What Clinical Pilates Does for Your Body
As a mother, you know the joint and back pain that comes from doing household chores and taking care of kids, and how tempting it is to just reach for pain medication. Studies have shown that roughly 16 million adults, about 8 percent of all adults in the US, experience persistent or chronic back pain that limits everyday activities.
Thanks to evolving research, experts have found a strong link between Clinical Pilates and muscle management. Clinical Pilates has been around for some time, and people from all walks of life, office workers, pregnant women, mothers, and athletes, are trying it for its holistic approach to health and its results. Clinical Pilates is supervised by a health professional, commonly a physical therapist, which means it's a patient-specific treatment method rather than a one-size-fits-all class.
Strengthens the Pelvic Floor
Clinical Pilates increases pelvic floor strength and flexibility, helping to prevent and relieve lower back and pelvic pain before pregnancy, during the prenatal and postpartum phases, and throughout life in general. These exercises build a strong foundation that can make giving birth a little easier for both mother and baby.
This matters for men as well, a weak or tight pelvic floor can sometimes lead to incontinence or difficulty standing up from a seated position. When these symptoms arise, strengthening and retraining the core and pelvic floor becomes an important part of care.
Rehabilitation After Injury
A trained physical therapist first assesses your injury, then develops exercises specific to your needs. Guided Clinical Pilates exercises aim to strengthen weak muscle groups, improve movement patterns, retrain the muscles to function how and when you need them, and prevent further injury.
Correcting Posture and Easing Neck and Back Pain
Slouching is common, and it can cause pain and discomfort, or even lead to a future dysfunction if left unaddressed. Clinical Pilates helps give your body the strength and awareness to correct this.
This is especially helpful for people with sedentary habits: sitting for long stretches, stooping or bending the neck to look at a phone, or working a desk job that doesn't require much physical activity during the day. Clinical Pilates strengthens the weak muscles affected by these patterns, easing neck and lower back pain.
Better Fitness and Sharper Focus
Clinical Pilates also stretches and tones muscle groups to improve overall health and fitness, building cardiovascular capacity that increases endurance. It's one of the reasons so many professional athletes recommend Clinical Pilates for better overall performance and injury prevention.
Because Clinical Pilates has you stretching, lifting, balancing, and breathing with intention all at once, it gives your focus and mental health a workout too. Whether you're a mother-to-be, an athlete, or an office worker trying to stay healthy, it's never too late to start.