Happy, healthy spines start here

Our spines do important jobs for us – they allow for a wide range of movement, they support our upright posture, they transfer the weight of our upper body to our pelvis and lower body, and they house and protect our spinal cord, the neural pathway for sensation and motor control to the rest of our bodies.
Our spines are composed of 24 vertebrae, and while the individual vertebrae have regionally specific features, they also have basic components in common.  Each vertebrae has a large, rounded body, an open vertebral foramen, and several protruding processes.

Body

The body of the vertebrae is designed to support weight and transmit load to the pelvis and legs.  When your Pilates instructor cues you to stack your spine, you are aligning the bodies of your vertebrae to best transmit force.  In between the bodies of the vertebrae lie our intervetrebal discs.  A slipped or herniated disc is one which has been pushed from its spot between the vertebrae, and is (most often) protruding partially into the vertebral foramen.

Vertebral foramen

The vertebral foramen is the passageway for the spinal cord and spinal nerves.  When the vertebrae are stacked, the vertebral foramen line up, forming an open canal for the spinal cord to pass.  A slipped or herniated disc which is protruding into the vertebral foramen may press on and irritate our spinal nerves – not a happy scenario.  Most back problems occur in the low back, which bears the load for the rest of the body.  As Pilates instructors, we spend a lot of time discussing how to utilize your core to stabilize your lower back.  When we load our spine, we want a stable, neutral lower back to protect that nice, open passageway for our spinal nerves.

Processes

Each vertebrae has three processes, or bumpy protrusions.  The spinal processes can be felt through our backs, and each vertebrae also has two transverse processes which project to the sides.  Processes provide a site for the complex network of our spinal muscles to attach: from our deepest three layers of intrinsic muscles, to the intermediate muscles of respiration, and finally to the superficial muscles whose contours we can readily see through the surface of the skin.

Our spines are complex and fascinating, and the Pilates method has evolved as an ingenious way to keep your spine happy and healthy.  A healthy spine is mobile, and in your Pilates class, you work on spinal articulation – promoting mobility of each segment and activation of our deepest spinal musculature.  A happy spine is supported – all your core work in Pilates helps maintain that neutral, supported alignment as you cart groceries, sit at your desk, or pick up a child.

Pilates is unique in its comprehensive treatment of the spine. Join us for class and show your spine some TLC.

Let’s Move!
Book a group class or private session to use what you’ve learned: