Pilates for Lower Back Pain; Lumbar Disc

WooyangShin

February17,2017

2016CostaMesa,CA

ABSTRACT

Therearemanytermsusedtodescribespinaldiscpathologyandassociatedpain,suchas:

"herniateddisc,""pinchednerve,"and"bulgingdisc";andthesetermsarebeingused

interchangeably.However,despitethedifferentverbalexpressions,itisclearthatlowerback

painaffectseveryoneinmodernsociety.Spinaldiscsplayimportantrolesinthelowerback

functionssuchas:absorbingshockbetweenthevertebrae,supportingtheupperbody,and

allowingawiderangeofmovementinalldirections.Whileaspinaldiscisacrucialpartofthe

bodyforthemovementandprovidesupportsforourdailylives,itcan,however,causea

seriouspaininthebackandcanpossiblycausenervepaindownthelegifitherniates.

ThispaperspecificallyfocusesontheutilizationofBasiPilatesBlockSystemonLumbar

herniateddisc.Theuseofpilatestobringawarenessofbodymovementhabitsthatmaystress

thespinewillalsobeaddressinthepaper,alongwiththemethodsforhelpingpatientsto

changethesehabitstokeeptheneutralalignment.Awarenessofexcessivetensionandtheuse

ofproperfocushelppatientstousetheirbodyefficiently.Thefollowingcasestudyoutlinesa

conditioningprogramusingtheBasiBlockSystem,adaptedforaclientwhohasalowerback

painwithlumberdischerniation.

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TableofContents

Title

Abstract

TableofContents

AnatomicalDescription–LumbarDiscHerniation

CaseStudy

ConditioningProgram-BASIBlockSystem

Conclusion

Reference

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AnatomicalDescription–LumbarDiscHerniation

Thelumbarspine,morecommonlyknownasthelowerback,consistsoffivevertebrae,L1

throughL5.Thelumbarispositionedbetweenthethoracic,orchest,regionofthespine,and

thesacrum.Thelumbarvertebraearethebiggestunfusedvertebraeinthespinecolumn,which

supportstheweightoftheentireupperbody.Thelowestsegments,L4-L5andL5-S1support

themostweight,therefore,thesearemostpronetoinjurysuchasherniatedorbulgingdiscs.

Thespineiscomposedofacolumnof33bonescalledvertebraestackedupononeanother.The

discs-atoughfibrouspadwhichiscushioningthejointsofthespinearepositionedbetween

thevertebraeactingasshockabsorbersandkeepthespineflexible.Ifoneofthesediscsare

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damaged,itmaybulgeoutorslipout.Itiscalledaspinallumbarherniateddiscorruptureddisc

whichcancausepaininthelowerback,orradiatingpaintothelegsandfeet.Oftentimes,a

herniateddiscorruptureddiscwillpressuponanerverunningthroughcauseseverepain,

weaknessintheareaofthebodythatnervecontrols.

Symptomsofaherniateddiscmayincludedullorsharppain,sciatica,andlegweakness.

Sneezing,coughing,orbendingusuallyintensifythepain.Asciaticaisamainsymptom,whichis

causedbytheleakeddiscmaterialaffectingthelargesciaticnerve.Whenanerverootinthe

lowerbackisirritated,painandsymptomsmaydownthebackofthelegandintothefootand

toes.

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CASESTUDY

Name:HelenaLee

Age:34

Limitations:lowerbackpainduetopoorpostureanddiscbulgeposteriorL4/L5for5years.

Treatments:Chiropractic,physicaltherapyandacupuncture.

Asawebdesigner,sittinginfrontofthecomputerandlookingatthescreenforallday,shehas

beengettingstressesatherspine.Shehashadapoorposturewithmildhyperlordosis,causing

weakabdominals,tightpsoas,weakinnerthighmuscles,tighthamstrings,tightbackextensor,

chinandnecktoofarforward(turtleneck).Besides,sheoftensitswithherlegscrossedandit

causedherpelvicimbalance.

Icreatedaprogramtorestoreherbodybalancetoreducetheloadonlowerback,

strengtheningweakareassuchascoreabdominalandhipabductors,andstretchouttight

psoasandhamstrings.Emphasiswasgivenonflexibilityandstrengtharoundthehipflexors

andextensorsinordertoreducethelumbarpain.Improvingbodyawarenessandpostural

correctionwerethetoppriorityinthisprogram.

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ConditioningProgram-BASIBlockSystem

WarmUp

OnMat

Pelviccurl,SpineTwistSupine,ChestLift,ChestLiftwithRotation

<After10sessions>

OnMat

RollUp,DoubleLegsStretch,SingleLegStretch,CrissCross,SpineTwistSupine

<After20sessions>

Cadillac

RollUpwithRollUpBar,MiniRoll-Ups,MiniRoll-UpsOblique,Roll-UpTopLoaded,SpineTwist

Supine(HoldingpolesofaCalillac)

FootWork

Reformer

ParallelHeels,ParallelToes,VPositionToes,OpenVHeels,OpenVToes,CalfRaises,Prances

SingleLegHeel,SingleLegToes

<After20sessions>

Cadillac

ParallelHeels,ParallelToes,VPositionToes,OpenVHeels,OpenVToes,CalfRaises,Prances

SingleLegHeel,SingleLegToes

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AbdominalWork

Reformer

HundredPrep,Hundred,Coordination

<After10sessions>

Cadillac

BreathingwithPushThroughBar,BottomLiftwithRollUpBar

HipWork

Reformer

Frog,DownCircles,UpCircles,Opening

<After10sessions>

DownCircles,UpCircles,ExtendedFrog,ExtendedFrogReverse

<After20sessions>

Cadillac

Frog,DownCircles,UpCircles,Walking,Bicycles&Reverse

SpinalArticulation

Reformer

<After10sessions>

BottomLift,BottomLiftwithExtentions

<After20sessions>

Cadillac

MonkeyOriginal,TowerPrep,Tower

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Stretches

Reformer

StandingLunge

<After10sessions>

KneelingLunge

<After20sessions>

LadderBarrel

Hamstrings,Gluteals,Adductors,HipFlexors

FullBodyIntegration

Reformer

UpStretch1,Elephant

<After10sessions>

UpStretch1&2

<After20sessions>

Cadillac

SittingForward,SideReach

ArmWork

Reformer

ArmsSupineSeries–Extension,Adduction,UpCircles,DownCircles,Triceps

<After10sessions>

ArmsSittingSeries–ChestExpansion,Biceps,Rhomboids,Hug-A-Tree,Salute

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LateralFlexion/Rotation

Reformer

Mermaid

<After10sessions>

WundaChair

SideStretch

BackExtension

Reformer

BreaststrokePreporPullingStraps1

<After10sessions>

Cadillac

Prone1

<After20sessions>

WundarChair

SwanBasicorSwanonFloor

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Conclusion

TheemphasisofthisprogramusingBasiBlockSystemwasstrengtheningabdominalsespecially

transversusabdominalstoimprovepelvic-lumbarstabilityandstretchthetighthipflexors,

hamstringsandglutes.Engaginghamstringtogainstrengthhelpedherhyperlordosiscorrection.

Thefocusofbackextensionwasprimarilyonstrengtheningtheupperbackextensortoreduce

thelumbar-discpainandtocorrectherforwardedneck.Withthebackextensionexercises,she

strengthenedherspinalextensors,increasingtheabilitytouseherabdominalstoprotectthe

lowerback.

AfterafewsessionswithBasiBlockSystem,shehadmanypositivechangeslikeincreasedcore

andabdominalstrength,andimprovedpelviclumbarstability.Thisleadsherdailylifetobe

morepositive.AsJosephPilatesmentioned,‘ReturntoLife’,regardedhismethod,sheputs

Pilatesasapartofherlife.IbelievetheBasiBlockSystemprovidesasafeinstructionforan

individualandwillbeabletocreateaneffectiveaid.

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Reference

Isacowitz, Rael. Study Guide Work Book – Comprehensive Course 2000-2008

Isacowitz,RaelandKarenClippinger,“PilatesAnatomy”Champaign:HumanKinetics,2011.

Biel,AndrewR.2014.“TrailGuidetotheBody:Ahands-onguidetolocatingmuscles,bonesand

More”FifthEdition.Boulder,CO:BookofDiscovery

Pilates,JosephH.“ReturntoLife”

“LumbarHerniatedDisc“

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/herniated-disc/lumbar-herniated-disc

“TheLumbarSpine”

Retrievedfromhttp://teachmeanatomy.info/abdomen/bones/lumbar-spine/

https://www.spineuniverse.com/conditions/herniated-disc/exercise-herniated-discs

“AnatomyandPilates:TheDishonDiscProblems”

http://pilates-pro.com/pilates-pro/2008/2/19/anatomy-and-pilates-the-dish-on-disc-

problems.html

Imaiges : Google.com

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