Did one month of reformer pilates cure my back pain?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a bad back. The feeling – more of a dull ache, less of a burning pain – has plagued me for so long that I’ve adapted to it and accepted that this is just the way my body feels. Of course, it gets worse at certain times, like in the lead-up to my period or after a long run. And occasionally, like whenever I can afford a deep tissue massage, it feels alright. But nothing has ever got rid of it completely. And believe me, I’ve tried it all: physiotherapy, acupuncture, deep heat patches, deep freeze patches, overpriced massage guns… the lot.

So it was with some scepticism that I arrived at my next potential solution: reformer pilates, one of the only supposed back pain cures I had yet to try, mostly because it’s famously expensive and offered at relatively few gyms that don’t specialise in it. But then a new Third Space gym opened up near where I live with three varieties of reformer classes and a steam room in the changing room, which was enough of a post-class draw. I decided to commit to as many pilates classes as I could for six weeks to see if it would help sort my rickety back out a little.

First, some crucial context: pilates was developed in the early 1920s by German-born gymnast, Joseph Pilates. The practice was created to aid the rehabilitation of injured prisoners of war; it’s said that iron bed frames and coiled mattress springs were original inspirations for the reformer machine. In 1926, Pilates and his wife, Clara, set up the first pilates studio in New York City, attracting an array of dancers, gymnasts and society types. Soon, more than 600 exercises for mat pilates were developed alongside various forms of apparatus that included the reformer as we know it today.

“Originally the pilates apparatus was made as the mat was too difficult for some people, so the reformer was made to help support the body,” explains Caroline Bragg, master trainer in pilates at Third Space. “And that’s exactly what it does. The reformer puts you in the correct position in order to do the exercise. As your body is supported it allows you to hold the exercise for longer increasing strength in the whole body.”

A classic pilates reformer features a sliding carriage, adjustable springs, as well as various straps, which allow you to perform a wide range of small exercises by pushing the carriage in different positions and at different levels of resistance. It’s the go-to workout among celebrities due to its effectiveness at honing and toning the body with minimum impact. “Reformer is now our most popular single class despite not being in all 13 clubs with over 19,000 bookings per month,” says Braggs. “The average reformer member takes over four classes a month.” Clearly, it’s popular. As for how it is supposed to help back pain, well, that’s all down to the muscles it’s strengthening.

Caroline Bragg, master trainer in pilates at Third Space

“Back pain can come from various sources but one of the main reasons people are prescribed pilates on the reformer is because it works to realign the posture with support,” says Braggs. The other is that it strengthens the body’s core, which is a name given to describe the muscles surrounding your pelvis, lower back, hips and stomach. “Back pain can be associated with a weak core and glutes, which is a focus in a reformer session.”

Third Space offers three different types of reformer classes: traditional, dynamic, and tower – which uses a wall frame. I decide to focus on traditional – the dynamic classes are a little harder and less like actual pilates – in order to get the best out of my practice. I committed to six classes in my first week and off I went, ready for a new back.

As someone who runs a lot and has taken part in intense spinning and HIIT classes, I thought something as low-impact as pilates would be a piece of cake. Well, it was not. The first class was incredibly tough, much harder than I expected to the point that I felt elderly afterwards. Given I’d done reformer pilates once or twice before, I skipped the beginner’s session you’re supposed to do before advancing to a traditional class and jumped straight in. This was an arrogant mistake, I soon learned, as I found myself loudly slamming the reformer carriage and nearly falling off the thing while trying to copy what everyone else was doing.

The exercises were also incredibly tough. Yes, they’re small: there’s a lot of kicking your feet back on all fours and doing sit-ups while pulsing your arms by your side 100 times (this is called “the hundred”). And it might not hurt at first, but after a few goes, oof. The pain is soon excruciating, far worse than anything I’ve ever felt in a HIIT class. I was also very sore the next day, which usually happens whenever I work muscles in my body for the first time. Evidently, some dormant ones had been given a rude awakening.

The famous saying about the success of regular pilates practice from Pilates himself goes as follows: “In 10 sessions you’ll feel the difference, in 20 you’ll see the difference, and in 30 you’ll have a new body.” My plan was to get to 30, which felt a lot more daunting than I’d anticipated after that first class. But I persisted, noticing how my body started to adapt to the exercises, which got easier with every class despite the fact they all differed slightly.

After 10 classes, I did feel a difference. I continued running and doing strength training in the gym alongside the pilates, mostly because it was just a part of my normal routine. And while it’s impossible to tell whether this was a placebo effect or not, I certainly felt stronger whenever I used the gym.

That said, I was still shaking in pilates class. As anyone who’s ever done pilates will know, when you’re using your core – really using it – you start to get these uncontrollable shakes in the pit of your stomach as you’re doing the exercise. It’s a great indicator of actually working your body hard, even if the shakes are a little unnerving and make you look utterly ridiculous. The shakes persisted to 20 classes, after which time I didn’t exactly see a difference in how my body looked but again, I felt stronger.

My back, however, did not. There were some weeks when the pain felt it had eased off but it would soon return in a pattern not dissimilar to before I started regularly doing reformer pilates. I did feel like my back was thanking me when I did some of the exercises, like one where you do a shoulder stand and stretch your back out in a way that wouldn’t simply be possible without a reformer. There are also certain exercises that totally relieve your back of any pressure which, for anyone with back pain, can feel like finally taking a deep breath after spending an eternity underwater. But that’s where the benefits end.

Because by the time I reached my 30 class milestone, there was still no noticeable difference in how my back felt. My body certainly felt and looked stronger – a friend remarked on my “sinewy” arms while we were at the pub – but that wasn’t really why I was doing it. I was already fairly fit and happy with the way my body looked; I just wanted my back pain to go away.

“I would say consistency is the key,” says Braggs. “Reformer pilates is not a quick fix and whatever is causing the pain should be looked at. See if lifestyle changes can be made to help manage it, too. Pilates is a practice and therefore the more you do the better you will feel.”

I’m not sure I expected some sort of instant, magical cure. But I was hoping for at least a slight improvement. And, as I write this, I’m simultaneously thinking about whether I can afford to book myself in for a deep tissue massage because my back feels so sore. For now, I think I’ll continue with the pilates purely because of how much I’ve started to enjoy the classes. I also think low-impact work is good for my body; running has started to give me knee pain, which a physiotherapist told me is a warning to slow my regime down. But for those who think the reformer could be your express ticket to a back pain-free life – I suggest investing your money elsewhere.