How can Pilates help in your rehabilitation process?
Pilates based rehabilitation focuses on strengthening the core muscles (deep abdominal and low back muscles) that are essential in supporting the spine for proper posture, alignment and movement. Beginning with the awareness of an activated core, all pilates exercises are performed with postural control in a standing, sitting or lying position. Learning proper posture and body mechanics lessens the chance of flaring up an injury, as well as prevents future injury.
Pilates equipment enables one to create exercises which mimic the activities of daily life such as turning one's head while driving a car, bending to pick an item up off the floor or standing from a seated position. This functional nature of Pilates is essential in the rehabilitation process, giving one the tools of proper posture and a strong core to apply to daily activities.
The equipment also allows one to rehabilitate their injury in a non-impact and non-weight bearing way through the use of springs and a pulley system. This allows the muscles to be strengthened without compromising the joints.
Pilates and Spinal Rehabilitation
In most spinal rehabilitation patients, their standing and/or sitting posture has been compromised, leading to pain and discomfort. Pilates helps in spinal rehab by teaching the student postural control as well as awareness and activation of the core while lying on the back, belly or side. This is the first step in helping the patient to use postural control in sitting and standing positions. With the use of Pilates equipment, one is able to take pressure off the spine, allowing the patient to more easily access his or her stabilizing muscles. Springs are used for resistance to strengthen, and assistance to perform exercises otherwise too stressful on the spine. As the patient's strength and awareness increases, sitting and standing exercises are added, integrating the new awareness of core and postural control. This eventually allows sitting, standing and moving to become pain free.
How can Pilates Help Elite Movers and Athletes?
The Pilates method improves athletic and elite performance and helps prevent injury through strengthening the core musculature. As a result of strengthening the core muscles, including the hip and gluteus (butt) muscles, one also stabilizes their pelvis and lumbar spine, which is essential in preventing injury due to improper body alignment, movement or overcompensation.
With Pilates strengthening and rehabilitation, the elite mover learns to move their extremities from a strong, stable center, using their core to help power themselves through their sport or activity. It teaches one how to isolate the proper muscles for any given movement, creating a more effective and efficient way of using one's body.
At the more advanced levels, Pilates requires the same combination of coordination, strength, and flexibility that athletic endeavors demand. Pilates can be modified to mimic the extreme demands placed upon the professional athlete through challenging one's balance, power, and control.
Pilates is an excellent tool in teaching proper posture, strengthening the core, preventing injury and rehabilitating existing injuries.
