Pilates

What is Pilates?

Pilates promotes strengthening internal stabilizing muscles to improve movement and support joints. It keeps the whole body in mind, emphasizing alignment and balancing muscular forces around the joints to promote activity and efficiency.

This type of therapy combines techniques and therapeutic movements of classical Pilates with movements to help patients improve flexibility, range of motion, and strength.

Pilates is based on the principle that movement-oriented exercises can allow patients to have positive experiences and success, shifting them away from the belief that exercises and activities are painful.

How does a doctor of physical therapy incorporate Pilates into treatment?

Your physical therapists at Pipeline Physical Therapy might incorporate Pilates into your treatment plan to:

• Prevent injury
• Help with a patient’s recovery (from illness, injury, or surgery)
• Correct posture and alignment
• Build and maintain flexibility and strength

Your plan may include other exercises for the core muscles and pelvic floor and biofeedback to help you retrain and regain control. While much of the principle, anatomy, and physiology information is the same, Pilates movements and exercises are precise and must be carried out appropriately for optimum results.

Pilates and physical therapy philosophies are very similar, so integrating the two makes sense.

How can Pilates help me?

Pilates offers the following benefits:

• Improves stability
• Strengthens pelvic floor and other core muscles in general for both men and women
• Strengthens pelvic floor for pre-natal and post-natal women
• Helps with pelvic floor dysfunction
• Reduces neck pain and lower back pain
• Provides rehabilitative and post-operative care

Pilates-based treatment is often seen as more flexible than other physical therapy treatments, as these exercises provide a variety of modifications for different levels of ability, making the prescribed movements tailored to each individual.

As patients move through modifications, they often notice how they’re getting stronger and more flexible, giving them a feeling of success and progress. This feeling often encourages regular exercise and improved overall health and well-being long after treatment.

Call Pipeline Physical Therapy to learn more about Pilates and schedule a visit. Or request an appointment online, which is quick and convenient.