Spinal Articulation – Keeping Your Spine Moving Well

This is one of Joseph Pilates’ best-known quotes, and it captures an important idea behind his method: the way we move can be just as important as the number of years we have lived.

Our spine is designed to move, bend and twist, allowing us to reach for something on a shelf, turn to look behind us or simply bend down to tie our shoelaces. Yet as we get older, or spend more time sitting and moving in repetitive ways, we can begin to lose some of that freedom of movement.

Joseph Pilates developed his method to strengthen the muscles that support the spine, improve posture and encourage the body to move with greater control and ease. Since then, our understanding of biomechanics and spinal health has continued to evolve, helping modern Pilates teachers adapt exercises to support safe, effective movement for different bodies and individual needs.

Articulating the spine means to move it.  Rather than treating the back as one solid structure, we aim to encourage movement through its individual joints, allowing the spine to bend and lengthen as smoothly as possible.

There are four main ways to move the spine:

• flexion (bending forward)
• extension (bending backward)
• lateral flexion (side bending)
• rotation (twisting)

We usually try to include each of these four movements in every Pilates class, where it is safe to do so for class participants …certain spinal conditions can mean some movements aren’t suitable for all.

Although spinal mobility is valuable, more movement isn’t always better. The right exercises depend on your individual circumstances, including any existing spinal conditions, injuries, symptoms or medical advice.

For example:

• Bulging or herniated discs in the lower back: Exercises that involve rolling backwards into a deep C-curve may need to be modified or avoided.
• Osteoarthritis affecting the spine: Backward bending or extension can aggravate symptoms for some people, particularly if it narrows already sensitive spaces around the spinal joints or nerves.
• Osteoporosis: When bones are weakened by osteoporosis, loaded spinal flexion and some twisting movements may increase the risk of vertebral fractures.

These are examples rather than rules. The safest approach depends on the individual, and a movement that is appropriate for one person may not be suitable for another with the same diagnosis.

If you have a spinal condition, a recent injury or persistent back pain, let your Pilates teacher know before class.  Your teacher can help adapt exercises, and advice from a physiotherapist or other appropriate healthcare professional can help guide which movements are right for you.

Some people genetically have a more flexible spine, sometimes there is an injury which has made the spine less flexible, and sometimes joints and muscles are stiff and underused.

It is  best not to compare yourself to others – we are all made and shaped differently.

Always move within a range of motion that feels comfortable for you.  Try not to compare yourself with the person on the next Reformer.  Your body has its own structure, history and needs.  Focus instead on your own progress: can you move with a little more ease, control or confidence than you could a few weeks ago?

Practising spinal articulation in Pilates isn’t about achieving a perfect roll-down or the deepest backbend in the class.  It’s about maintaining the movement you have and learning to move with greater awareness and control.

So the next time you come to a Pilates class, think less about how far you can bend, and more about how well you can move.

Because the real aim isn’t simply a flexible spine.  It’s a spine you can trust to support you through the movements of everyday life.

Keep in mind the adage ‘use it or lose it’ – working on spinal articulation every week can help keep your spine healthy, reliable and young!