Pilates

Pilates is a body conditioning routine that helps build flexibility and long, lean muscles, strength and endurance in the legs, abdominals, arms, hips, and back. It puts emphasis on spinal and pelvic alignment, breathing to relieve stress and allow adequate oxygen flow to muscles, developing a strong core or centre (tones abdominals while strengthening the back), and improving coordination and balance. Pilates' flexible system allows for different exercises to be modified in range of difficulty from beginning to advanced. Intensity can be increased over time as the body conditions and adapts to the exercises. No muscle group is under or over trained. It enhances core strength and brings increased reach, flexibility, sure-footedness and agility.

History. Joseph Pilates, born in Germany in 1880 was the founder. He overcame physical limitations with exercise and body building. As a POW in WW1 he devised exercise programmes which benefited hospital patients. After the war, he eventually opened a Pilates Studio in New York.

Traditional Pilates Exercises. These are designed for fit and healthy people and were originally used within the dance world with great emphasis on outer muscles requiring high muscle flexibility. At Linlithgow Physiotherapy we use a modified Pilates based on the Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute.

Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute Method. These exercises were designed by physiotherapists for use in rehabilitation. In essence traditional Pilates exercises have been broken down and modified to be suitable for a variety of problems including orthopaedic, neurological, women's health, sports and paediatric settings.

Benefit Of Pilates. Evidence indicates that it can help in several ways. it can improve posture, flatten your abdomen, make you more flexible, helps with back pain and can energise you making you feel light and relaxed. In addition it can improve stability and balance in the older adult, will strenghten your core muscles and promote body awareness. It can help teach body control, improve blood circulation and finally there is evidence it improves sleep and raises mood.

We are happy to assess you on a one to one basis and give you an appropriate modified Pilates programme. This will require work at home.