Pilates Mat Exercises Reduce Low-Back Pain
People with low-back pain who practiced Pilates mat exercises for only 1 hour twice per week experienced improvement in their condition, according to a small study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (2005; 37 [5], S27).
For 12 weeks, researchers studied 22 subjects with a history of low-back pain. Fifteen participated in the Pilates mat program, while seven served as the control group. By the end of the study, all participants had experienced an improvement in their condition. Those in the Pilates classes, however, had a significant decrease in low-back pain, particularly among specific areas of the lower spine.
Shirley Eichenberger-Archer, JD, MA
Shirley Archer, JD, MA, is an internationally acknowledged integrative health and mindfulness specialist, best-selling author of 16 fitness and wellness books translated into multiple languages and sold worldwide, award-winning health journalist, contributing editor to Fitness Journal, media spokesperson, and IDEA's 2008 Fitness Instructor of the Year. She's a 25-year industry veteran and former health and fitness educator at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, who has served on multiple industry committees and co-authored trade books and manuals for ACE, ACSM and YMCA of the USA. She has appeared on TV worldwide and was a featured trainer on America's Next Top Model.
