Anastasis Tzanis

Back Pain Relief & Core Power: Why Men with Desk Jobs Need Reformer Pilates

It is no secrete that a sedentary lifestyle is bad news for our health and in particular for our posture. Unfortunately most office jobs still require prolonged periods of seating and this often reflects on how men and women with such jobs stand and move.

Reformer Pilates can help you undo some of the harm a desk job causes. In this article I will cover the 3 areas mostly affected from a sedentary job and the ways Reformer Pilates addresses them.

Tight Hips

Hips are fairly complex. If not for any other reason just because they move in 8 different directions. Most people when they mention they have tight hips they mean they struggle to seat crossed legged which involves external rotation and some abduction.

When seating for prolonged periods of time 2 muscles are likely to tighten in this area: hip flexors and hamstrings. This will subsequently restrict the body from forward bending, running or squatting with ease. If you ask me, all 3 are basic movements that ideally should be performed effortlessly.

Reformer exercises that will improve the function of hip flexors and hamstrings are: lunges, hip hinges, calf and hamstring stretches.

Lower back pain

Lower back pain is very common among those with a desk job. The reasons are: compromised seated position, weak back muscles and weak core. While awareness on what an upright position entails and an ergonomic chair can be very useful until the body is strong to support an upright seated position the lower back is likely to suffer.

The two areas any office worker with lower back pain should assess and if found weak address is their core and lower back muscle strength. Reformer Pilates is fantastic in addressing abdominal strength and coordination of lower back – glute – abs and inner thigh muscles.

The exercises that achieve that are bridges, lunges variations of cossack squat.

Poor shoulder posture

The rounded Quasimodo-looking shoulders is a trademark of those spending 9+ hours a day in an office. Poor upper back posture will not only compromise one’s ability to think clearly but it is likely to cause pain in the neck, shoulders and even the elbow or referred pain in the wrist.

Reformer Pilates exercises that strengthen the rotator cuff, chest and upper back muscles will restore good posture and help relieve neck pain or referred pain in the arms.

To sum up

There is no single exercise that can counter the effects of desk jobs. Addressing however tight hips, midsection strength and upper body posture on the reformer can improve one’s vitality, agility and overall health even if he continuous to spend many hours seating per week.