Walking is a basic function of every day life and when you are hurting it can be a struggle to make it through the day. Plantar Fasciitis is a pain that is mostly felt in the heel of your foot but can continue into the foot’s arch. The pain can be described as anywhere from an ache to a severe stabbing pain. When the fascia that supports the arch of the foot has too much pressure applied (e.g., prolonged running/standing) it causes an inflammation creating micro-tears. By using the Pilates Method, the muscles of the feet and legs can be stretched and strengthened to help alleviate the pain and correct any muscle imbalances that come from compensation.

I injured my psoas twenty years ago while training for a marathon. I was at the end of a light run one week before race day and I had a very sharp pain in the psoas/hip area and could not continue running. At the time, I did not know this was my “hip flexor” or “psoas” and after a few doctor appointments and an MRI, the doctor did not know either. Hence, proving the point, that medical professionals (at least twenty years ago) often overlook the psoas/hip flexor group as a very important muscle, that is often tight and weak and can cause great pain. It was a massage therapist who figured out what my injury was and educated me on the psoas and the importance of releasing it through massage and later, I found, strengthening and lengthening the psoas, is also possible through Pilates.

My research has found that twenty years later, while my psoas is still occasionally tight, and could be stronger, it has improved tremendously from a Pilates program that includes lengthening and strengthening the hip flexor group and finding balance in the core muscles surrounding it. My name is Jennifer Talarico, I am a 42 year old female, who spent eighteen years distance running. I do have limitations. I have a tight psoas on both the right and left side, worse on the right. There is slight rotation of my pelvis and I was diagnosed, one year ago, with SI joint dysfunction and weakness in the transverses abdominis and gluteus medius. After a fundamental program with the very basis being abdominal strengthening, especially the TA, hip flexor stretching and strengthening and building my gluteus medius to support an unstable SI joint, I am now much more supple in my hip flexors and I feel the support of my pelvic floor muscles and my TA, because I am in much less lower back pain. I can also use my hip flexors, for abdominal work or walking, without them getting sore and easily fatigued.

Rounded Shoulder Syndrome, (RSS), and Forward Head Posture (FHP), is one of the most common postural problems in our society. High prevalence of smartphones, sedentary lifestyles of long hours sitting at a desk typing in a downward position, tv watching slouching and even heavy backpacks in educational environment contribute to this pathology. All these factors lead to habitual poor posture Rounded Shoulder Syndrome with Forward Forehead which is one common and serious condition.

Quote by Dr Tim Errington “ALL of the relevant research today supports the fact that investing in a healthy spine is your best investment for a healthy future.”

The human body needs to be in alignment. Posture refers to how the body is aligned and positioned in conjunction with the force of gravity acting upon it. Regardless of whether we are sitting, standing or lying down, there is always a gravitational force that applies pressure on our ligaments, joints and muscles.

With ideal posture, an imaginary line, a plumb line, should drop from the ear lobe through bodies of cervical vertebra, shoulder joint, midway through trunk, grater trochanter, slightly anterior to the knee joint and anterior of the ankle joint, lateral malleolus.

Seen from the front or back we should be straight. This proper posture is a sign that we’ve evenly distributed gravity’s force throughout our body so that no one part is fatigued or overstressed.

The head should be directly on top of your shoulders, not leaning forward. Slouching of the shoulders, rounding of the back or forward leaning of the head are indicators of poor posture. This poor posture causes strain on the posterior neck muscles and according to chiropractic care it can trigger headaches and compromise breathing among other complications. The extra pressure on the discs due to increased weight bearing can also lead to premature arthritis of the neck. Poor posture can also include a forward tilting of the pelvis leading to chronic lower back pain, weakness and pain in the legs and premature spinal arthritis of the joints and discs.

Nowadays, we live in a world where we can order food, buy a house, book car services and even meet our future spouse in one finger click- all while being in an idle state. These “improvements” being brought upon us, only enable and encourage us to maintain our already sedentary lifestyle. We have all grown accustomed to occupying ourselves with our smartphones, sitting in front of our computers, or driving to get to places. As we age, it is hard to avoid the fact that everything is being built for our convenience, and that our lifestyle is getting easier. Although we may end up saving our time and energy, we are exacerbating our already weak bodies in many ways. The most common modern illness is the pain felt in the lower back, round-shoulder syndrome and neck tensions. “Up to 80% of adult individuals will be incapacitated by back pain at some point in their life” (Isacowitz, Study Guide 51). The way we move influences how our bodies are shaped-for good and ill.

There are many benefits of Pilates; such as developing strength, flexibility, coordination, speed, agility and endurance. In my opinion, mobility is the most important component in our daily lifestyle and in fitness. The definition of mobility is “the ability to move or be moved freely and easily” (Oxford Dictionary.com). Mobility is a crucial factor in balancing both flexibility and strength. Mobility comprises of flexion, extension and rotation- movements common when playing sports and in our daily life. Thus, good mobility promotes full range of motion which leads to better performance in sports and efficient everyday movement.

The focus of the paper is how our human body adapts to anomaly habitual movement pattern in the midst of a sedentary lifestyle and how it affects our body. Pilates can help one become aware on how to realign the body. One can eliminate chronic back pain and be free from taking unnecessary drugs and getting surgeries, prevent re-injury, and ultimately improve active and wellbeing lifestyle.

여러 가지 잘못된 자세와 걸음걸이로 인하여 본디 써야될 근육을 쓰지 않고 다른 근육을 사용함으로써 근육의 불균형과 몸의 틀어짐을 야기시키지만 그중에 내 자신이 편평등을 갖고 있는 대상이였고 필라테스를 통해서 교정받은 케이스이다. 이것에 대해 더 자세히 연구하고 공부하고 싶어서 주제를 편평등으로 정했다. 운동을 가르치면서 똑같은 운동을 하는데 척추의 굴곡이 없는 편평등인 사람들이 척추에 대한 부상을 많을 것을 보면서 연구를 통해서 더 다양하게 해부학적으로 접근하고 필라테스 운동에 더욱더 활용하고자 하는 마음으로 이 주제를 선택하였다.

요즘 현대인들에게서 흔히 찾아볼 수 있는 Round Shoulder Syndrome에 대 한 해부학적 고찰과 이를 교정하기 위한 Pilates method를 BASI Block System을 바탕으로 하여 소개하겠다.

임신은 신의 축복이지만 임산부에게는 시련의 과정이기도 하다. 육체적, 감정적인 변 화는 임산부에게 큰 스트레스를 준다.

아기를 갖은 임산부의 최대 목표는 아이를 순산하는 것이다. 순산을 위한 건강한 신체와 긍적적인 마음을 위한 운동을 필라테스가 아니라도 꼭 필 요한 부분이다. 순산을 위한 운동이라고 하지만 임산부 본인을 위한 운동이며 산후 원래 몸상태로의 회복과 여성으로써 임신 전 날씬한 몸매로 돌아가고 싶은 마음은 누구나 가지고 있을 것이다. 필라테스 강사 이기 전에 여성으로써, 또한 필라테스 강사로써 대부분의 회원들이 여 성인 환경속에서 특히나 임산부 회원들을 많이 접하였다.

임산부 그리고 훗날 나를 위해 임산부를 위한 필라테스를 과제로 삼게 되었다.

내가 겪었던 임산부들은 대부분 임신이 주는 불편함속에서 움직의 제한, 호르몬으로 인한 감정적 변화, 그리고 출산에 대한 두려움으로(혹은 태중 아이에게 너무나 큰 염 려) 등으로 심리적이나 신체적으로 많이 위축이 되 있었다. 그렇기에 일반 회원들과는 조금은 다른 측면에서 섬세한 운동처방이 필요하다. 그래 서 임산부들의 신체적인 특성과 호르몬의 변화, 초기 중기 말기 임산부 주기별 특성 과 그에 따른 운동 프로그램 근골격계 측면의 임산부 신체변화 까지 알아보고자 한 다.

임산부를 위한 여러 가지 운동들은 이미 많이 보편화 되어있고 그에 따른 호흡법 운동법 여러 가지 나와있지만 필라테스 강사로써 필라테스의 장점을 활용하여 임신기 간중 불편함의 해소 순산을 위한 신체적인 조건 산후의 회복을 위한 운동까지 필라테 스적인 관점으로 알아보고자 한다.

인간은 서서 보행하기 때문에 다른 동물과는 다른 척추의 생리적만곡을 가지고 있다. 경추는 전방의 만곡, 흉추는 후반의 만곡을 가지고 있다 이 생리적만곡에 이상이 생기는 현상을 몸의 불균형을 초래할 수 있으며 이 로인한 부작용으로 굽은 등, 편편 등 그리고 척추전만 등의 다양한 부작용으 로 나타나기도 한다. 위의 몸의 불균형의 부작용 중 현대인들이 많이 가지고 있는 굽은 등은 우리사회에서 흔히 볼 수있는 사례이다. 보통 오래 서있거나 사무직에서의 오랜근무와 평상 시 .앉아있을 때의 배를 내밀며 의자끝에 걸 터앉는 잘못돤 좌식습관과 특히나 스마트 핸드폰을 장시간 시청하며 생기는 거북목을 일으키는 잘못된 자세 등이 있다. 이러한 일상생활에서의 흔히 나 타나는 굽은 등의 불균형을 개선시키고자 이 연구를 선택하게 되었다.

The presence of Pilates-based exercise has increased in rehabilitation settings in recent years for patients with a wide range of diagnoses. While there are many methods of evaluating movement of patients before and after Pilates interventions, the author of this paper sought to utilize a more specific assessment to guide programming for Pilates sessions. This case report will highlight the use of the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) to direct exercise selection for a patient with multiple functional movement dysfunctions.

척추 측만증은 좌식활동이 대부분인 현대인에게 흔히 볼 수 있는 증상이며, 점차적으로 증가하고 있는 추세이다. 본 Case study를 통하여 필라테스가 척추 측만증 환자에게 어떠한 영향을 미치는가에 대하여 알아보았다. 필라테스 프로그램은 BASI Block system을 토대로 매트와 기구(Cadillac, Reformer and Wunda Chair)를 이용하여 시행하였다. 필라테스를 통하여 자세교정, 스트레칭 그리고 근육강화에 목적을 두었다. 척추주변의 긴장된 근육을 이완시키고 주동근과 길항근의 균형을 최대한 맞춤으로써 근육의 유연성과 탄력성을 회복시켜주었다. 규격화된 실험도구를 사용하진 않았지만 환자들과의 인터뷰를 통하여 필라테스가 그들의 삶의 질을 향상시켰다는 것을 확인하게 되었다. 또한 척추측만증으로 인한 통증의 감소와 Roll-down에 의한 Screening을 통하여 척추의 모양이 점차적으로 균형을 잡아감을 발견할 수 있었다.

The term sciatica describes the symptoms of leg pain and possibly of tingling, numbness or weakness that originate in the lower back and travel through the buttock and down the large sciatic nerve in the back of each leg. Common lower back problems that can cause sciatica symptoms include a lumbar herniated disc, degenerative disc disease.

Several pilates movements can help relieving sciatica pain, with regular stretching and pilates abdominal exercises to strengthening abdominals and back musculature will improve core stability and spinal mobility and posture, which in turn can prevent compressive forces that could further degenerative spine.

Pilates is not just exercise. Pilates is not just a random choice of particular movements. Pilates is a system of physical and mental conditioning that can enhance your physical strength, flexibility and coordination as well reduce stress, improve mental focus and foster an improved sense of well-being. Pilates can be for anyone and everyone.

La fibromialgia hace referencia a un grupo de síntomas y trastornos musculo-esqueléticos que se caracterizan fundamentalmente por dolor persistente, fatiga extrema, rigidez de intensidad variable de los músculos, tendones y tejido blando circundante, además de un amplio rango de síntomas entre los que se incluyen rigidez matutina, dolores de cabeza y problemas con el pensamiento y la memoria. Basándonos en estas características, se preparó un programa Basi de 20 semanas para alumna femenina de 40 años con diagnóstico de Fibromialgia, con el objetivo de mejorar su calidad de vida a través de la disminución de los síntomas musculares y adicionalmente recuperar funcionalidad de movimientos en su vida diaria.

“The spine provides the primary movements of the axial skeleton. And the movement, stability, and alignment of the spine are an essential focus of Pilates” (Isacowitz, Clippinger. p.9)

Pilates teaches us to have mind-body awareness. The human spine has 5 sections - each with a different function and range of motion. All sections of the spine must be strong or compensations and problems/injuries will occur. This paper focuses on the thoracic region of the spine (T1-T12) and the muscles that attach to it directly and indirectly which help us breathe, bend, twist, lift and more. A strong and mobile thoracic spine (upper-mid back) has many benefits including; - Less stress on the vertebrae - Reduced kyphosis and forward head postures - Increased lung and internal organ capacity - Better shoulder health - Greater range of motion

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system (CNS) which interferes with nerve impulses within the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. Depending upon where it develops within the CNS, it can manifest into various different symptoms and can be any combination of the five major health problems, including: 1. Motor control 2. Fatigue 3. Other neurological symptoms 4. Continence problems 5. Neuropsychological symptoms Treatment of MS is with medication, and it’s believed the addition of moderate physical activity can help, which is where Pilates can assist. As MS affects people in different ways, there is no single exercise that can be an ‘MS exercise’, however the MS Society UK recommends exercises that include: • Strengthening exercises • Stretching • Range-of-motion • Passive stretching • Posture exercises to help keep feet, knees, pelvis, shoulders and head aligned, reducing strain on the muscles and bones. All of which the correct BASI program can provide.

This paper outlines the research and looks at Pilates as a form of rehabilitation for low back pain. Low back pain affects most people at some point in their life. It is one of the most commonly described problems that people seek help to minimize their pain and to restore functional movement in their activities of daily living. Without learning proper movement techniques, people might cause other injuries in their body by compensating for their lack of a strong, stable core. Pilates focuses on helping people learn to activate the transverse abdominis, obliques, pelvic floor, multifidus, and the deep erector spinae muscles. By leaning this activation, low back pain can be lessened.

As a mother of two swimmers, I spend many hours at the pool deck and have learned a lot about swimming by observing swimmers and attending countless swim meets. After so many years immersed in the swim culture, I decided to try it myself. So at the age of 44, I dove, literally, into a new sport!

Since I was familiar with the water and the sport, it was not a difficult start and after a couple of months I felt very confident swimming laps.

I quickly realized that, although my kicks were strong thanks to strong leg muscles re-sulting from running and dancing when I was younger, my upper body and core needed strengthening in order to improve my performance.

Verbal Cueing is the art of using words to get a client to move efficiently through an exercise. This learned skill of effectively communicating with clients on all levels is the key to becoming a quality Pilates Instructor. Proper word choices and the framework for cueing are crucial for effective instruction which results in performing an exercise or movement with specific intention, quality, or with correct muscular engagement. Proper word choices can be further divided into relevant subcategories such as directional, anatomical function, sensory perception and imagery. The framework for cueing is the detailing and explanation of what is contained in the movement. To be more effective, instructors should know the exercise and the individual needs of each client to determine what the best cue is for them.

My client said to me- “I had no idea how difficult it would be to lift my arms over my head for up to 2 weeks after my surgery. For someone who is physically active, a Mother and Wife it never crossed my mind that I wouldn’t be able to left my arms over my head!” In late January of 2016 she under went Breast Reconstruction and Brachioplasty. Over the course of many years she had lost a little over 100 pounds and due the loss she had a lot of loose skin that bothered her. She was proud of her weight loss, but she was bothered when fitness professionals would correct her by touching her arms while cueing and was self conscious each time she would raise her arms or wear sleeveless garments. After her Doctor allowed her to go back to physical activies she could not wait to start her Pilates practice again. Pilates was her passion and before surgery she attended 3-4 Pilates classes a week. Here is a look into her healing journey using the BASI Pilates method.

The spine is a vital bone structure for life. It has many functions such as giving movement, control, protection and support. Not only is it built up of bones but also muscles and liga-ments to connect the bones. This connection is known as the spinal column which protects the spinal cord. The spinal cord is a large grouping of nerves which sends signals throughout our bodies.

Each spine is different for the individual but curves are normal in the spinal structure. Look-ing laterally to the spine it resembles a slight ’S’ in shape with a curve in the Cervical spine and a curve in the Lumbar spine. These natural curves are defined as Kyphosis and Lor-dosis respectively. An issue arises when these curves are increased.

In this study the focus will be on the lumbar spine being in hyperlordosis. spine-health.com defines hyperlordosis as “…an excessive inwards curvature of the lumbar (lower) spine…”. The excessive curve inwards of the spine can be caused by obesity, predisposed condi-tions as well as behavioural and habitual actions. In cases of hyperlordosis the pelvis can be seen in an anterior tilt resulting in weak abdominals and tight back extensors.

Have you ever had the experience of flying from Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia? You would know that it takes approximately 15 hours in a plane to get there. You probably also experienced some soreness and aches in your body the following days. Now think of the pilot and crew that flew you there. This is their job and this is what they experience multiple times a month. Our bodies are made to move, yet “on average, a US adult spends nice to 10 hours each day sitting,” (Mercola). In addition to the numerous health problems that can arise from sitting too long, it also creates poor posture, weak and tight muscles, and lower back pain.
Rodrigo is a Captain for GOL Airlines and his goals are to improve his posture to prevent lower back pain which is prevalent among many pilots. By following a Pilates program using the BASI Block system, he will not only see an improvement in his posture, he will develop strength and flexibility throughout his entire body because the program is meant to create balance in every way.