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pain (mostly from running in the Marines) and sciatica (from pregnancy). I used to walk with a limp, and my back was starting to have issues. There are many reasons why Pilates can help people with injuries, but the three biggest ones for me were and continue to be: physical fitness, overall flexibility, and muscle strengthening with spring tension.
One of the key tenets of Pilates is physical fitness, especially incorporating the spine with the movements. As Joseph H. Pilates (2005) said, “Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness. Our interpretation of physical fitness is the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind, fully capable of naturally, easily, and satisfactorily performing many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure.” (p. 15) I have found this to be true for me, and working on not only strengthening but mobilizing my spine has helped me heal physical ailments and sets me up to be pain free long-term. In every Pilates class, participants are guided through spinal movement in all ways: flexion, extension, side or lateral bending, and rotation. These movements simultaneously develop strength, flexibility, and mobility of the spine. When the spine is strong, flexible, and mobile, we are able to move through life with ease. While researching for this article, there was one study that came up time and time again for Pilates: Low back pain and how Pilates impacts it. Most people I know suffer from back pain of some sort, and it is common in the low back. Pilates, done well, can ease lower back pain and help it from reoccurring.
Flexibility seems to be the forgotten essential of fitness, even though it is equally important as cardio or muscle strength. In Pilates, it is definitely not forgotten! One of the unique traits of Pilates is that many exercises address flexibility and strength at the same time. For example, one of my favorite exercises on the Reformer is called ‘Feet in Straps – leg circles’. Leg circles can also be done without equipment. In both exercises, muscles of the legs will stretch and strengthen at the same time. While performing the exercise, the participant uses their abdominal and back muscles to keep the body from moving. A simple leg circle is a new world from a Pilates point of view. I learned that
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