It is most likely that all of us will be injured, operated on or in pain at some stage of our lives. Once you get through the acute stage where active medical support and treatment is required, you might consider Pilates to assist your bodies recovery. Pilates isn’t just for the fit bodz and the celebrities. More and more, Pilates is being used to assist recovery for many types of injuries; broken bones, knee and hip replacements, abdominal surgery, neurological conditions such as chronic fatigue, women pre and post pregnancy, chronic pain sufferers, osteoporosis and arthritis etc.
There are many types of Pilates out there, you have seen the leaflets and promos. Church hall mat classes, large gym based classes, studio based Pilates on spring loaded equipment to name a few. Pilates exercise methods and concepts are utilised with clients presenting at studios following some form of injury, mishap or general ache or pain that limits their ability to function fully in their life. There are hundreds of Pilates equipment and mat exercises that can be used safely and appropriately with clients needing modified exercise, this is the beauty of the Pilates method.
When taught by a trained and certified Instructor, it is an adaptable and safe exercise approach that can be tailored entirely to your individual needs.
If you put yourself in this category, it is appropriate for a Pilates Instructor to ensure you have obtained your GP or specialists approval to commence a Pilates program, especially if you are new to the method. If your specialist or Physiotherapist/Osteopath has any recommendations based on the treatment they have done with you, share these with your Instructor. You need to be confident that the exercises that go into your Pilates program, are a complement to their treatment and are not too much too soon in terms of their professional advice.
Not every Pilates teacher will have the experience or expertise to work with clients who are recovering from injuries or accidents. Ask these sorts of questions when you contact a studio – how much teaching experience does this Instructor have, are they members of the professional body representing Pilates (the PAA or the APMA). Even ask to speak to other clients for feedback and an honest appraisal. You do not want to trust your body and its recovery to an Instructor that has completed a weekend training course, and is therefore ineligible to be recognised by a professional body.
It is essential that your first few sessions are private, one to one sessions that take place following your initial consultation. During your initial consultation, your Pilates Instructor will evaluate your posture, movements, alignment and body mechanics to be clear on the nature of your injury, the associated pain and any dysfunction resulting.
Group classes where the Instructor doesn’t know anything about you, or your history are downright unsafe, and may aggravate your condition. Once you have conducted a number of private sessions and are starting to get the Pilates fundamentals ‘into’ your body, you may choose to move into a semi private or studio sessions. In this scenario you will still have an individual approach and program, but the Instructor will teach up to three or four other clients concurrently.
The cost for private Pilates sessions varies depending greatly on the studio you join, but can range between $60 and $140 per hour. This is comparable to an hourly cost with a personal trainer. Some studios offer ‘start up’ packages enticing you to pre pay for a number of sessions, therefore receiving a discounted rate. A standard semi private Pilates session in a studio will generally be $35 - $60 per session. Of course, prices will vary so don’t take this as the only prices you will see.
I would advise you to initially undertake a minimum of 2-3 Pilates sessions per week. It takes time and patience to restrengthen the body, especially after an episode of pain when a lot of muscles stop working and need help to come to life. In order to reinforce new and safe movement patterns, and improve your muscle memory, repetition is required. You don’t learn a strong and efficient golf swing in two sessions, same applies here.
Pilates is an effective method for clients with any muscle or bone injury or disorder. It targets the whole body, correcting muscle imbalances, overuses and weaknesses. These can be the source of the pain and your Instructor will be able to see these in action and work with you to improve your movements.
Most importantly, Pilates is not suitable to take the place of medical treatment, but to complement it, at a safe and suitable time during your recovery.
