How Pilates Can Help You to Overcome an Injury

There’s nothing more frustrating than suffering an injury and feeling your whole routine grind to a halt. Whether you have an active job, or you just enjoy regular physical activity as part of your routine, an injury can be a huge barrier to not just your health but also your mental wellbeing.

If you’re itching to get moving again, or you just want to do something positive towards your recovery, then Pilates could be the solution you’re looking for.

As a fundamentally low-impact exercise, Pilates focuses on developing strength and flexibility throughout the muscles – it can be a lot more challenging than it may first look!

Not only can it aid in recovery, but Pilates’ focus on proper technique and ranges of movements can also help to prevent suffering similar injuries in the future.

Which injuries can benefit from Pilates?

‍The good news is that Pilates can function as part of the recovery program for many injuries and conditions, including:
– Back pain and sciatica
– Joint pain (knees, shoulders, ankles, hips)
– Muscle strains and sprains
– Arthritis and osteoporosis

Even if you’re just feeling a bit stiff and want to ease back into movement after a while away, Pilates is a happy medium between low-impact on your body, but high-impact on your progress.

As the sister business to Malvern Physiotherapy Clinic, we often work with people who are recovering from injury and want to return to exercise in a safe, controlled environment. Plus, we receive regular training from the MPC physiotherapists around best-practice movement and technique.

How do I start with Pilates after suffering an injury?

‍Once you’ve been given the all-clear by a physio, they can help you to identify appropriate movements that will assist in your recovery.

Recovering from a back injury from example may actually involve a lot of work on your core, to provide that stability for your body and to prevent your back from overcompensating for a weak trunk in future.

Armed with this information, you can then come in and chat to our friendly team here at Return. We’ll likely recommend you start off with one of our Foundation classes, which focusses on fundamental skills and correct posture.

And don’t worry – our classes are easily modified for those with physical limitations! Let us know what advice your physio has provided, and we can guide you through the movements from there.

How often should I attend Pilates classes?

‍Your physio will be able to suggest an ideal schedule for you at the time of your assessment, but it’s likely you’ll be incorporating some kind of stretch and low-impact strength movements every day of your recovery journey.

There will be some movements that target your focus areas which can be done at home without a reformer, and others which you’ll complete at your regular classes. If you’re unsure of what you should be doing and when, have a chat to your instructor before class gets started.