According to football writer Chris Nawrat the roots of our current obsession with football are in England's 1990 World Cup campaign in Italy.
Do you remember were you where when Gary Lineker scored the penalty that beat Cameroon in the quarter-final or where you saw Paul Gascoigne cry during the dramatic semi-final against West Germany? I do. I was flat on my back in bed in physical as well as mental agony as England's fortunes fluctuated.
A week earlier, on the day of my flight back from Italia '90, I had injured my back lifting heavy luggage. It was the beginning of a lower back problem that over the past nine years has necessitated regular visits to osteopaths. Then, earlier this year, my latest back specialist introduced me to Pilates treatment and therapist Avigail Ben-Ari.
Each week after stretching exercises to loosen up and strengthen the calf, thigh and stomach muscles, I do an hour-and-a-half Pilates session. These revolve around three different areas - work on the frame, mainly for the stomach muscles, the plie machine for the thighs and a curved bench for weights work on the arms.
The Pilates method is demanding both physically and mentally, as exercising in the correct way is of paramount importance, but the actual work is less prone to result in injury than normal exercise because it is based on the safe use of the body.
Each person is assessed before they start. The teaching in the studio is virtually one-to-one, and most of the exercises are done lying down, ensuring the spine is flat and the posture is automatically corrected.
Bad posture, according to Ben-Ari, is the biggest cause of our physical problems. Pilates - through correct breathing, balance and alignment while exercising - helps counteract the pain resulting from poor posture.
My weekly Pilates work at the studio gym has satisfied the need my osteopath identified to develop muscle tone in my abdomen and strengthen my legs, both vital to help support my back. I needed to get fitter but was wary of aggravating my back problems. Too much jogging or the 'pumping iron' techniques associated with traditional gyms could have made my situation worse.
Instead I've not only got fitter but my back pain has diminished and, when it has flared up, it has cleared up much quicker.
The Belsize Health Studio is at 74a Belsize Lane, London NW3 (Tel: 0171-431 6223).
The Pilates Foundation (Tel: 07071-781859) has a list of Pilates studios around the country.
