 5 to 8 times.

Hinton recommends the supine twist for reach lower back. Note: This is one of those moves that will feel great in the moment, so you may want to try it out throughout the day.

– Lie on your back with your arms by your sides and your legs on the table.

– Keep your knees and ankles tight and your shoulders on the mat.

– Rock your knees and ankles to the right, keeping your knees stacked evenly.

– Your left hip can come off the mat, but not your left shoulder.

– Use your abs to bring your legs and pelvis back to the starting position.

– Repeat to the left.

– Aim for 3 sets of 10 reps.

This Pilates exercise strengthens the lower abdominals and inner thighs, which then work together to supports your lower back throughout the daysays Jordan. “It also engages your core, arms, mid-back, hamstrings, and more in a position that won’t aggravate lower back pain,” she says.

– Sit on your mat.

– Lean your torso back and place your elbows/forearms down.

– Stretch your head away from your tailbone.

– Open through your chest to create space in your lower back.

– Stretch your long legs on the mat.

– Keep your knees and toes together.

– Keeping the heels on the ground and the legs closed, drag the heels towards you.

– Bend your knees as you exhale.

– Inhale and extend your legs back to start.

– Do 12 repetitions.

Hinton is also a fan of this exercise as a way of balance your hips.

– Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor.

– Bring your pelvis to a neutral position with a natural arch in your lower back.

– Begin to tilt the pelvis by pushing the spine against the mat.

– The natural arch of the back should disappear and there should be no space between the back and the floor.

– Reverse this and tilt your pelvis so that your back is arched off the mat.

– The natural arch of the lower back should be exaggerated.

– Repeat this movement 10 times.

The pelvic curl is similar to a bridge, but is done in a slightly different way. “This particular exercise not only helps improve mobility in the spineit also activates the hamstrings and gluteal muscles, two muscle groups that, when underdeveloped, are a common contributing factor to chronic back pain,” he says. long robinthe founder and CEO of the online Pilates app lindywell.

– Lie on your back with your knees bent.

– Place your feet flat on the ground at a distance of a fist.

– Inhale, then as you exhale, begin to roll your spine off the mat into a bridge position.

– Think about lifting one vertebra at a time.

– Pause at the top.

– Exhale and roll your spine down to the mat, one vertebra at a time.

– Repeat 8 to 10 times.