Whilst on the one hand effective treatment such as physiotherapy, chiropractic or therapeutic massage may help, equally important is to have a strategy in place to help stop the pain problem from reoccurring.

About 80 years ago Joseph Pilates had a back problem and was unhappy with advice from his doctor. So he developed a series of exercises that are still widely used today - known as Pilates. Pilates has a proven track record of helping to improve strength and flexibility for all age groups and all fitness levels.

The excellent thing about Pilates is that once you have learnt how to do it properly, it’s simple to do at home in your own time. I cannot emphasise enough about learning to do Pilates properly. It is so easy to find a host of ‘how to’ videos on the internet - BUT if you have a pain problem, it is important that you exercise in the RIGHT way. And only professional instruction can show you that.

Pilates may prove particularly effective if you sometimes suffer any of the following:

• A bit of an ache in your lower back
• Tension in your shoulders
• Have concerns about your posture
• Are not as flexible as you would like

Typically, the people who attend my classes and benefit greatly from learning Pilates are:

• Parents busy with work and children, who get a stiff back and are not able to do as much exercise as they would like
• A person in their 60s, 70s or 80s who find their flexibility and strength is “not what it used to be”.
• A serious, or not so serious, sports person who wants to be more flexible and have better core stability

As a Pilates instructor, I often get asked the following:

Is Pilates like Yoga? Pilates is different, it is specially designed to help get a healthier and stronger back.

Is Pilates really hard to do? If Pilates is taught well, it can be straightforward to learn. At the Waldegrave Clinic each Pilates session is specially designed to exactly suit your level of fitness – so you enjoy it as well as get fitter and stronger.

What qualifications should a Pilates instructor have? There is a national standard, set by the Register of Exercise Professionals, for Pilates instructors.

You are most likely reading this blog post sat down at your computer or using your phone. So just take a break for a minute to try out a few simple Pilates tips for a good posture:

• Stand up straight with your feet about hip width apart
• Imagine someone is gently pulling a cord fixed to the crown of your head making your neck long
• Lift your shoulder up towards your ears, gently lower them as far as you can, keep them relaxed and low
• Deep breaths, when you breath in pull your tummy button in a little
• YOU ARE ALREADY STANDING BETTER!

At the Waldegrave Clinic we offer one-to-one Pilates sessions and small group classes (maximum 5 people) from a fully qualified and very experienced instructor. Please visit our Pilates page for details of how to book a session.

John Calvert - Pilates instructor at the Waldegrave Clinic.