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Pilates, Yoga, Personal
Fitness Trainings, & Physical Therapy on Maui, Hawaii.
Low Back Pain
Article 1.5
February 2009, Maui Hawaii
Low Back Pain
“Shootin' from the Hip”
 Many of my clients suffered from low back pain. Especially in
the sacral-iliac area. This is the back area at the low triangle
of the spine. This joint consists of the connective area between
the sacrum and iliac crest. Clients come to me asking, “Do
I keep moving? Or do I rest?” I am not a doctor and medical
diagnosis is recommended. I do suggest clients consider common
sense. Asking questions like, does your back feel better later
in the day or earlier after waking? If the joint is inflamed from
over use it would feel worse later in your day due to moving.
If the joint is stuck or fixed needing correct movement and lubrications
the joint would most likely feel better later in the day after
activity. Listening to your body is a good starting point. Our
bodies want to be healthy and pain free. It is many times our
determination to push, pull, over work or put our bodies in unnatural
postures over long durations of time that disrupts our natural
process of health and comfort.
Anatomically the large bone of the upper leg, the femur inserts
into the low pelvis (hip joint). The sciatic nerve runs through
this hip joint. There are six deep muscles that keep the femur
correctly placed in the pelvis. Should these deep six muscles
not be working up to speed or sleeping there could be improper
placement of the largest bone of our body the femur, into our
pelvis. When the femur is not correctly placed it can pinch and
irritate nerves or cause friction and discomfort in the hip. This
type of discomfort is many times described as low back pain.
What does all this have to do with Pilates
exercises a great deal? Pilates
exercises work these deep hip muscles. When compressive stress
is applied to the leg and hip when working a leg press machine
the large quadriceps and hamstring muscles want to do the work.
If these larger leg muscles can’t complete the movement
or the leg to pelvis placement is compromised then the low back
muscles try to help out. Pilates
exercises for the legs use light weight with precise leg/hip
movements. Pilates exercises
using light resistance work the deep hip muscles which leads to
correct femur placement. This allows the pelvis to work as a stable
station. When the pelvis is stable the low back has less work
because it sits on top of a stable station. The legs come from
below the pelvis working effetely allowing the pelvis to remain
stable. Less work for the low back and more low back and pelvic
stability can prevent low back discomfort.
Thus working the hip through correct Pilates exercises can help
relieve low back discomfort. Anatomical knowledge is critical
to Pilates exercises. Make sure your Pilates professional is certified
and has higher education about biomechanical movement. Check accreditations
and experience before choosing a Pilates instructor.
Candice Crews is certified and
advanced trained with the STOTT PILATES
education system. She also has studied directly with acclaimed
Physical Therapists in Canada and the USA. She has taken the Injury
and Special Population course through STOTT PILATES twice to obtain
as much knowledge as possible. Please contact her at www.pilatesmaui.com
for more information. Pilates Maui wants
to make your Pilates experience
the best it can be.
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for more information: www.pilatesmaui.com
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