Pilates for Spinal Stenosis
by Malika
I was wondering if it was still safe to do Pilates exercises? I usually do my exercise at home with a DVD, as my work schedule does not allow me to get to classes. Thank you __________________________________________________ Hi Malika and thank you for your question. I have several clients who have spinal stenosis and yes, Pilates is very helpful for people with stenosis. Depending on where in the spine the stenosis is, flexion exercises and those that support the spine in neutral are helpful for people with this condition. Pilates exercises specific to flexion include spine stretch forward, the hundreds, single and double leg stretches. Be careful with any exercises that have your legs in the air such as tabletop position with your head down. As long as your head is lifted your back is braced into the mat. You can also do the side kick series, modify by bending the lower leg to protect your back keeping it slightly flexed if you need to. These two pages would be helpful for you to do the flexion for the thoracic and lumbar spine: Pilates Cat Stretch Spine stretch forward Avoid extension exercises, most of which are done in the prone or lying face down position. They can compromise the position of the spine cause it to over extend. You can modify these exercises by placing a towel or small pillow under your pelvis to flex the spine slightly you'll just have to modify the range of motion when you lift your upper or lower extremeties. I would recommend taking a look at the my Pilates ebook, it has certain modifications for stenosis and other back and joint conditions. Pilates Ebook – Relief for Back and Joint Pain. |
