The Benefits of Pilates for Chronic Pain

By Susan A Moore
Pilates is normally thought of as a type of stretching exercise, but it can also be very beneficial for those with chronic pain problems. How can Pilates benefit you?

Pilates is a kind of stretching activity which works on your core; strengthening it and making it more flexible. Pilates is done on floor mats and you do stretches and hold yourself in a variety of positions. Pilates can also be done using equipment; in fact for many beginners and those suffering from some kinds chronic pain, it's advisable to start with the equipment to get a feel for the program before moving on to the mats. It may sound simplistic, but there are actually many benefits to Pilates, especially if you are a sufferer of chronic pain anywhere in the body. Pilates may have become something of a buzz word, with many people claiming to incorporate it into their exercise systems in order to sell them, but the real thing is very effective on your body.

Pilates does a range of things for your body. It teaches correct posture, deep breathing, and tones up your core (though it won't by itself make for flat abs or strong muscles; it just improves flexibility and durability). Pilates has also be used to help those who have been injured to achieve greater muscle and limb motion and get back a lot of lost flexibility and strength. Pilates is also all about bringing your mind and body together in a harmonious, unified whole so that you feel healthier and happier after every session.

The main benefit of Pilates is not just flexibility and core strength though; it's also about body awareness. Utilizing correct Pilates means that you become more aware of how your body feels and why it feels badly after certain activities. For example, you may well know that hunching over a computer hurts your back, but you may not know that it's because of the way your shoulders are aligned. Pilates helps you to realize what is causing many of your chronic pain and how to relieve it in your own home without drugs or surgery. For this reason, Pilates is used a lot in conjunction with occupational therapy because it lets patients take their cure into their own hands and work on their core and flexibility so that the chronic pain becomes lessened over time.

Pilates also teaches you how to move correctly so that you aren't doing things that will cause more pain to your limbs. It works the whole body instead of muscle groups so that everything works together and thus works more smoothly for it.

Keep in mind that Pilates, for all of its touted glory, is not a cure all; in fact, for some pain sufferers, it may not be all that useful. Make sure to check with your doctor before trying Pilates to make sure that it will actually work for you and always do Pilates with a trained instructor so that you get the full range of exercises and you're under professional supervision at all times. However, for those whom Pilates will benefit and under the correct guidance, it's a great way to lessen chronic pain and bring back your flexible limbs and strong core.