Many of you have been asking and expressing amazement after a few Pilates sessions about how essential it is to protect the spine and preserve its flexibility in today's world. Given that most of you have deskbound or standing jobs, both of which strain the muscles and the spine. Not to mention the posture, which is also influenced by the curves of the spine.
Get to Know Your Spine
I've collected some key information that everyone should know about the spine's functionality.
Various muscles play a role in supporting the movement of the spine. These include the back muscles, both superficial and deep, as well as those that attach directly to the spine and spinous processes. In addition to the work of the back muscles, the significant role of the gluteal muscles and abdominal muscles is crucial in supporting the spine.
In that case, we can talk about an ideal state where all our muscles work uniformly and evenly – if our muscles are engaged and well-developed through movement, we can live our days without pain in terms of the musculoskeletal system. Through the coordinated work of muscles, we can maintain the body against gravity.
The spine has two important tasks: it needs to be strong enough to support our torso, and it must be flexible enough to allow movement in various directions and planes for the body and limbs. So, for our bodies to stay balanced, our muscles and joints need to work together. If a muscle weakens or isn't used, it messes with the balance. Other muscles might step in, causing a shift in how things work (one muscle takes over the function of another muscle to ensure that we can still execute the movement in the same way) and upsetting the overall muscle balance.
The Main Factors Leading to Muscle Imbalance
What could be the main factors contributing to the breakdown of muscle balance? Daily stress, sitting too much, and learned wrong movements contribute to these issues. A common bad habit, like frequently bending the neck when using smartphones, can, over time, cause misalignment in the neck and upper back (cervical spine and upper thoracic region), leading to a hunched posture. Moreover, the diaphragm is also put under pressure, leading to shallow breathing and less oxygen reaching the brain. All of this can easily contribute to frequent headaches.
Naturally, in old age, the strength and resilience of bones/joints decrease fundamentally, along with the flexibility and mobility of the spine.
When muscles are out of balance, pain is likely to appear sooner or later. This happens because our body's alignment is disturbed, leading to changes in posture and increased stress on bones and joints. This can result in issues like wear and tear, calcification, and pain in areas like the knees, lower back, hips, or neck.
Prevention Method: Pilates as the Perfect Spinal Exercise
Taking these facts into consideration, we can confidently say that Pilates acts as a spinal exercise by improving the flexibility and strength of the muscles supporting the spine. It particularly focuses on the lumbar and cervical regions, where muscle imbalance tends to occur earliest. It is not a coincidence that lower back pain and other conditions such as sciatica, scoliosis, herniated discs, and cervical disc herniation are so common.
During Pilates exercises for spinal health, we work on the spine by maintaining its natural curves (S-curves) with continuous decompression – this allows your spine to work and strengthen in the safest manner possible.
Surely, you've met Joseph Pilates' saying that you are as old as your spine. I often tell my clients that how we age matters because pain doesn't discriminate, and it doesn't care if you're only 35.
If your health is important to you or if you're unfortunately familiar with the mentioned problems, I recommend my 10-session Pilates passes. After participating in these sessions, your spine will become more flexible, your pain will reduce, you'll feel more confident, you’ll start paying conscious attention to your posture, and apply what you've learned in your everyday life or even in other sports. Moreover, Pilates is more than just perfect spinal exercise; it's a lifestyle that can fundamentally change your everyday experience.
Step out of your comfort zone, start living consciously, and take care of your spine!
Hungarian 
English