It's not about compartmentalizing exercise into one or two sessions a week or building up some muscle groups and neglecting the rest. Instead it cultivates an awareness of your spine, posture and everyday movements. This translates into how you lift a child, sit in front of a steering wheel or bang a tennis ball." (Craig, 2001)
It is clear, then, that Pilates truly does affect people's recovery from injury through rehab. Because of its generalist applications, and focus on back strength and flexibility, Pilates is a one-stop shop for those looking to make their daily lives more pain free and those looking to accelerate their recovery from falls and sprains, for instance.
Pilates is mental as well as physical work. One must begin by apportioning some time for oneself in a silent, uncluttered room to help one focus. Proper breathing is fundamental and will help relax one and make the movements effortless. The exercises are not repetitious, as mentioned above, so there is no risk of harming performance in other activities.
It is appropriate to focus on the basic principles, according to most experts including Crawford and Craig:
Concentration -- engage your mind on what your body is doing.
Control -- coordinate your body so that movements are not haphazard.
Centring -- work from a strong core.
Breathing -- breathe three-dimensionally into the rib cage.
Postural alignment -- be aware of the position of your body at all times.
Flow -- slow, supple, graceful movements.
Precision -- exact, economic, accurate movements.=
Stamina -- introduce the element of intensity to build endurance.
Relaxation -- learn not to overwork the body.
That sort of monomaniacal focus on these principles will allow more rapid rehabbing of injury. Specifically, horseback riders who are sidelined with injury may benefit from Pilates the most out of any other sport. The well-regarded Web site www.allaboutpilates.comclaims that, "Pilates helps horseback riders immensely. Dressage depends on balance and subtle movement. Pilates has given me the ability to balance and improve my communication with the horse. Pilates is an amazing complement to the conditioning you get riding." (www.allaboutpilates.com)
Pilates also helps with those recovering from back injuries and elbow injuries associated with tennis. With the constant pressure on the back with serving and overheads, Pilates methods not only improve one's tennis game, they reduce any pain associated with the sport.
Cycling, as an activity that requires abnormal bending and pronation of the spine, also benefits from proper Pilates workouts in that it is very easy to hurt oneself on a bike - from a fall or a bad back - so rehabbing from injury is critical, and Pilates can speed that process.
Surprisingly, American football players also benefit from Pilates workouts. According to www.allaboutpilates.com,"So many professional sports men and women are using Pilates as part of their overall...
Pilates and After Injury Rehabilitation As a child, German-born Joseph H. Pilates suffered from several illnesses that resulted in muscular weakness. Pilates was determined to overcome his frailties, and dedicated his life to becoming physically stronger. He studied martial arts, yoga, Zen meditation, and Greek and Roman exercises, and worked with medical professionals including physicians and his wife Clara, a nurse. Joseph Pilates' experiences led to the development of his unique
Pilates matwork exercises While there are dozens of matwork exercises, the rollback is basic and typical. Because it strengthens the spin and facilitates motor control, it is essential before beginning other exercises. "It is a key movement in the Pilates system because it addresses the core musculature of the powerhouse in detail. This exercise gives an opportunity for an instructor to observe the body's symmetry. It allows them to cue a
Spine-health.com/topics/conserv/pilates/pilates01.html) Just adding this simple group of exercises to what you already do for fitness, or as an entirely new fitness regimen will develop a strong balanced set of core muscles that will be much more resistant to lower back stress and strain, and will likely improve or even eliminate lower back pain. Case Study: Jack Jack (age 49) presented for chronic lower back pain that had been reoccurring over the past several
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