Pilates for rehabilitation, the FFI approach

Have you tried Pilates yet?

If so, it was more than likely performed the way that Joseph Pilates would have taught his students, in imprint. Imprint is where you have your lower back pushed into the ground or apparatus when supine. This is fine in some cases, but read on.

There is a statistic that says that 85% of the population will suffer from lower back pain at some point in their lives. So if you don't have pain now, maybe it's just around the next corner?

If you do traditional Pilates (imprint) all the time you might want to consider trying some modified movements in neutral spine. Yes that's with the head down and the lower back in it's proper position. Won't this make it easier you might say? Yes and no i'd say!

Then why do it? Training the lower back in neutral will recruit the fibres that are dormant during imprint. The fibres of lumbar multifidus in particular. A very important group of fibres responsible for lower back stiffness and maintaining your natural lumbar curve. Fibres that atrophy (waste) with lower back pain clients. So in neutral you will strengthen them. Yes you can go back to the original movements later.

Don't get me wrong, there are some people who need the original movements, but that's an individual issue and will depend on assesment of the client. But you will find that the majority of people (85%) will need the modified FFI methods too.

So at Function & Fitness Ireland FFI we teach our students the original Pilates repetoir and we also teach more importantly, a modified Pilates that will suit working alongside therapists that have patients in rehabilitation.

So if you are doing Pilates with your lower back pushed into the ground all the time you may be heading down the road to pain. At FFI we love Pilates and it's benefits, but we like to mix the original method with a modified form of Pilates.

Function & Fitness Ireland FFI run Pilates and corrective exercise certification courses throught the year.

www.ffireland.com

Enjoy your movement training and train smart :)