Low back pain can interfere with every aspect of your life, in ways you never expected.
Having survived sleepless nights with babies and toddlers, Sarah never expected that in her 40s, she’d wake each morning with a sense of fear and uncertainty, unsure whether she could climb out of bed and start her day with ease, or have to brace herself on her thighs until the pain settled.
Surely this phase of life was meant to get easier?
If you’ve ever felt this way, you’re not alone. In fact, in 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared that low back pain was the leading cause of disability worldwide, impacting over 619 million people worldwide.
It’s no wonder that when you have low back pain, everyone has a horror story for you about someone they know who never recovered. It is easy to lose hope. But after more than 20 years of helping people with low back pain, I have seen time and time again that recovery is possible. From mothers of young children with severely herniated discs to rugby players with similar injuries, I’ve seen people from all walks of life rediscover freedom and confidence. Most importantly, they return to living their best life. How did they do it? They followed the key steps that I’ve discovered are the most important in changing low back pain.
Step One: Connect With Your Breath
“Dan”, a professional athlete and father of young kids, came to me after months on painkillers. Every day movements, like picking up the kids and getting out of the car, still felt like a struggle. Returning to international sport seemed out of reach. But after just a few sessions, his movements changed dramatically.
What shifted? He learned how to use his breath for support and safety, and quickly integrated it into his training and daily movement.
Maybe you’ve caught yourself doing it too. Making that sharp little gasp as you bend down, and the subconscious bracing when picking something up off the floor. Or perhaps it’s the way you instinctively grab the benchtop before turning around, just in case your back locks again. These aren’t just habits. They’re clues that your nervous system is on high alert, literally bracing for pain.
Your central nervous system needs to feel safe to allow the back muscles to finally let go and relax. Your breath is one of the easiest ways to do this. Slow, relaxed exhales signal calm to your nervous system and tell the back muscles they can release. It also naturally enhances the coordination of the trunk muscles to support your back, improving mobility and control rather than creating stiffness.
A fundamental principle of Pilates is awareness of breath. Whenever a movement feels challenging or restricted, your instructor will guide your attention back to your breath, reminding you to move with more ease. This focus on efficiency and effortless movement, rather than pushing through with grit, is what creates lasting change in your nervous system and relief from low back pain.
Step Two: Focus On Lengthening Your Spine
Amanda had experienced severe episodes of low back pain for years. About every six months, her back would “go”, often doing something as simple as putting on socks. Treatment would ease the acute pain, and she’d go back to doing all the core exercises she’d been told to do. But the pain kept returning. Frustrated and losing hope, she walked into her first Reformer Pilates session.
Unlike her previous Physios, I didn’t cue her to “switch on her abs” or “flatten her back”. Instead, I asked her to focus on the feeling of length and support through her spine as she lay back on the moving carriage. Within minutes, her body released. Like so many clients I had seen before, Amanda stood up with a look of amazement on her face and said, “I feel taller and lighter.”
That sense of ease and lightness? It didn’t come from “activating” her core. It came from tuning into her body and learning how to move in a different way.
For decades, people with low back pain have been told to strengthen their core. Yes, trunk muscles do play a key role in spinal support. However, what is often missing is an understanding of how to create coordinated support, rather than rigid tension.
There’s a big difference between bracing your abs versus allowing your diaphragm, pelvic floor, and abdominals to work together in a way that supports your spine naturally.
When you move on the supportive surface of the Reformer and focus on finding length, something changes. The body finds alignment. The trunk muscles coordinate naturally. You feel taller and less compressed, and perhaps for the first time in a long time, your back moves without fear.
Step Three: Improve Mobility Throughout Your Entire Body.
Chrissy was a 52-year-old accountant who came to me after struggling with ongoing low back pain for over a year. She’d done everything the books and blogs suggested. Stretches, core work, strengthening. She even invested in a standing desk. But her back still ached by the end of each day, especially after long hours at work.
She described it as a deep, tight gripping in her lower back that wouldn’t release, no matter how much she stretched it. When we assessed her movement, the problem wasn’t just in her lower back. Her mid back barely moved, and her hips were stiff and restricted. Once we started working on mid-back and hip mobility, she noticed a change. Within a few weeks, she could sit longer without aching, and even got back to walking the hills with her friends – something she hadn’t done in months.
She said to me, “I kept trying to stretch my back because that’s where the pain was. I had no idea the real problem was above and below it.”
When your lower back feels stiff or tight, it’s easy to assume that’s where the problem is and to try stretching it out. However, the lower back often compensates for a lack of movement elsewhere, particularly in the hips and mid-back. That’s why Reformer Pilates goes beyond just core work. It targets the mobility of your entire body, helping you distribute load more evenly, move more efficiently, and take pressure off your lower back. The result? Movement that feels lighter, smoother, and more natural.
Ready To Take The Next Step? Here’s How To Get Started
Set Up Your Personal Rehab Space With A Luxury Freedom Pilates Reformer
Consistency is essential for long-term relief from low back pain, and that’s the advantage of having your very own Reformer at home.
Join The Freedom From Low Back Pain Reformer Program.
Led by me, a Physiotherapist with more than 20 years of experience treating low back pain, this program guides you step-by-step through expert-led exercises designed specifically to relieve your low back pain and restore freedom of movement.
Using a home Reformer can be life-changing, but to get lasting results, you need expert instruction tailored to your unique needs. That’s exactly what you’ll get with Freedom Pilates and Freedom On Demand.
Want To Learn More And See If It’s Right For You?
Sign up for my free webinar where I’ll explain the program in detail and answer your questions live.
You don’t have to live with low back pain – there’s a way forward, and I’m here to help you find it.
Cath Julius: Physiotherapist & Clinical Director