What is Pilates? Part One:

by Jemma Lekkas |

“(The Pilates Method) teaches you to be in control of your body and not at its mercy.” ~ Joseph Pilates

Pilates is a system of exercises developed by German-born Joseph Pilates (born 1883) over a  period of 60 years. It incorporates mat work, as well as work on apparatus’ such as the  Reformer, the Cadillac & the Low Chair.

Starting from a young age, Pilates dedicated his life to improving his physical fitness. He studied  gymnastics, martial arts & boxing. He moved to England in 1912 and earned his living as a  professional circus performer and boxer. During World War I he was interned with other German  Nationals on the Isle of Man. He used this time to develop his method of exercises, which he  called Contrology. He often worked with those who were injured in the war, and his makeshift  equipment (such as attaching bed springs to an anchor point for resistance rehabilitation)  inspired what we now know as the Cadillac and the Reformer.

Following the war, Joe returned to Germany where he continued to work on his method, and  then emigrated to the United States in the 1920s. He opened a studio in New York City with his wife Clara, teaching students his method, and gaining a strong following from the dance  community.

“Change happens through movement and movement heals.” ~ Joseph Pilates

Pilates believed that mental health and physical health were related. He believed the power of  the mind lead to whole-body health. Pilates exercises promote mindfulness and flowing  movement, and encourage heightened body awareness and coordination. After his death in 1967, Contrology became known as the Pilates Method.

“Breathing is the first act of life, and the last. Our very life depends on it.” ~Joseph Pilates

Pilates teaches an awareness of breath. Joseph believed that inefficient breathing was a cause of poor health. He taught his students to inhale deeply, and exhale fully, to rid the lungs of stale  air and promote the cycle of oxygen through the body.

The Pilates Method promotes core and muscular strength. It relies on low-impact exercises and  endurance movements to improve flexibility, body & spine alignment, muscle balance, and  posture, and stretch and strengthen the musculoskeletal system.

***

In recent years, Pilates has been increasingly adopted by physiotherapists and other  practitioners as a complementary treatment to traditional manual approaches. It has earned  acceptance particularly in the sports medicine and spinal medicine fields.

Clinical Pilates was founded by Craig Phillips in 1988 after he saw positive connections  between Pilates and spinal stability research. He had previously noticed that many patients were  progressing from physiotherapy to gym workouts which were then aggravating the original  problems. Pilates was an option that seemed to better fit the needs of his clients, particularly the  retraining and recruitment of deep stabilising muscles to better treat low back pain.

Clinical Pilates has evolved over the last 30 years and now involves the use of therapeutic exercise, individualised to a patient’s specific  needs. Using the Movement Based Classification and Treatment tool (MBCT) this has become an approach to healing that is patient-centred and found in the moving body. It  encourages patients to take an active role in their recovery and learn to listen to their body’s  cues. There is a strong focus on maintenance and injury prevention. Rather than treating only an  injury or symptom, Clinical Pilates involves treating the whole person. As Craig quotes:

“This is not an homogeneous exercise protocol approach, it’s a cutting edge pathology treatment tool”

How does the MBCT work?

Physiotherapists use a detailed subjective and objective assessment process to identify problematic movement patterns or postural issues. We then use video to measure your baseline functional movements before utilising specific Pilates exercises that have been modified to better suit the physiotherapy setting. Phillips found  that many of the Pilates exercises were too ‘high- level’ and had a high proportion of flexion based work. Progressing to a greater range of exercises based on the originals has seen a shift  towards more mid-range movements and control. These can then be used and modified for a  greater number of patients.

Clinical Pilates is now also being used as an at-home ongoing treatment tool. Physiotherapists  will often construct programs for their patients to continue once manual therapy treatment is no  longer needed. This has proven to be an effective way to prevent re-injury.

Next Week: Part 2: Benefits of Pilates…

Previous
Previous

Ten Benefits of Pilates: Part Two

Next
Next

Laughter really IS the best medicine!