Back pain is one of the most common health problems today. Almost 80 percent of us will experience it at some point; many will experience it numerous times.
Most back injuries are due to poor postural positioning over time. As a result, the body’s core becomes weak and performs faulty movement patterns. The “core” consists of several muscles, including the diaphragm, pelvic floor, transverse abdominus and multifidus. The multifidus is a multi-segmental muscle in the back that plays an important role in spinal stability and function, helping to take pressure off vertebral discs and distributing body weight evenly. We know that these muscles are triggered automatically prior to any movement to protect our spine from injury.
Researchers have identified the relationship between back pain and the multifidus. Results show that lower-back pain subjects, especially those with chronic pain, displayed significantly smaller multifidus muscle activity during exercise as compared to healthy subjects, indicating that over the long term, patients prone to back pain have a reduced ability to utilize this muscle. Other studies indicate that the multifidus experiences changes following a lower-back injury, including atrophy, which develops as soon as 24 hours after the injury. It is clear that we need to give more attention to the small yet powerful multifidus muscle.
The scientific community has recently taken an interest in Pilates and its applicability in injury rehabilitation. This method of exercise aims to restore the natural curves of the spine as well as to rebalance the muscles around the joints, including the all-important multifidus, making it an invaluable adjunct to the physical rehabilitation of back pain.
Remember that any Pilates workout should be controlled and observed by a qualified instructor or therapist who can modify exercises to fit your specific limitations.