Pilates

It is a form of exercise used by physiotherapists for rehabilitation and prevention of injury. The exercise regime has been adapted from Joseph Pilates' original techniques to incorporate current scientific knowledge and physiotherapy expertise.

Clinical Pilates uses spring or elastic resistance combined with a series of floor exercises to improve the stability of the spine and therefore control pain and enhance musculoskeletal function. Other equipment incorporated may be the Physio Ball, Magic circle, Roller or small pilates balls.

Traditional strength training may encourage a person to 'brace' with their abdominal and other non-specific strength muscles. Depending on the injury and levels of pain a person is experiencing, gym exercise or other recreational activities may be very difficult to undertake. Clinical Pilates uses direction-specific, non-impact movements to enable a person to engage in pain-free exercises immediately following an injury.

Your physiotherapist will first assess your ability to move and control the spine, identifying areas that may be too tight or weak or provide very poor stability to the joints. Based on this assessment a series of specific exercises are then designed to treat your symptoms.

Here at The Melbourne Sports Medicine Centre, your Clinical Pilates program is linked with current research regarding the use of deep stability muscles. This may be aided by the use of Real Time Ultrasound Imaging to identify how effectively your deep internal stability muscles are working.

It is usually recommended that patients undertake a six-week course of Clinical Pilates one-on-one with a Physiotherapist. After this time, you may discuss with your Physiotherapist the best course of action regarding ongoing treatment or the progression to studio-based group Clinical Pilates.