Pilates or yoga for a bad back?
Many people with a sore back find either one helpful, and the better choice is usually the one you will enjoy enough to keep doing. Pilates tends to focus on small, controlled movements that build strength around your middle, while yoga tends to focus on gentle stretching, breathing and easing stiffness. If your back pain is new, severe or comes with other symptoms, see your GP before you start.
How Pilates and yoga differ
- Pilates is built around slow, precise exercises, often on a mat or with small kit. The focus is on strength and control in your tummy, back, hips and shoulders, and on how you hold yourself.
- Yoga links gentle movements and held positions with slow breathing. The focus is on easing stiffness, moving through your range, and settling your body and mind.
- The overlap is large. Both are low impact, both can be made easier or harder, and a good teacher in either will adapt moves around your back.
Which one should you pick?
There is no single right answer. If your back feels weak or tired when you stand or sit for long, many people like Pilates for the steady strengthening. If it feels tight and stiff, or stress seems to make it worse, many people prefer yoga. Often it comes down to the teacher and the room. Try a beginners' class of each if you can, and notice which leaves you feeling better the next day.
Try something tonight
A short guided stretch and breathing guide is an easy, gentle way to start looking after your back tonight, in your own front room.
Relaxation recordings are not medical treatment. Please only listen somewhere safe where you can relax, never while driving.
Or see someone: find yoga and Pilates teachers near you
Yoga and Pilates teachers are listed with the holistic and reiki practitioners in the Practitioner directory, each with a phone number. Pick your town:
Or by what you would like help with: pain and physical symptoms · Also: osteopaths, physios and chiropractors
What a first class is like
Look for a beginners, gentle or back care class, or a one-to-one session if you would feel safer starting that way. Arrive a little early, say you have a bad back and describe what sets it off. A class usually lasts 45 to 60 minutes. You move slowly, you are shown easier versions of each move, and you can rest whenever you like. Mild muscle tiredness afterwards is common, but sharp pain is a sign to stop and tell your teacher.
Roughly what does it cost?
A drop-in group class commonly costs from £6, and a block of classes is often cheaper per session. One-to-one sessions are commonly from £40. Prices vary by area and are often more in big cities. Many teachers offer a free or reduced first class, so ask before you book.
Where it fits alongside NHS care
For most ongoing back pain, the NHS advises staying active, and says that exercise, including classes such as yoga, can be part of that. Many people use a class alongside advice from their GP or a physiotherapist. Physiotherapist is a protected title in the UK, and a physiotherapist must be registered with the HCPC, so if you want a proper assessment and a personal exercise plan, that is the route. A teacher is not there to diagnose your pain, and a good one will tell you if another route is better first. Please don't stop or change any treatment because of a class.
When to see your GP first
Please see your GP before you start, and tell your teacher, if your back pain is new, severe or getting worse, if it follows a fall or injury, or if you have had surgery. Call 999 or go to A&E straight away if you have numbness or weakness in both legs, numbness around your genitals or bottom, or changes in your bladder or bowels. Call NHS 111 or ask for an urgent GP appointment if you have a high temperature with the pain.
This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have symptoms that haven't been checked, or you are under medical care, please talk to your GP as well.
More questions
Is Pilates or yoga better for back pain?
Neither is better for everyone. Many people find Pilates helps with strength and control, and yoga with stiffness and relaxing. Try a beginners' class of each and keep the one that suits you.
Should I stay still when my back hurts?
The NHS generally advises keeping gently active rather than resting for long, as far as your pain allows. If you are unsure what is safe for you, ask your GP or a physiotherapist.
Is Pilates the same as physiotherapy?
No. A Pilates teacher leads exercise, while a physiotherapist is a protected title for a registered health professional who can assess and advise on your condition. Some physiotherapists also teach Pilates.
Are there moves I should avoid?
It depends on your back, so tell the teacher what hurts. They can offer smaller or different moves, and you should skip anything that causes sharp pain.
How often should I go?
Once or twice a week is a good start, with a few minutes of gentle practice at home in between. Build up as it feels comfortable.