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  • 5 reasons your physiotherapist might recommend Pilates-informed exercises

    Author: Rahima Saikal

1. Support full recovery from back pain
Imagine an exercise that acts like pain relief—one that actually leaves you feeling better afterwards. That's the goal when incorporating clinical Pilates-based exercises into your recovery from back pain.
When your back is hurting, the last thing you want to do is move. The stiffness, tightness, and pain can make it feel like your body is locked up. However, it’s essential to engage in at least one exercise to help loosen up the joints and muscles and begin the healing process. Physiotherapists are skilled in prescribing the right exercises to help unlock your back, allowing for a smoother recovery.

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2. Activate your core muscles
Research shows that back pain can cause the core muscles in your trunk to "shut down," leaving you stiff and at a higher risk of further injury. Pilates-based exercises target these core muscles, reactivating and strengthening them to provide better protection from future issues. Over time, these exercises can progressively load your core muscles, making them stronger and more resilient, so you can move more freely with less discomfort.

3. Aid in the rehabilitation of old injuries
In addition to weakening the core, injuries often lead to compensatory movement patterns, which develop as a natural protective response. For example, after twisting an ankle, you may limp to avoid putting pressure on the injured leg. While this helps in the short term, continued reliance on these compensatory patterns can hinder full recovery and increase the risk of re-injury.
Pilates-informed exercises, when integrated into physiotherapy, can help restore proper movement mechanics and prevent these patterns from becoming ingrained. This approach is beneficial for addressing chronic pain and long-term movement issues that stem from old injuries.

4. Enhance pelvic floor function during and after pregnancy
Pregnancy significantly impacts a woman’s body, and pelvic floor health plays a crucial role in post-pregnancy recovery. Strengthening the pelvic floor can help reduce lower back pain, pelvic girdle discomfort, and even incontinence.
Physiotherapists with specialised training can prescribe exercises to effectively activate and strengthen the pelvic floor. These exercises are gentle and non-impact, making them ideal for safely reintroducing the body to movement after childbirth, helping to restore function across the entire body.

5. Prepare for impact exercise after injury
Getting back to your favourite high-impact exercises—like burpees, squat jumps, and sprints—can be a major concern when recovering from an injury. While exercise is fantastic for both physical and mental health, it's important to approach it cautiously to avoid reinjuring yourself.
When returning to physical activity post-injury, it's essential to start with graded, progressive exercises. Pilates-informed exercises, prescribed by a trained physiotherapist, are an excellent starting point. These exercises are easily adjusted to match your recovery stage and emphasise slow, controlled movements with proper form. This approach ensures you build up strength safely before progressing to more intense

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Rahima Saikal

Rahima Saikal is a freelance journalist and content creator and has been working in the media industry for 10+ years all around the world.

Rahima enjoys writing about healthcare, wellness, travel and social change movements, particularly animal rights.

Having written numerous articles for both print and online publications, Rahima is well versed in what makes a good story.

Rahima lives between Bali and Australia with her family and 3 Bali dogs.