THIS week I was in LA covering the Oscars for a few national titles, and among the A-list elbow grazing, limo gridlock and lush locks envy, I couldn't help but think one thing. I hope my back holds out.

I've had back issues for the past eight years, ever since I took two long-haul flights in four days and woke up after the second one bent double like Mrs Overall from Acorn Antiques.

The second time it gave out was when I was clipped by a speeding people carrier while crossing the road, which left me in a heap on the floor watching it drive off.

And the third time was when I let a friend's young son jump on me.

Each time I combated the pain with ibuprofen and a hot water bottle followed by physiotherapy, as the doctor advised.

But I also turned to an osteopath who recommended pilates, and I completely credit pilates with turning things around for me.

I had tried some mat classes before at my local leisure centre in London, but I found that because the groups were so large, if you were starting out it left plenty of room for error.

Because I was now going for a very specific reason - to sort my back out - I needed the classes to be very small so that I could be watched like a hawk.

Very soon after I started taking equipment classes at my local studio three years ago, I stopped having back issues completely.

However, I broke my ankle last summer, and as soon as I started weightbearing again after seven weeks in a cast, my back started playing up.

Luckily I have found a lovely pilates studio in Salisbury and have packed in as many equipment classes as possible as part of my rehabilitation, but I still felt apprehensive about the Oscars.

The long-haul travel, combined with wearing heels and dragging luggage around, didn't seem a very sensible combination.

Luckily the work I have been doing in the pilates studio to strengthen my core seems to have paid off, and although I had a few twinges, I feel like I'm almost back to the point where I was before I broke my ankle, proving that for me pilates is not just for surviving red-carpet season in strappy sandals, it's for life.