How can matwork Pilates help back pain?

Many of the matwork exercises in Pilates help back pain by strengthening and stabilizing the back.  Keeping the 8 principles of Pilates in mind while performing the exercises will help to get more out of the actual exercise.  Scapula isolation, arm circles, elevation and depression of scapulae while all exercises to warm up the scapular region all provide a good way of gently exercising the muscles in the back in and around the scapular region.

Some of the more common exercises that you’ll find that target the muscles in the back and spine are the:

breast stroke preps (transversus abdominis, pelvic floor, mid and upper back erector spinae, obliques, hip extensors, scapular stabilizers)

breast stroke (transversus abdominis, pelvic floor, mid and upper back erector spinae, obliques, hip extensors, posterior deltoid, deltoids, latissimus dorsi, teres major),

swan dive (transversus abdominis, pelvic floor, erector spinae, hip extensors, obliques, scapular stabilizers)

swimming (transversus abdominis, pelvic floor, obliques, mutifidus, erector spinae, obliques, gluteus maximus, hamstrings, scapular stabilizers, deltoids)

Some stretches for the back: shell stretch (transversus abdominis, pelvic floor, spinal extensors), cat stretch, spine stretch forward (transversus abdominis, pelvic floor, rectus abdominis, obliques, erector spinae, scapular stabilizers) 

Props may be added to these exercises to add to the challenge, for example using the foam roller or ball during the breast stroke preps and swam dive adds to the stability challenge.

Many of these exercises are compound exercises working more than one muscle group. For example, when doing swimming prep, the muscles in the back and along the spine are working to extend the spine as well as the glutes and hip extensors to extend at the hip. 

Note:  Names of exercises may vary from style to style of Pilates but the essence of the exercises remains the same.