Reformer Pilates for Osteoarthritis – Can it Help?

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, affecting over 49% of people over the age of 65 (1). And with exercise and muscle strengthening being the mainstay of treatment, many people are turning to Reformer Pilates to help reduce pain and stiffness caused by OA. This article will delve deeper into what exactly Osteoarthritis is and how Reformer Pilates can help arthritis sufferers take back control over their lives.

What is Osteoarthritis? 

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that causes progressive loss of cartilage, formation of osteophytes (or small bone spurs), and joint inflammation (2). It is a condition that is more common with age, however, can also develop in younger people following trauma such as an ACL or ankle ligament tear. Symptoms such as pain and stiffness gradually build over time with many patients presenting to Physiotherapy and Pilates clinics many months after the first signs of OA.

Other symptoms characteristic of OA include:

• Morning stiffness which warms up with activity within 30 minutes  
• Clicking, clunking, or grinding sensations felt within an affected joint
• Localised swelling around the painful joint(s)
• Muscle weakness or wasting
• Joint instability or giving way
• And in more severe cases, joint deformities

What Causes Osteoarthritis?

There is no single cause of OA, rather a myriad of contributing factors which include:

• Age: the likelihood of developing OA increases as you get older, particularly beyond 50 years of age
• Obesity: with increased weight placed through joints, being overweight or obese increases the chance of you developing OA
• Muscle Weakness: if your muscles are not strong enough to support your joints, more pressure and weight is placed through them, increasing irritation and the likelihood of joint changes
• Genetics: people with a strong family history of OA are more likely to develop the condition themselves
• Gender: OA affects women more than men
• Overuse and trauma: multiple or severe injuries to a joint, and overuse such as a long history of high-intensity sports can increase the risk of an individual developing OA

What Treatments Are Available for Osteoarthritis?

Unfortunately, there is no known cure for Osteoarthritis. However, there are many treatment options to reduce the symptoms of OA, so you can continue living your life like normal.

OA is extremely common, and a diagnosis of this does not mean that you will have pain or dysfunction. In fact, many pain-free people walk around not even knowing that they have arthritis. If you stay strong and active and live a healthy lifestyle with great diet and exercise habits, you may never feel the symptoms of OA.

Treatment strategies for OA include:

• Exercise and Strengthening: the first port of call for treatment and the number one most beneficial and effective way to manage OA! 

By keeping your joints moving, inflammation is pushed out of them, reducing pain and stiffness. As OA affects the joints, strengthening the muscles around them is super important to reduce the load placed through the irritated/affected joint. This can reduce pain and allow you to go for that long walk along the beach or play that game of tennis you enjoy so much.

• Medication: such as analgesics and anti-inflammatories are often prescribed by GPs to manage Osteoarthritic pain

• Weight Management: reducing the weight placed through the joints can help manage OA and the pain that comes with this condition. It can also help to reduce the need for surgery such as a knee replacement which is sometimes necessary for more severe cases of OA(3).

• Surgery: sometimes surgery is necessary if the OA is severe or is having a detrimental impact on quality of life and function. Discussions around surgery can be made with your Physiotherapist or GP as to which options may be best suited.

Reformer Pilates for Osteoarthritis – How Does it Help?

If you have OA, simply walking and going up and down stairs may be difficult and painful. So you may be surprised to hear how important exercise is to manage and even reduce the likelihood of developing OA! 

Walking is a great form of exercise for your general health, however, it won’t do much for the strength of the muscles around your arthritic joints. That is why strength-based exercise such as Pilates is so important. 

As Reformer Pilates is a low-impact form of strength and mobility exercise, it is a popular choice amongst people with Osteoarthritis. This is because they see benefits fast with little aggravation of symptoms.  

In fact, in this study Pilates was found to be more effective in reducing pain and improving function in people with knee OA, compared to the control group who completed isometric exercises. Additionally, this study showed that Pilates was effective in managing pain related to Osteoarthritis and had the added psychosocial benefits of enjoyment and adherence. 

So, if you’re having joint pains that you think may be caused by osteoarthritis, or you have a diagnosis of OA and want to help manage your pain, Reformer Pilates is for you!

Click here to learn more about our specialised approach to Reformer Pilates and how we can help you get back to doing the things you love!

References

1. Barbour KE, Helmick CG, Boring MA, Brady TJ. Vital signs: prevalence of doctor-diagnosed arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitation — United States, 2013—2015. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017;66:246–253. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6609e1external icon.
2. Chen, D., Shen, J., Zhao, W., Wang, T., Han, L., Hamilton, J. L., & Im, H. J. (2017). Osteoarthritis: toward a comprehensive understanding of pathological mechanism. Bone research, 5, 16044. https://doi.org/10.1038/boneres.2016.44https://www.arthritis.org/diseases/osteoarthritis
3. Bliddal, H., Leeds, A. R., & Christensen, R. (2014). Osteoarthritis, obesity and weight loss: evidence, hypotheses and horizons – a scoping review. Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, 15(7), 578–586. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12173
4. Saleem, N., Zahid, S., Mahmood, T., Ahmed, N., Maqsood, U., & Chaudhary, M. A. (2022). Effect of Pilates based exercises on symptomatic knee osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial. JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 72(1), 8–12. https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.495
5. Denham-Jones, L., Gaskell, L., Spence, N., & Pigott, T. (2022). A systematic review of the effectiveness of Pilates on pain, disability, physical function, and quality of life in older adults with chronic musculoskeletal conditions. Musculoskeletal care, 20(1), 10–30. https://doi.org/10.1002/msc.1563
6. Arthritis Foundation (no date) Osteoarthritis: Arthritis foundation, Osteoarthritis | Arthritis Foundation. Available at: https://www.arthritis.org/diseases/osteoarthritis (Accessed: November 8, 2022).