I know I harp on a LOT about strength training around here, but I also have a very long love affair with Pilates 😍.
I love how adaptable it is and I love the mind-body connection and the control it requires.
But it’s not just a pretty face 🤩
Pilates is also a WINNER when it comes to the management of chronic back pain. I see this time and time again IRL but it’s nice also to see it reflected in the research.
In a recent network meta-analysis, Pilates, core-based, strength and mind-body exercises were found to be the most effective interventions for reducing pain and disability in adults with chronic low back pain 🏆
In the analysis which included a review of 118 randomised controlled trials, the effectiveness of different types of exercise were assessed against a control group involving education, ‘wait and see’, placebo, GP management & Physio treatment.
They looked at:
➖Aerobic exercise
➖Strength training
➖Combination (aerobic, stretching & strengthening)
➖Core-based
➖McKenzie
➖Stretching
➖Pilates
➖Mind-body (eg. yoga, Tai Chi, Qui gong)
And guess what they found?
Pilates was found to be the most effective intervention for reducing pain, followed by mind-body and core-based exercise 🙌🏼
Pilates was also found to be the most effective exercise followed by strength and core-based exercises for disability 🙌🏼
The most beneficial programs included:
✔️At least 1-2 sessions/week
✔️Sessions <60mins of core-based, strength and mind-body exercises
✔️Training programs from 3-9 weeks
I love seeing people 1:1 and still use my hands to treat every day…But often the combination of 🙌🏼 + 🙆♀️ is where the really magic happens ✨