Short Spine Massage: Technique, Muscles Worked and Modifications

How to do the Short Spine Massage

Lie on your back on the Reformer carriage with your feet secured in the straps. Straighten your legs out at an angle where your lower back rests flat against the mat.

1. Keep your legs straight and hinge at your hips to lift your feet toward the ceiling.
2. Use your abdominal muscles to peel your spine off the carriage until your hips are over your shoulders.
3. Bend your knees, bringing your heels down toward your glutes without dropping your pelvis.
4. Keep your feet still in space as you slowly roll your spine down onto the carriage one vertebra at a time.
5. Once your tailbone rests on the mat, pull your heels closer to your body.
6. Press your feet out into the straps to return your legs to the starting diagonal position.

• Breath. Teachers cue breathing differently, but you will often inhale to lift your legs and roll up, exhale to bend your knees, inhale to hold the shape, and exhale as you roll your spine down.
• Where you feel it. You should feel strong work in your abdominal muscles and hamstrings, along with a stretch through your back. You should not feel sharp pressure or pain in your neck.
• How many. 4 to 6 slow, controlled repetitions

Common mistakes

• Resting on the neck. Keep your weight on your upper back and shoulders. Do not roll up so high that your neck bears the load.
• Using momentum. Rely on your rectus abdominis to lift your pelvis rather than swinging your legs. A slower pace helps ensure your muscles do the work.
• Dropping the hips early. Keep your pelvis lifted high as you bend your knees. Wait to lower your hips until you begin articulating your spine down.
• Letting the feet travel. When rolling your spine down, imagine your feet are suspended in one spot. This forces your core to control the descent.
• Arching the lower back. Keep your ribs soft and your abdominals engaged when pressing your legs back out. Only lower your legs to a height where your back stays supported.

Make it easier or harder

Easier

• Practice the leg movements by bending and straightening your knees without lifting your hips off the carriage.
• Perform a basic pelvic curl and roll-up on a mat without the Reformer straps to build core strength.
• Only lift your hips a few inches off the carriage instead of rolling all the way onto your shoulders.

Who should be careful

• If you have osteoporosis or low bone density, or a recent disc injury, ask your clinician whether repeated loaded forward bending of the spine suits you. Many bone health organizations recommend limiting it.
• This exercise puts weight on the shoulders and upper back with the hips above the head. Skip it if you have neck problems, osteoporosis, glaucoma or uncontrolled high blood pressure, or are pregnant, unless a clinician who knows your history has said it is fine.
• Reformer springs and the moving carriage add load and instability. Learn it with a qualified instructor, who can set the springs for your body and goals.

Related exercises

• Backstroke Intermediate
• Coordination Intermediate
• Elephant Intermediate
• Feet in Straps Beginner to intermediate
• Pelvic Lift on the Reformer Beginner to intermediate

When to see a doctor or physical therapist

• Sharp pain or deep pressure in your cervical spine or neck.
• Numbness or tingling traveling down your arms or legs.
• Sudden, sharp pain in your lower back during spinal flexion.
• Dizziness or lightheadedness when your hips are lifted over your shoulders.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or are recovering from an injury or surgery, check with your own clinician before trying new exercises.

How we put this page together. Exercise data (type, level, equipment and muscles) was compiled by our editors from the classical mat order in Joseph Pilates’ 1945 book and from commonly taught reformer repertoire. Muscle lists are a general anatomy guide; cueing differs between teachers. Text drafted with AI assistance and checked by the Editorial Team. See our editorial policy. Last checked October 2026.