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Is Pilates Good for Osteoporosis? What the Research Actually Shows
If you have osteoporosis or are worried about bone density, you have probably been told to do weight-bearing exercise. What you may not have been told is where Pilates fits in, and how to use it well. The short answer: Pilates is good for bone health, but it works best as part of a wider programme rather than on its own. Here is what the research actually shows, and what that means in practice. Here are 5 things to know about Pilates and osteoporosis: Pilates does improve bon

Liz Shaw
Jul 228 min read


Is Pilates Good for Lower Back Pain? What the Research Shows
Most people with lower back pain have already tried something, rest, a course of physio, avoiding certain movements, waiting for it to settle. Pilates may not be the first option they consider. Among women in their 40s and 50s in particular, it should be. A 2025 meta-analysis of 93,021 women found that 57% of perimenopausal women experience back pain, compared to 42% premenopausal, a significant increase linked to hormonal changes affecting connective tissue and muscle (PMC12

Liz Shaw
Jul 158 min read


Best Exercise for Perimenopause: Why Reformer Pilates Works Differently
Reformer Pilates is one of the most misunderstood options when women start looking for the best exercise for perimenopause. Most people hear "Pilates" and think gentle. Low-impact. Recovery work. Something you do when you can't do real exercise. What it actually is: precise. And precision is exactly what the perimenopausal body needs. In 2024, a meta-analysis of 11 randomised trials involving 1,005 women found that mind-body exercise, the category Pilates sits in, produced la

Liz Shaw
Jun 246 min read


What Is Reformer Pilates: The Equipment, the Method, and What to Expect
Dark editorial cover image for Shaw Lifestyle blog post titled What Is Reformer Pilates: The Equipment, the Method, and What to Expect.

Liz Shaw
Jun 36 min read
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