Finding Your Balance With Pilates
Even with the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic behind us, the new norm of feeling anxious about things like leaving the home remains for many people. We fear that fleeting moment of passing a stranger in a narrow supermarket aisle, and many people still keep a distance from family and friends. When was your last hug with a friend or a colleague (or the last time it didn’t feel a bit funny)?
It’s no surprise that this lingering impact is seeing people spend more days and more of their days inside their homes. When I speak to my parents and grandparents, the impact of a positive COVID-19 result on their health outweighs the negative impact of isolation and a sedentary indoor lifestyle.
But this comes with a significant health risk – with less movement and mobility amongst our older population, we see a loss of stability and balance which in turn leads to an increased risk of falls.
So, how do we best address this?
I strongly recommend having a go at Pilates-styled exercises. In older adults, two-to-three 45-minute Pilates sessions a week for a period of 10 weeks has been shown to increase static (standing) and dynamic (walking and moving) balance. Benefits are also extended to increasing proactive and reactive balance, which is the anticipation and quick reaction to a change in your environment1. Additionally, regular exercise and movement allow you to build confidence and strength, improve your postural control, and increase your lower limb range of movement2.
At Your Body Physio & Pilates, we accommodate everyone with a range of delivery styles from private and semi-private to intimate group classes (max four people, with a particular focus on Reformer Pilates. Our Balgowlah studio provides you with an opportunity to come in and have our experienced team guide and tailor a program suitable for you and your goals.
But it doesn’t stop there.
We believe in the benefit of long-term lifestyle changes and empowering people to build on their class attendance with a home program. This is best achieved with a one-to-one Physiotherapy consultation paired with a personalised exercise program with easy-to-follow images and videos. So, even on those quiet days at home, you can feel confident in your ability to move and incorporate balance training.
As we all strive to stay safe in our community, strive to stay on top of your health with us.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out and discuss with our friendly team.
References:
(1) Lesinski M, Hortobágyi T, Muehlbauer T, Gollhofer A, Granacher U. Effects of Balance Training on Balance Performance in Healthy Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2015 Dec;45(12):1721-38. doi: 10.1007/s40279-015-0375-y. Erratum in: Sports Med. 2016 Mar;46(3):457. PMID: 26325622; PMCID: PMC4656699.
(2) Roller M, Kachingwe A, Beling J, Ickes DM, Cabot A, Shrier G. Pilates Reformer exercises for fall risk reduction in older adults: A randomized controlled trial. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2018 Oct;22(4):983-998. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2017.09.004. Epub 2017 Sep 9. PMID: 30368346.
