Sometimes, it isn't about the work out...

While most clients are looking for a work out, some clients have bigger issues to solve. Pilates can be a means to an end.

One of my clients fell in April and again in June this year while walking outdoors. She incurred fairly serious injuries (not to mention the damage to her pride and sense of independence) both times. I had expressed concern about the alignment of her legs, from hips to feet, but she didn't understand and bought new shoes. After the second fall, an orthopedist and a physical therapist expressed the same concerns I had, and she began to understand. After doing a little PT along with Pilates, she decided to focus on Pilates as the means to make changes.

We modified exercises to focus on the alignment between her hips, knees and feet. We also worked on her overall posture, shoulders and lengthening the back of her neck to improve her overall spinal alignment and balance. We have worked on her alignment while lying down, sitting and standing. Working only on the Mat, twice per week, her progress from July to September is amazing. 

July 2015 (left) - September 2015 (right)

From Health & Fitness Cheat Sheet: 5 Reasons Why Men Should Do Pilates

We're linking to an article by Amanda Lauren on Health & Fitness Cheat Sheet: "5 Reasons Why Men Should Do Pilates"

(Besides Joseph Pilates looking so great and being able to do such difficult exercises!)

Study Finds Pilates Effective at Improving Balance and Reducing Pain in Older Women

A small Spanish study published in August 2015 evaluated the effects of six weeks of Pilates on functional balance, fear of falling and chronic low-back pain in women over age 65.

Although Pilates is widely recommended by many physicians for older adults due to its positive effects on chronic low-back pain, balance, and fall prevention, until recently there have been few studies evaluating the effects of Pilates on this population. The objective of this study was to analyze the short term effects of Pilates and physical therapy on factors such as: fear of falling, functional balance, and lumbar pain in women older than 65 with chronic low-back pain. 

A single blind controlled randomized trial of six weeks of Pilates in addition to physiotherapy vs. physiotherapy treatment only was conducted on 97 women with chronic low-back pain. Both groups received the same physiotherapy two times per week for six weeks, while the Pilates group also received two sessions per week of Pilates (one hour per session). Patients were excluded from the study if they missed more than three sessions during the six-weeks. Patients were evaluated at baseline and again after six weeks of treatment.

Joseph Pilates at age 59

Researchers concluded that the Pilates group showed improvement in fear of falling and functional mobility and balance after treatment, and also had better results in pain reduction than the physiotherapy-only group.

"In 10 sessions, you will feel the difference. 

In 20, you will see the difference. 

And in 30, you will be on your way to having a whole new body..." 

-- Joseph Pilates

After 12 Pilates sessions, this group of older women living with chronic low-back pain showed improvement in fear of falling, functional mobility and balance, as well as reduced pain compared to patients who only received physiotherapy. Imagine what 10 Pilates sessions can do for you?

From Stack.com, "Why These 7 NFL Wide Receivers Do Pilates"

For anyone who thinks Pilates is only for women, or just for stretching, take a look at this video of Antonio Brown doing Pilates (on High Chair, Reformer and Ladder Barrel), then read the article about 6 other NFL Wide Receivers who do Pilates. From an article on Stack.com by Maddy Lucier, dated April 17, 2015.

Dr Araújo Provides More Info on SRT

Last month, I wrote a blog, "Pilates and Sitting-Rising Life Expectancy Test." The lead researcher, Dr Claudio Gil Araújo, from Clinimex, Exercise Medicine Clinic in Rio de Janeiro, kindly wrote to provide more information on another ref by his research group that was published in the Am J Phys Med & Rehab, "Does flexibility influence the ability to sit and rise from the floor?"

The purpose of this study was to establish whether flexibility influences the ability to sit and rise from the floor. Subjects aged 6-92 yrs performed the Sitting-Rising Test (SRT) and the Flexitest on the same laboratory visit. The SRT evaluates components of musculoskeletal function by assessing the subject's ability to sit and rise from the floor, which was scored from 0 to 5, with 1 point being subtracted from 5 for each support used (hand/knee). The subject's final SRT score, varying from 0 to 10, was obtained by adding the sitting and rising scores. The Flexitest evaluates the maximum passive range of motion of 20 body joint movements. For each one of the movements, there are five possible scores, 0-4, in a crescent mobility order. Adding the results of the 20 movements provides an overall flexibility score called the Flexindex (FLX).

Dr. Araújo's team concluded: Although seemingly simple tasks, the actions of sitting and rising from the floor are also partially dependent on flexibility in male and female subjects of a wide age range. Future studies should explore the potential benefit of regular flexibility exercises for these actions.

Dr. Araújo said the SRT has been used in several other clinical and sports scenarios on about 7,000 people ranging from 5 to 90 years of age in the last 15 years. It is also been utilized in US and Brazilian Army in order to easily identify those with some limitations in non-aerobic physical fitness (those unable to score a perfect 10 at 18-25 years of age). If you need the age and gender norms (pediatric to geriatric populations), Dr. Araújo has offered to provide -- you may contact Any Body's Pilates and we will put you in touch.

Thank you to Dr. Araújo for the follow-on message and information on additional studies. 

Pilates and Sitting-Rising Life Expectancy Test

A study published in Dec 2012 recently made headlines because it's a simple screening test that has proved remarkably predictive of mortality. A study of more than 2000 middle-aged and older men and women, performed in Brazil by Dr Claudio Gil Araújo and colleagues at the Clinimex -- Exercise Medicine Clinic in Rio de Janeiro, was reported December 13, 2012 in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention.The test was a simple assessment of the subjects' ability to sit and then rise unaided from the floor. Before starting the test, subjects were told: "Without worrying about the speed of movement, try to sit and then to rise from the floor, using the minimum support that you believe is needed."Each of the two basic movements were assessed and scored out of 5, with one point being subtracted from 5 for each support used (hand or knee, for example). A film of the sitting-rising test can be seen here, or an English-version here.

Offering an explanation for the close correlation between the test scores and survival, Dr Araújo said: "It is well known that aerobic fitness is strongly related to survival, but our study also shows that maintaining high levels of body flexibility, muscle strength, power-to-body weight ratio and co-ordination are not only good for performing daily activities but have a favourable influence on life expectancy."    

In Classical Pilates, we teach clients to sit on the Reformer without any support, and it is surprising how many people who cannot move to a seated position without using their hands for support. As they progress in Mat exercises, we teach clients to start class standing and move to a seated position (without support), and to end class by moving from seated to standing (without support). For many clients, this presents major challenges that require practice to acquire the necessary strength, confidence, and body alignment. Joseph Pilates famously said, "The body is as old as the spine is young," summarizing Dr Araújo's conclusion that flexibility, strength and coordination are important to long-term health and life expectancy. 

MUSC, Medical Research and "Pilates Power"

My good friends, internal medicine doctors at MUSC, forwarded an Email from MUSC's Safety Physician about an article in MUSC's publication "Safely Speaking," entitled Pilates Power:

The article discusses a recent study published on PubMed on the effect Pilates has on older adults and preventing falls. While more research is needed, there does seem to be a correlation between Pilates, improved balance, and reduced falls. 

As a reminder, the benefits of Pilates are: strength, stamina, stretch/flexibility, and stabilization -- this improves balance, but also evens the two sides of the body. Pilates is

all about controlling the body with the mind, while using all the muscles at once, in concert with breathing. Using body weight and spring tension, one can successfully complete a weight-bearing exercise program while seated or lying down (on sofa-height equipment). Individuals with vertigo or other balance issues, obese clients, older adults or anyone who has issues with getting up and down off the floor usually find this much safer and more appealing. 

At Any Body's Pilates, we believe Fitness is for ANY Body! We enjoy working with older adults, and those who have difficulty working out. Our equipment is sofa height (there are NO Yoga Mats on the floor), and we believe in personalized instruction, even in a Mat class environment. For more information, see our web site or contact us.