Ruth Meredith
disCoVeriNg PILAteS
Features Editor, Ruth Meredith discovers the numerous benefits of Pilates at The Physiotherapy Clinic… Having suffered from recurring neck pain for far too long, i decided to seek the friendly, expert advice of physiotherapist Lisa sharratt, at the Physiotherapy Clinic, Bamford. as i suspected, one of the main contributing factors Lisa identified was my posture, made worse by my job as Features editor, hunched over the computer for hours on end. i’m also a photographer and the weight of the camera around my neck, pulling my head forward, all added to the strain on the joints and discs in the spine. the bad news - i have awful posture. the great news - if i act now i can prevent, or at least reduce, the number of future episodes… not to mention the couple of inches i’ll gain from standing up straight! Lisa recommended Pilates as part of a long-term management plan and explained that spinal problems can be significantly improved if abdominal muscles are trained correctly. Pilates is all about training those tiny core muscles you didn’t even know existed. Following activation of the core stability muscles, arm and leg movements are added, to load and strengthen the rest of the trunk muscles and reduce the stress and strain on the spine.
Joseph Pilates devised the original exercise techniques, which form the basis of today’s Pilates methods. He was thought to have been a sickly child, growing up in Germany at the end of last century. He developed equipment and an exercise/breathing programme, to enable him to overcome this sickness. During the First World War, he helped rehabilitate injured patients in hospital with these same exercises, with good results. In the 1920’s, he emigrated to the USA and set up a studio that included apparatus on which the exercises may be practised; an approach that became very popular within the dance community. The original Pilates Method has been modified by several groups to incorporate current
medical and biomechanical thinking. The Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute (APPI) is one such group. All members are fully qualified physiotherapists, implementing modified Pilates into prevention and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal problems. For further information please visit www.ausphysio.com. The Physiotherapy Clinic currently has a fantastic special offer of just £10 per class if a course of six is paid for in advance. You’re also required to complete an initial one-hour assessment which is £40. There are lunchtime and evening classes to choose from and you can progress through beginner, intermediate and advanced classes.
With the concerns over my neck pain, I decided to join one of the small Pilates classes, held upstairs in the studio at The Physiotherapy Clinic. Instructors are chartered physiotherapists, so will modify the session to suit individual problems and with a maximum of six participants per class you really feel like your getting expert attention. I’m now beginning my third Pilates course (six sessions per course) and can definitely feel an improvement in my core stability, flexibility, muscle tone and awareness of my posture. The sessions are also a great way to relax, yet re-energise… strange but true. Other participants on the course include people with back, shoulder, hip and knee complaints, to name but a few. But you don’t need a physical complaint to reap the benefits of Pilates – improving core stability will help prevent any future problems and it’s also perfect for any sport enthusiasts.
for more information please visit www.thephysioclinic.net or contact Joanie or Lorraine on 01706 525621 / email admin@thephysioclinic.net. Christmas gift vouchers are also available. 26
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