Medical Pilates
Pilates is a physical strengthening and rehabilitation method developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century, which aims to provide muscle control through the mind. Joseph Pilates, the creator of Pilates, was born in Düsseldorf in 1880 as a sickly child. J. Pilates, who suffered from asthma, rickets and rheumatism, began to develop strengthening techniques to improve and develop his frail body.
- Pilates, who had a very strong body with the techniques he developed, began his life as a boxer and moved to England in 1912, where he trained boxers and detectives like himself on self-defense and strengthening their body muscles. Pilates, who was arrested during World War I and taken to a military camp, continued his studies in the camp, worked as a nurse and began teaching his own techniques on strengthening. There was a plague epidemic in England at that time and while many people died, the fact that the people in J. Pilates’ camp remained healthy and unaffected caused J. Pilates to become famous and Pilates to be defined as a life-saving technique.
Pilates is a physiotherapy-based rehabilitation method, as accepted all over the world. It can be applied as a preventive measure to prevent problems that may occur in the musculoskeletal system, or it can be applied to make the exercises that support the treatment permanent after the treatments of doctors and physiotherapists after the problems that occur in the musculoskeletal system (herniated disc, cervical disc herniation, neck straightening, scoliosis, kyphosis, lordosis, etc.).
Although Pilates exercises are mostly used to strengthen muscles, they were first used for treatment purposes. Today, they are used to improve body posture and have a healthy body. It is a type of exercise that requires concentration. At the same time, Pilates is one of the rare exercises that can develop coordination, strength, balance, flexibility, and muscular endurance. The Pilates method is a functional type of exercise because there are many combinations of movements in different planes.
While Pilates tries to strengthen the deeper, inner structure, many fitness programs are largely concerned with the superficial results of the exercises. For this reason, Pilates exercises are designed to correct faulty body postures in order to provide structural support to the body.
Pilates, a physical strengthening method, has 6 basic principles:
1. Concentration: While doing Pilates, it is necessary to focus on the movement and ensure that the body works in harmony.
2. Centering: In Pilates, the center is considered as the abdomen, waist and hip area. The strength of the muscles in the center is very important for the stabilization and health of the spine and body.
3. Control: Working the body in a controlled manner is very important in preventing and reducing injuries.
4. Fluid Movement: Exercise movements should be done calmly and properly, without rushing.
5. Precision: The movement should be done clearly and properly. Coordination is very important in the movement.
6. Breathing: Proper breathing is necessary for blood circulation and body health.
In Pilates, the aim is to balance mental and physical health. While performing the movements, mental concentration, movement focus, body awareness, control and fluidity of movement should be ensured. In Pilates, the body is thought of as a tree. If the trunk and roots of a tree are strong, it can stand upright.
For this reason, in Pilates, the abdominal, back and hip muscles are strengthened equally and a solid spine is targeted. Only in this way, other parts of the body are supported, injuries are reduced and freedom of movement of the body is provided.
The most valid medical pilates today is the application of pilates by physiotherapists and sports academics who have received training in the musculoskeletal system, locomotor system, kinesiology, under the supervision of a specialist doctor who has received training in this field. In medical pilates, each patient is evaluated individually according to their age, diseases, painful-unhealthy body parts and diagnoses, and special exercise programs are prepared for the person. Consciously performing pilates in a way that suits the person, preparing the right exercise program with the right number and repetition are very important in eliminating pain, increasing fitness, providing strength and flexibility, and preventing sports-related injuries.
Wrong applications can cause the person’s pain to increase and injuries, herniated discs and cervical discs. When applied correctly, Medical Pilates improves physical and mental health, reduces neck, back, waist, joint pain, widespread muscle pain, soft tissue rheumatism pain, increases vitality and concentration, and provides sleep patterns. While the muscles that are worked in classic exercise programs are constantly strengthened, the muscles that are not worked remain weak. This disrupts the muscle balance and leads to chronic musculoskeletal pain and injuries. In Medical Pilates, the muscles are worked as a whole in a balanced and equal manner in synergy, increasing muscle endurance, strength and elasticity. While the muscles are strengthened, they do not become bulky, and as their elasticity increases, they grow taller and their endurance increases.
Today, due to intense working conditions, incorrect posture and sitting positions, and muscle strains and tensions resulting from unconscious movements contrary to body mechanics cause chronic muscle pain and chronic fatigue, which negatively affect human life and daily life.
Doing pilates regularly ensures correct posture, strengthens weak muscles, strengthens the spine, prevents incorrect loading and provides protection against lumbar and cervical disc herniation.
WHY DO PILATES?
The opportunities and conveniences offered by the modern age cause a decrease in movement every passing day and push people to a sedentary life. Pilates exercises are recommended by many doctors to eliminate the risks and discomforts it brings; to provide strength, coordination, flexibility, physical and spiritual relaxation. Pilates exercises are seen as a part of the rehabilitation process by many doctors and physiotherapists in order to get away from the stress of daily life, to minimize injury risks, and to recover quickly after injury. Since those who do Pilates learn to breathe correctly from their first training, their strength and self-confidence gains are at a high level along with the increase in concentration and control. Pilates should be done to be healthy, to have a flexible, strong and controlled body, to have a fit appearance, to have a weight loss support program, to have a mentally and physically healthy life, to have a comfortable birth for pregnant women, and to recover quickly after birth.
Studies have listed the benefits of pilates:
- Creates a longer, slimmer, more balanced body.
- It allows the joints to work in full range of motion and improves flexibility.
- Protects and increases endurance and strength.
- It improves central stabilization as it teaches you to breathe fully during movement.
- It is stated that they sleep well and rest after Pilates exercises.
- It improves balance as the right and left areas work in balance.