FlowPilates and sciatica
This is how FlowMat builds pilates classes for a student with sciatica. They are the app's real rules, reviewed by a medical committee: what isn't recommended is never suggested, and what needs care comes with a warning for the teacher.
500 exercises in the catalog
Guidance for the class
Exercises FlowMat does not suggest
These are 18 of the catalog's exercises that FlowMat keeps out of the class when this condition is present.
and 6 more in the app's catalog.
Exercises that come with a warning
Examples of exercises that do appear, with the guidance the teacher gets.
Keep your knees slightly bent and don't force the stretch if you feel tension down your leg.
Shorten the range and stop if you feel tingling or pulling down your leg.
Keep the abdominals engaged and limit the chest lift if you feel symptoms down the leg.
Keep both knees bent in tabletop; if you feel pain or shooting down the leg, stop the movement.
Use a small range, avoid flexing the torso at the same time, and stop if pain radiates down the leg.
If you feel sciatic tension, bend the knees slightly or rest them on a cushion.
Avoid bringing the knee too close to the chest; work in a comfortable range without pulling on the leg.
If you feel pain or tingling down the leg, reduce the forward lean of the torso.
Bend your knees slightly and stop leaning forward if pain shoots down your leg.
Lower only as far as pain-free with no leg irradiation; reduce the range if discomfort appears.
Stop the roll-back halfway and bend your knees more if your low back feels uncomfortable.
Stop if you feel pain radiating into the leg and reduce the range.
and 67 more in the app's catalog.
Frequently asked questions
Can you do pilates with sciatica?
It depends on each person and on what their treating doctor says. FlowMat does not replace that judgment: it helps the teacher plan the class, avoiding what isn't recommended with sciatica and flagging what needs care.
What does FlowMat do with exercises that are not recommended?
It never suggests them when building the class, and they don’t show up as a replacement when you swap an exercise either.
Can I change the class FlowMat builds?
Yes. You can swap, remove, add or reorder exercises and adjust the reps. The catalog only offers exercises that are safe for the student.