What is Clinical Pilates, Exactly?
You might be wondering what clinical pilates is.
At Resilience Physiotherapy our Clinical Pilates Physiotherapy sessions in Toronto, ON are lead by our experienced & highly trained Registered Physiotherapist, Michelle Lee.
While she was living in Holland she was unable to work as a registered physiotherapist because she didn’t speak Dutch! She always had an interest in teaching Clinical Pilates as it complements the work one does as a physiotherapist and in general, she loved the practice of Pilates herself. Let’s face it, most people who walk through our door could use some help with their posture, core, breathwork and spinal mobility, just to name a few key areas. So, Michelle signed up for a year- long Comprehensive Pilates Teacher training while living in Amsterdam and earned her certification!
What makes Clinical Pilates different from traditional Pilates?
Clinical Pilates involves one-on one sessions that are tailored specifically to the needs of the patient and is led by a highly trained physiotherapist or other healthcare professional. Michelle will begin with a comprehensive assessment of your posture, motor patterns, strength, and mobility.
Using an evidenced-based approach, she will develop a program of care including a series of exercises which may utilize various pieces of equipment such as the reformer, foam roller, resistance bands and stability balls. Michelle will adapt various exercises to support you, depending where you’re at in your recovery.
Some key aspects of Clinical Pilates are the focus on proper alignment, breathing techniques, and mindful movement to enhance body awareness and prevent further injury.
What conditions does Clinical Pilates treat?
Some folks are interested to know who would benefit from Clinical Pilates and to be honest, I believe everybody can! The body awareness that comes from slowing down, coordinating breath and moving purposefully and mindfully is incredibly beneficial and crosses over to other forms of training that you may be doing. As the famous Joseph Pilates once said - ‘Pilates is complete coordination of body, mind and spirit.’
More specifically, here are some groups of people that would benefit from Clinical Pilates:
Those recovering from injury needing individualized therapy including those with low back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, knee pain, hip pain, sprains or strains.
Those with postural issues looking to improve their alignment to help relieve tension and aches, or to prevent them.
Athletes and active individuals as part of their cross-training regimen to improve core strength, balance, flexibility, and overall performance. Clinical Pilates can help prevent injuries, enhance athletic performance, and facilitate faster recovery from intense training sessions.
Pregnant and post-partum women looking to maintain core control, balance, stability and strengthening of the inner core. This can aid in the many aches and pains that can occur during pregnancy or after delivery.
Older adults can benefit from improvements in flexibility, balance, stability, coordination and strength, all which helps in remaining active and preventing falls as we age. Another famous quote from Joseph Pilates is ‘If your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you are old; if it is completely flexible at 60, you are young.’
People seeking general health and wellness but looking for a tailored approach.
What are the main benefits of Clinicial Pilates?
The beauty of Clinical Pilates is that it utilizes a tailored program which gives the ability to begin with gentle rehabilitative work, then progress you to very challenging exercises that will kick your butt! In a Clinical Pilates session, you will learn how to recruit both your superficial and deep muscular systems to get them working together. Other benefits include:
Global muscle and core strength
Balance, flexibility and coordination
Joint and spinal mobility
Posture
Body awareness and control
Mental clarity
Breath control
If you have any questions about Clinical Pilates, feel free to email Michelle at michelle@resiliencephysiotherapy.com, book a complimentary call through our online booking portal or book an Initial Clinical Pilates Assessment if you’re ready to dive right in!
