INDUSTRY INSIGHT
THE POWER OF PILATES
SPONSORED CONTENT
We’ve Got YUR® BACK: Coming back from back pain
E
ighty percent of all adults will have
back pain at some point in their
lives. For many, the pain will become
chronic as it will last for more than
12 weeks. For others the pain will resolve but
will continue to re-occur. This prolonged pain
or episodes of pain in people experiencing
back problems creates a fear of movement
that is referred to as kinesiophobia. I am sure
that you have seen this in yourself or in people
who have experienced back pain. They begin
to avoid certain activities because they have a
“bad back,” even if they are not having pain at
the time. All who experience back pain begin
to alter their activities, causing weakness and
poor movement patterns. Thus creating a spiral
of deconditioning that serves to feed the initial
problems that may have caused the back pain
to begin with, or other problems like weight
gain or other orthopedic conditions due to
wear and tear.
Inactivity leads to muscle atrophy and, in clients avoiding
movements involving their back, that atrophy will center on their
spine and trunk muscles. Research findings have verified the
association between chronic back pain
and vertebral instability caused by lumbar
muscular atrophy. Research also demonstrates
that people experiencing back pain have
limited range of motion, flexor muscle
weakening, and imbalance of muscle strength.
Ultimately it seems that back pain actually
feeds more back pain.
A common treatment intervention for
people with chronic back pain is a mind-body
intervention that focuses on core stability,
posture, flexibility, strength, breathing,
and movement control called Pilates. It is
important to note that not just any Pilates
program will be successful. The program
must be geared to those with back conditions
so that the appropriate movements can be
incorporated, and it must include retraining
of proper movement patterns by an educated
professional. It is also very important that the
clients have been examined by their physician to rule out any outside
factors that may interfere with the normal healing process.
For many clients, spine conditions never completely resolve, and
this makes it important for them to learn how to work within their
abilities. If they can create a workout where they can be challenged,
but won’t increase their back pain, their confidence and their strength
will grow. This will then normalize their daily life functions by taking
away the fear that low back pain creates. Once the fear is gone, it is
surprising how much people find they can do without causing any
problems in their back.
PHI® Pilates offers a program designed and run by physical
therapists called the YUR® Back program. The YUR stands for You
Under Reconstruction. This program uses Pilates-based movements
and Pilates equipment combined with physical therapy concepts to
teach the client how to move without fear, thus building the strength
and confidence to get back to a normal lifestyle. The purpose
of the program is not to relieve spine symptoms; it is to provide
a safe workout that will allow people with back pain to resume
activity without an increase in their spine symptoms. Left to their
own devices, those with back pain will limit their activity because
of the fear of increasing their spine symptoms. This will lead to
deconditioning and other health problems. The YUR® Back program
strives to replace the fear factor with knowledge. Fitness without fear.
This Industry Insight was written by Christine Romani-
Ruby, PT, DEd, MPT, ATC, PMA®CPT.
An internationally renowned physical therapist with
27 years of experience in clinical practice, Dr. Ruby has
successfully integrated physical therapy and Pilates to
create innovative post-rehabilitation and wellness programs
for conditions such as back pain, and sport-specific
programs for professional athletes. Founder of PHI Pilates
in Pittsburgh, she guides clients in the study of their own
movement to improve posture and reduce pain and risk
of injury. Dr. Ruby is regularly sought after to speak at
national and international conferences and works daily in her clinic with clients including
NFL athletes, ballerinas, and clients recovering from injuries or illness. Her YUR® BACK
program is designed to safely progress clients with back pain from physical therapy to
whole-body fitness programs, so that they can get back to a healthy lifestyle.
MT. LEBANON
❘
FALL 2019
11