Daily pain? Here’s how pilates can help! (pt. 2)
We’ve already talked about how Pilates can help you say goodbye to daily aches and pains in the first blog of this two-part series. As for which specific conditions it is good for, the list is almost endless! So to help us narrow it down to a few examples, we talked to our expert instructors to share their own experiences of just some of the issues that they’ve seen Pilates relieve firsthand - some with clients, and some in their own bodies!
1. Pilates for Plantar Fasciitis with instructor Ketakee Joshi
Plantar fasciitis is a common problem that 1 in 10 people will experience in their lifetime. Every year, this translates to around 1 million people suffering from the condition.
What is Plantar Fasciitis? “Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the fascia that supports the arch of the foot,” explains Ketakee. “Normal shock absorption during motion is adversely impacted, and any further tension or stress on the foot will just it irritate more. There are many potential causes, but some common ones include faulty foot mechanics while standing, walking or running, as well as age, obesity, and any activities or occupations that involve long standing hours.”
How did it affect you? “My plantar fasciitis started with pain any time after I was seated for a prolonged period, or when I stood up suddenly,” recalls Ketakee. “I started limping on the affected foot while walking, I couldn’t wear heeled shoes anymore, and my poor posture and gait imbalance became more and more noticeable.
How did Pilates help? “Through the strength, stretch and resistance training of Pilates, I began to see a slow but steady improvement in my form when walking, running and exercising, and was thrilled when I started to have longer pain-free days!” Ketakee says, looking back. “The fastest results came when I focused more attention on the physiology of my breathing. It helped me to have more stamina, endurance and enhance my foot anatomy.”
The 4 key areas Ketakee focuses Pilates training for plantar fasciitis focused on are…
Stretching the muscles and tendons in the foot including dorsiflexion/plantar flexion, supination/pronation and inversion/eversion.
Activating and strengthening all surrounding muscles ligaments and tendons.
Massage with eccentric contraction of the calf / gastrocnemius (as well as the tendon Achilles for prevention).
Restoring proper foot biomechanics.
Ketakee is ready and waiting to help you ease your own Plantar Fasciitis through Pilates - the same way she did! Contact us here to book your first session with Ketakee for just $57 with our National Day promotion - that’s an amazing $83 saving off the regular price! (RRP $140 for Private Session with Instructor). Got a question about the sessions? Don’t hesitate to ask!
2. Pilates for Back Pain with instructor Meha Jain
Back pain impacts 4 out of every 5 adults. It’s the 3rd most common reason for people to visit the doctors. Back pain that is labelled as “persistent and chronic” affects around 8% of adults worldwide, meaning their everyday activities are negatively impacted by the condition.
Tell us about your own experience with back pain. “Lower back pain after workouts used to be the norm for me,” says Meha. “It would last for several days after a session, yet I would brush it aside, telling myself it was just a sign of a good workout. That was one of the worst things I could have done! The pain continued right up until I discovered Pilates. By practicing regularly, my back pain started to diminish and then gradually disappeared. And it’s now a thing of the past - workout or no workout!”
How did Pilates help? “I had been doing strength training for eight years, yet it was only once I started doing Pilates that I learnt many key aspects of exercise that I hadn’t known before. The main ones were core engagement, posture correction, proper alignment, spinal mobility and powerful Pilates breathing,” she reveals. “Thanks to Pilates, my core strength, stability, posture and mobility improved significantly - all of which contributed to helping me say goodbye to the daily pain that had plagued me for so long. Today I no longer fear back pain after doing strength training, as I did in the past. Exercises that I used to do mindlessly simply as a means to get leaner and stronger, I now do keeping in mind the benefits of each movement and how they support me in building and maintaining a healthy body long-term.”
What was the reason for your back pain? “The root cause of my own back pain was the same as many other people: lack of mobility of the spine. In our day to day lives, most of us do a lot of flexion movement by bending over our laptops and phones, but we fail to mobilize the spine in other directions. Pilates works on mobilizing the spine in all directions through flexion, lateral flexion, extension, and rotation.”
Do you have a go-to Pilates exercise for reducing back pain? “My favourite movement for people with back pain is the ever-reliable bridging. The benefits of bridging are plenty – core muscle engagement, spine mobilization, breathing, strengthening the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps and the hip extensors. It also lengthens the spine extensors, which helps to relieve lower back pain. It has various versions and can be done at home or while travelling. It is also safe for most clients (except those in the later stages of pregnancy, although even they can do bridging with some modifications!)”
Take the first step toward easing your back pain by booking a trial Private Session with Meha today! Right now we’re offering new clients an incredible National Day deal on their first session, so you can try it for just $57 (RRP $140 for Private Session with Instructor). Sessions with Meha can be booked in English or Hindi. Get in touch via email or WhatsApp to book!
3. Pilates for Neck Pain with senior instructor Valerie Yew
Approximately 80% of adults are believed to suffer from some kind of daily neck pain - ranging from mild to chronic.
What can cause neck pain? “Neck pain or stiffness can be caused by many things, and is usually accompanied by shoulder pain and headaches,” Valerie explains. “Some of the most common causes are poor postural alignment, injuries, muscle weakness, nerve compressions and even less widely-known reasons like eye problems.”
How can Pilates help? “The first thing I like to focus on with clients with neck pain is improving their posture,” she continues. “Good posture and alignment is very important as our neck is responsible for supporting our head, and is extremely susceptible to injuries. To help alleviate neck pain, we work on releasing and reducing tightness around the neck, shoulders and back, and strengthening the deep muscles in the core, pelvic floor and back.”
“Sometimes the smallest stretches and movements can make the biggest difference. For clients who are new to Pilates and who are looking to reduce their neck pain, I like to start with exercises focused on neck mobility and neck strength.”
You can join Valerie for personalized Private Sessions to reduce your own neck pain (or book in a loved one who is suffering!) using our current promotion of 50% off for new clients - making it just $77.50 (RRP $150 for Private Session with a Senior Instructor). Contact us here to book or to find out more information!