Pilates not painkillers the best cure for backache –
Times newspaper, London,UK. Friday 3rd of February, 2017.
It was with delight that I awoke this morning to the head line on the front page of the times newspaper – Pilates not painkillers the best cure for backache! Finally some accurate and pro-active press from the times about the benefit of not just Pilates, but exercise in general.
Some of you may be familiar with my response to the times many years ago that received large traction around the world when the paper tried to advocate that Pilates was not what it claimed to be. I am delighted to see that the times has now seen the light that we in the Pilates and Physiotherapy world have been portraying for years.
So, what was behind the article. This article was referencing a recent study from George Institute of Sydney investigating the use of NSAIDS versus exercise in the management of chronic LBP. The study found that only 1 in 6 patients received any benefit at all from the use of the drugs (such as ibuprofen, paracetamol and codeine-type opioids) and that benefit was so small that it may have very little clinical relevance.
The study went on to explain that in addition to the lack of evidence for the use of the drugs that the side effects were significant. Side effect mentioned were the risk of doubling the risk of bleeding and stomach ulcers.
Now, until I can review the entire study in detail it is difficult to understand the true extent the benefits of exercise were incorporated into this study. However, the fact that the positive side of pain management is being portrayed in the popular press is a great improvement of the stance of a few years ago.
Pilates, among other forms of exercise, have been reported to be the recommendations coming from the research. Of course I agree wholeheartedly with this view. We must focus on the positive influence movement can have on a clients body. However, we must deliver this at a level and with a structure that allows the client to re-learn the motor patterns that the pain has caused to be a bit confused. Begin with lower level control focussed movements and then progress as able to increase the challenge as the client gains in confidence from the successful completion of the lower level exercises. This is the exact approach of the APPI Method and I am delighted that this article appears to give great support to our methodology (Please note the APPI Method was not part of the study specifically but is based on all the recommendations put forth in this study).
I look forward to reviewing the entire article over the course of the next few days and will write another blog once I have analysed its full conclusions.
For now, lets bask in the positive press we are finally receiving and more importantly, the message being delivered to the general public that movement is a good thing!
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/03e8ebda-e994-11e6-a93a-4fa396e7e4ed