How Pilates has Changed my Life

Pilates has been my saving grace in so many ways.   After having a 10.5 lb baby boy a couple of years ago, my small framed body and alignment was a wreck! I had hip and lower back pain with walking and I began to worry that it would be a lifelong problem.  After a series of visits to the chiropractor with no relief in sight, and after X-rays and MRI, the chiropractor said she could not help me.   She strongly recommended pilates because of it’s ability to alleviate my alignment issues and build core strength where I needed it.    My first visit to Ishbel for my postural analysis was a very humble one as I was not even stable enough to try the leg stirrups.    Each visit was better and better, and I added “homework” prescribed by Isbhel consisting of 3 specific pilates exercises at home -slowly, after about six months, the pain in my lower back and hip subsided.  It was a gradual improvement but one that I am forever grateful for.  Walking with pain is never something I could imagine having to just live with.   Now, about 18 mos. after my first introduction to Pilates, I am enjoying taking reformer classes, jumpboard plus, a mat class here and there, and the occasional pilates seminar.    Thank you to all of you at Pilates NW for caring so much and helping me become active and fit again.

Tonya

Pilates and Posture: What is ideal?

Yesterday, one of my new students asked me if I thought Pilates could help their posture, and I told her that over the last ten years, I have seen countless numbers of students radically improve their posture through pilates. So, she asked me to analyze her posture and suggest exercises that would be most beneficial for her to do. Of course, I did this for her, and she was able to leave the lesson with five or six things that she could focus on while working in group classes and on her own.

Later, I realized that this would be a great topic to focus on for our blog. So, here is my first entry about Pilates and Posture. Today, I will talk about what is commonly considered “Ideal Posture.” An ideal posture (or standard posture) is something that we strive for.

In general, ”good posture” is one that promotes overall balance for all the joints and organs and minimizes stress and strain throughout the body. Good posture allows joints to glide and move as they were meant to, minimizing unwanted grinding or sheering. Good posture also is “conducive to good alignment of the abdomen and trunk, so that the chest and upper back are in a position that favors optimal function of the respiratory organs” (Florence Peterson Kendall, PT)

As seen in the profile picture below, the spine has its’ normal curves, the pelvis is level (the two hip bones in the front (ASIS) are on the same plane as the pubic bone), the hip joint is centered in the socket and the thigh bones are stacked directly over the bones of the lower leg (tibia and fibula) and the head sits balanced on the spine so that there is a slight (lordodic) curve in the neck and the chin sits in line with the sternum.

 

The back view of an ideal posture, seen to the right, shows the head balanced (neither tilted or rotated), a straight neck, level shoulders and shoulder blades, a straight spine (right and left sides of the trunk are symmetrical), level pelvis and neutral hip joint and knees. The toes are pointing slightly outward.

 Since there is a direct coorelation between the static alignment of the bones and the balance of the muscles which attach to them, pilates exercise can be used as means to change posture. In order to do this effectively, one’s posture should first be analyzed for deviations that appear different from the standard posture. Then, a qualified instructor should be able to select exercises that help to lengthen or strengthen muscles that contribute to the postural deviation. In addition, the instructor needs to be able to successfully guide the student through the exercises, using props or modifications as needed, in order to ensure that the student is effectively changing their habitual movement pattern and using the correct muscle groups throughout.

Stay tuned for more entries about posture and learn about the three classic postural types and which pilates exercises may be most beneficial to focus on in each case.