Pilates and Injuries
Although in previous blogs I have mentioned how sweaty and hard Pilates can be, I have to also mention that it can be as kind and gentle when it is for the best interest of the person that is being taught.
Being injury prone as a person myself due to very flexible and loose ligaments and joints, I can understand the worry people may have doing a workout that will be using their whole body. So what is it that makes Pilates so special and safe?
Pilates works with the body's own capabilities, rather than pushing it to the limit.
This is one of the reasons that most newcomers don't get sore the next day, as if they had been in the gym. This is also a reason why most people wont feel they have worked out the first lesson or two. But THIS is the genius part of it all.. because before they realize it they are working their tight little butts off, reaching further a little more every time! And this is what its all about! Giving the body time to adjust or re adjust, make room for changes in a gradual gentle manner, fixing, tightening and loosening up sore spots.
So, conclusion is, Pilates is safe, and the genius of it is that the system helps up work around the injuries, in order to work the injury itself!
Another crucial fact to this topic though, is the Teacher themselves. A Pilates Teacher has to understand, acknowledge and accept that an injury is never the same, and this rule goes for the person standing in front of them. In other words, we, as teachers, should never treat the injured client with the same way we worked on another person with a similar issue. Just because the symptoms and first external examination is similar, it doesn't mean that the movement mechanics and abilities will also match!
The three best ways I would suggest someone deals with an injured client is:
Examine the person with Visuals, see how they move in each plane of movement, look at what is their weakest or most painful point for the injured area, and also see what makes them relieved from pain, or gives them a nice stretch.
Allow them to go through the exercise without causing more than tolerable pain, and to enjoy moving their body again even though they have this injury.
Give them a few exercises at the end that you have carefully planned out in your head from your visual check through the whole lesson they went through. Now is the time for you to tackle this weak spot!
