A study conducted at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada and has shown that Pilates exercises can help lower back pain.

The study was a randomized controlled trial, involving various follow up testing at 3, 6 and 12-month intervals.

The study involved thirty-nine physically active people between 20 and 55 years old with chronic lower back pain who were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups. The specific-exercise-training group participated in a 4-week program consisting of Pilates training on specialized exercise equipment, while the control group received the usual care, defined as consultation with a physician and other specialists and healthcare professionals, as necessary. Treatment sessions were designed to train the activation of specific muscles thought to stabilize the lumbar-pelvic region.

Functional disability outcomes were measured with The Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMQ/RMDQ-HK) and average pain intensity using a 101-point numerical rating scale.

The study found that there was a significantly lower level of functional disability (P = .023) and average pain intensity (P = .002) in the Pilates group than in the control group following the treatment period. Improvements in the Pilates group were maintained for up to 12 months following treatment intervention.

The study concluded that the individuals in the Pilates group reported a significant decrease in lower back pain and disability, which was maintained over a 12-month follow-up period. Treatment with a modified Pilates-based approach was more efficacious than usual care in a population with chronic, unresolved lower back pain.

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