Pilates and osteoporosis

Pilates can help to maintain bone strength and improve muscle strength and balance. It can also help with pain and posture.

You can practice Pilates if you have osteoporosis. But there are some exercises where you may 'over flex' your spine if you push yourself to the limits. There are some modifications you can make to be on the safe side.

This is especially true with uncontrolled, repetitive or sudden forward movements, or if you are putting some load or strain on your spine in a curved position. This may put uneven pressure on the front parts of your spine, which could increase your risk of a spinal fracture.

Generally, Pilates is very safe and won't cause a spinal fracture. However, to be on the safe side, use alternative moves that keep your back straight or allow you to bend in a controlled and comfortable way. This will help to reduce the risk of injuring your back.

We show you how to do these different movements in our 'Pilates exercises - modifications with osteoporosis' video.

These recommendations are for you if:

• you have osteoporosis or an increased risk of fractures and want to ensure Pilates exercises are safe and won’t cause a spinal fracture

• you want to know if you need to modify or avoid some exercises because you've had spinal fractures

• you have broken bones easily in the past.

Bones lose strength as we get older. This information is useful to anyone over the age of 50, whether or not you've had previous fractures.

Before you start, read our information about how to exercise safely for bones. On this page, we answer some common questions to help you stay safe when you are active.

It is important to listen to your body and feel safe, confident and comfortable when you are active for your bones.

Follow these instructions whenever you're doing Pilates exercises that risk ‘over flexing’ the spine, to help you adapt your technique.

Move in a smooth, controlled way during and between all Pilates exercises, and stay within your comfort range.