Wellness

Creating Positive Movement Experiences for Pilates Clients with MS

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Polestar Faculty Nichole Anderson, NCPT has had the pleasure of working with many clients with MS and has enjoyed the constant learning process it has provided.

What Is Multiple Sclerosis?

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society defines MS as a:
“disease that involves an immune-mediated process in which an abnormal response of the body’s immune system is directed against the central nervous system (CNS) which includes the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves”.
In other words, MS involves a person’s immune system attacking their nerves. In our huge network of nerves, information has to travel quickly to allow us to act spontaneously. Many nerves are covered in myelin.  This both insulates and accelerates the rate at which information travels in the nerve. When the immune system consistently attacks the myelin, it becomes damaged and forms scar tissue (sclerosis), which gives the disease its name. As the disease progresses, the nerve fiber itself can become damaged and destroyed. What does this mean on a larger scale? When the myelin is scarred or the nerve fiber damaged or destroyed, a large number of nerve impulses from the brain and spinal cord are interrupted and/or distorted. All actions in the body and brain are triggered by some sort of nerve impulse which is why symptoms can vary from person to person.

Who Gets Multiple Sclerosis? 

Without getting too deep into the epidemiology of MS, here are a few facts: 
  • MS is a very difficult disease to diagnose.  There are currently no single tests for MS. Because of this challenge, MS is often misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all.  Most epidemiological statistics on MS are estimates.
  • Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50.
  • In general, MS is more common in areas further from the equator.  There are many communities far from the equator that have little to no reported incidences of MS.
  • MS is at least 2-3 times more common in women than men.
  • Genetic factors seem to play a large part in determining who develops MS.
  • As with many diseases, MS is believed to be triggered by an environmental factor, as yet unidentified, in a person who is genetically predisposed to respond. 

What Are The Common Symptoms?

Because of the variety of symptoms associated with MS, every client with MS will have different struggles in regard to movement. That being said, there are a few things that are very common in clients with MS:

  • Foot drop: This is where there is weakness in the muscles that dorsi-flex the ankle. When this progresses, walking can be dangerous as there is an increased fall risk. 
  • Numbness: This is often one of the earliest and most common symptoms of MS. It can be numbness anywhere in the body, face, and extremities. It can cause the affected area to be disconnected and difficult to control. We will discuss later some ways to facilitate movement when certain body parts are numb.
  • Fatigue: In a movement class, this often means being unable to do high repetitions of movements, especially at a high load.
  • Weakness: This can occur from basic deconditioning of muscles that aren’t used due to damage to the nerves that stimulate them. Weakness can also occur when a client with MS has gotten overheated or fatigued.
  • Spasticity: This is when there is an involuntary muscle spasm that can cause prolonged rigidity in the limb that is spasming. 

Considerations For Working With Clients With Multiple Sclerosis

  • Keep it cool!: A warm room can create a challenging movement experience for someone with MS and can even precipitate a flare-up.
  • Take frequent breaks: Even if your client feels like they can keep going, it is important to take frequent rests to avoid fatigue.
  • Spot, Spot, Spot!: While this is dependent on ability because MS frequently causes numbness, it is important to spot any moving apparatus that can slip out of a hand, off a foot, and onto your face

Suggestions For Building A Session

Warm up with hand and foot stimulation and movement. Depending on ability, I either do this for clients or have them do it to themselves. This can include:
  • toe pulling, tapping the bottoms of the feet with fingers
  • vigorous rubbing of the feet and ankles
  • interlacing fingers with toes and making circles
  • active movement of the ankle such as tracing the alphabet in the air with each foot.
Hand stimulation and movement: This is a great time to move an area that we don’t traditionally “exercise” in Pilates. I like to have people move through tight fists to hands stretching wide, followed by “piano fingers”.  This can look like playing a fake piano slowly and quickly, getting some individual movement in each digit. After getting some movement, I give them some free time to self-massage their hands, rubbing them together vigorously.  Another good activity can be kneading the palm of one hand with the other, and interlacing the fingers and squeezing.

Allow Transfers To Become A Part Of The Class

Depending on how far the disease has progressed, one of the most challenging parts of a class can be the transfer of one position to another. I like to discuss strategies for making these transitions.  This could be gazing, moving from sitting to standing, maybe pausing somewhere in the middle of a transfer to do some movement there.  It can also be supportive to allow time for clients to settle into the next position, allowing them to rest from the transition. This is also great because it is functional and allows clients to have strategies for getting out of sticky situations when they are going through their daily lives.  I also like to help my clients explore their breath by spending time in each class breathing and working on the movement of the diaphragm and ribcage.

Work Safely On Balance

Use the equipment to your advantage! I often pull the tower bar through to the back and attach the safety strap. This creates a solid bar they can hold to practice heel raises or balancing on one leg.  I also find the Core Align to be a great tool for working with clients with MS as it enables reciprocal leg movement with the support of a ladder to hold on to.

Support Distant Extremities : 

  • Use velcro straps to connect feet to the footbar and hands to dowels if there is too much numbness in the feet or hands to hold on well.
  • Utilize Y-straps to secure both feet and hands when doing work with springs and pulleys.
  • Use therabands to hold thighs together for bridging, pelvic clock, and other exercises that require legs to be still. This is only necessary if the client is struggling to connect to their legs.
  • Use your tactile cues to bring awareness to less responsive areas.  With your client’s permission, palpate areas that are not connecting well to help them find their feet, hands, legs, etc before going into a movement.

Keep In Mind That No Two Days Are Alike

What may have been strengths one day may be weaknesses other days. The temperature outside, activities of the day before, stress and other external influences can vastly affect the capabilities of clients with MS from day to day. It is always important to check in, and to allow for progress to be relative

Connect with Polestar Educator Nichole Anderson on social media @nicholemoves. 

This article includes information from The National MS Society Nationalmssociety.org

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Unlock the Myth of Intra-Abdominal Pressure

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What Is Intra-Abdominal Pressure And Why Does It Matter? 

Intra-abdominal (IAP) pressure is defined as the steady-state pressure concealed within the abdominal cavity and resulting from the interaction between the abdominal wall and viscera; IAP oscillates according to respiratory phase and abdominal wall resistance.

How do we educate people who have lost the capacity to appropriately use intra-abdominal pressure?  Think about the following statement: The appropriate amount of stiffness for the anticipated activity. What does this best describe? Stability? Core Control? Powerhouse? All of these things? 

The answer is all of them. Whether we are talking about stability, the powerhouse, or core control, we should be talking about the same concept. That is, does someone have the right amount of support for the anticipated load or activity? I intentionally use the word anticipated. The brain is using information from past experiences to determine the best approach. This enables us without thinking to know how much stiffness to create in preparation for picking up a jug of milk versus a bag of dried leaves for example.

Joseph Pilates implied that the powerhouse is where things start. What kind of tools do we as movement practitioners have to facilitate the appropriate amount of stiffness for the anticipated load? When asked how they would rank the greatest influencers of intra-abdominal pressure, our #PilatesHour webinar attendees answered as follows:  

A lot of people think it is about muscle control or abdominal strength. This is not the case. When we talk about the abdominal wall and intra-abdominal pressure with our clients, we often confuse them. This is because intra-abdominal pressure involves much more than just the abdominal wall. Intra-abdominal pressure is the stiffness inside the trunk, particularly in between the chest and the pelvic floor. It is this stiffness that is necessary to control the amount of movement based on the load. 

The Power Of Breath 

Breath is a powerful influencer of intra-abdominal pressure. The diaphragm is in fact one of the primary muscles and controllers of intra-abdominal pressure. Some people do not utilize the breath or the diaphragm efficiently or as part of dynamic control. This provides a terrific opportunity for Pilates instructors to affect IAP simply through training efficient and supportive breath patterns. 

The appropriate amount of stiffness is going to be determined by the activity and facilitated by proper alignment. For example, holding your breath in and of itself will create stiffness, but does it create the appropriate amount of stiffness? Is this a stiffness or support that can be maintained for a period of time? Proper alignment and practice lead to efficient and successful movement that seldom has to do with core strength. 

Most of our bodies are given the appropriate amount of strength to be able to handle the movements we choose to participate in. That does not mean that tomorrow, with my body in its current condition, I can go out and perform a 400-pound deadlift if I chose to. I am not conditioned for this activity, nor do I have a need to lift 400 pounds.

However, if I were training to perform that specific loaded movement, my body would naturally start gaining strength by steadily increasing the deadlift weight. Tissue adaptation would happen, meaning that my abdominal wall, my back muscles, and my pelvic floor would all start to change based on the demand that I would be making on those tissues. 

This leads to the question, How much control, mobility, or stiffness is necessary to accomplish the task at hand? 

Let’s say the box in this photo weighs 40 pounds. What parts of his body must recruit and create stiffness to keep him from falling? What if the box were 100 pounds, vs 15 pounds. How would that change the situation? 

When we look at the dynamic movement of kicking a ball, what are they doing and what muscles must be turned on for the person in the photo to be able to kick the ball? Which fascial trains or slings are being activated or tensioned to be able to have the appropriate amount of control of the trunk so that their leg and body can accelerate the foot through space and kick the ball down the field? 

How can we support clients in improving the efficiency of their intra-abdominal pressure? 

  1. Help them find their optimal alignment 
  1. Help them find efficient breath patterns within their optimal alignment 
  1. Progressively load them, working always within ranges where they can maintain the above 
  1. Work through the above points to help them perform the activities in which they want to participate 

With this basic introduction to intra-abdominal pressure, we see that it is more about alignment, breath, and load than focused abdominal work. I encourage you to try facilitating the above points with your clients and see how their quality of movement and integration with activity improve. 

Brent Anderson, PhD, PT, OCS, NCPT is the President and Founder of Polestar Pilates International. Brent is a licensed physical therapist and orthopedic certified specialist with more than 22 years of experience. Based on his extensive background in rehabilitation and movement science, Brent elaborates on Joseph Pilates’ mind-body work through the Polestar curriculum by developing tools for critical reasoning and applying supportive scientific research. He also infuses the integral role of psychology and energy systems on motor control and motor learning.

Brent hosts our weekly webinar #PilatesHour featuring special guests from the movement science field and Polestar community. Watch episode 82 “The Science And Myth of Intra-Abdominal Pressure” here.

Polestar Educator Highlight : Audrey Ng

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Audrey is the Director and Principal of Performance Pilates & Physiotherapy, established in 2003 and located in Leederville, Western Australia. She received her B Sc (Physiotherapy) degree from Curtin University of Technology in 1992. Previously an Australian international rhythmic gymnast, she commenced her study in the Pilates Method of exercise while working as a physiotherapist in Los Angeles, USA. Audrey has been incorporating Pilates in her physiotherapy treatments since 1998.

Audrey specializes in posture and movement assessment and has an interest in teaching her clients to improve their functional ability and efficiency of movement through understanding the effect of gravity and load on posture and core stability with a holistic emphasis. This approach has been useful for many clients including elite athletes, office workers or clients with a sedentary lifestyle, with chronic or persisting pain or injury, women and pelvic health, pre and post-natal care and the aging population.

In your own words – describe “the Spirit of Polestar”

The possibility, knowledge and responsibility to experience and share movement, inspiration and quality of life with our loved ones, colleagues and community.

Polestar Pilates to me is:

Freedom

Purpose

Opportunity

What do you love about teaching Pilates and owning a Studio? 

I opened my clinic & studio, Performance Pilates & Physiotherapy in 2003 with a vision to deliver comprehensive and holistic movement rehabilitation. What I love most about being an integrated health practitioner is that as a Pilates teacher is that I have an opportunity to empower people to regain confidence and improve the quality of their lives. Movement in particular is essential for an aging population so what better time to start than now!

Where did you take your Training and who was the educator?

I first undertook Pilates training in Los Angeles in 1998 with The Physical Mind Institute, joining the Polestar family in 2003 under the tutelage of Dav Cohen.

What are your current Inspirations? What do You love about them?

On a personal note, I wish to live with greater intention, each moment of every day. I found myself thinking that this past year flew by so quickly and I realized that I wasn’t present to so many moments along the way.

I am inspired by the resilience and the sense of community, the true “spirit of Australia” that our people have demonstrated in the past few weeks as a result of the catastrophic bushfires that have taken lives, destroyed homes, burned over 12 million acres and killed 1 billion native Australian animals.

Coming from a place of gratitude and stewardship for our beautiful land, we have a responsibility to take action against climate change – everyone here on the planet can play a part in conscious sustainability.

Why Pilates? How did you find the practice?

As a child I played and enjoyed a variety of sports – swimming, cricket, hockey, I also performed calisthenics and fell in love with gymnastics. In high school I had the opportunity to try Rhythmic Gymnastics which is floor based and involves handling apparatus – ribbon, hoop, ball, clubs and rope and went on to compete at an international level for Australia.

I found that through movement I felt my happiest and developed my confidence to perform on stage and the courage and determination to face competition and do the training to reach my goals.

Through movement I found my vocation as a Physical Therapist, and when I experienced Pilates, I found my dharma, the way to my purpose and calling.

Pilates is accessible to everyone and such a complimentary medicine to the knowledge I acquired as a rehab professional.

Why Polestar Pilates? How did you come to join the Polestar Community?

I first heard about Polestar Pilates while working in Los Angeles in the late 1990s, so in 2003 I was excited to hear that Polestar was coming to Perth! With a 5 week old baby, I attended my first Principles course and the rest was history. Within a few weeks, I met Polestar’s founder, Brent Anderson, Shelly Power and the rest of the Polestar Australia crew headed by Cat Giannitto. It was like coming home … I had found my pilates family of like-minded individuals, on a mission to share, educate and deliver the message of intelligent movement.

What do you hope to convey in your teaching?

That each and every person is able to do pilates, is able to move, with freedom, joy and purpose. That movement is connected to spirit and is essential for maximizing our quality of life! To instill confidence, love and respect of our whole body, of what it is capable of achieving when we re-establish the relationship of body, mind and spirit.

What is your favorite Quote? How do you embody this?

So many favorites!

Applied to Pilates:

“the science and soul of movement”

Pilates truly encompasses body, mind and spirit. There are physical, mental and energetic reasons as to why we should move! There is increasing evidence, both empirical and anecdotal that support this philosophy and as a physical therapist and integrated health practitioner, I choose Pilates for a neuro/bio/psycho/social approach to rehabilitation.

What is your Favorite Apparatus or favorite way to move? What do you love about it?

The Trapeze Table is my favorite apparatus as there are so many options for movement! I begin a workout using the assistance of springs, increase proprioception and neuro-motor learning with the tower bar, then build the intensity adding the challenge of resistance, while moving through different planes and orientations to gravity. My favorite movement sequences involve spine extension and inversion…something I look forward to on the Trapeze Table daily!

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6 Mistakes Pilates Teachers Make

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People make mistakes. We are human, after all. When mistakes happen in your studio, it can sometimes contribute to misunderstandings or even affect the Pilates experience. Luckily, by regular evaluations and improvements of your habits, you can ensure a positive movement experience for everyone. You may be so accustomed to your routine that you may not find anything that could be affecting your sessions. When re-evaluating your teachings, ask yourself a few questions: Is this appropriate to say? Does this help the client understand? How do I make meaningful changes to my teaching? Here are six of the most common mistakes Pilates teachers make when teaching a Pilates class.

1. Too much emphasis on breathing

For decades, Pilates has been associated with an emphasis on breathing. Many instructors repeat, “Inhale – exhale” hundreds of times in a class, without ever explaining the purpose. For Polestar, the breath should match the intensity of the exercise. According to Ron Fletcher, Joseph Pilates said of the breath, “breathe in the air and breathe out the air”, not a strict inhale at this point or that point of a movement. Focusing too much on a particular breath can often distract the student’s attention from his/her experience of movement. At Polestar we always say, “breath is a tool, not a rule.” That is, we use breath as a tool to facilitate or challenge movement and control.

2. Teach too many exercises in the supine position

You’ve probably attended or taught a Pilates classes where the primary exercises in the workout were done in the supine (lying on your back). For the most part, you spend that time doing spinal flexion exercises. Humans must accommodate the body to the many stimuli in our lives, including standing. It’s best to teach and move in different orientations to gravity, not just supine. In Polestar Principles, we present the Polestar movement categories as a guide to select the exercises in the repertoire that best fit the student’s objectives and to create rich lessons.
Students in the supine position during a transition course.

3. Use of negative language

This is one of the more subtle, though possibly dangerous, mistakes instructors often make. It is very easy to use phrases like: “don’t lift your shoulders”, “you have a lot of tension in the neck”, etc. Each time we use this sort of language, we risk causing our clients to improperly focus or stress on a particular movement or posture. And it doesn’t tell the client what you ‘do’ want them to do. Again, is it meaningful information and does it improve the clients performance of the movement?

4. Unsympathetic instruction

Communication skills are the foundation of being a good Pilates teacher. On many occasions, the difficulty of instructing successfully stems from a lack of training centered on effective communication techniques. For a successful movement experience, trust must be earned, and to do so one must listen carefully and keep a calm and positive tone of voice. Ideally, you should speak with your client in a kind way that matches their personality. Analyze your own speech and make sure the tone is not hasty or militant when giving instructions. For more information on communicating with your clients, check out our previous blog post on the subject.

5. Focus on doing stretches

Another common mistake is to use Pilates exercises merely for stretching. There is increasing evidence of the negative effects of sustained stretching and poor efficacy as a method to increase functional range of motion. Often times, these prolonged stretches cause the opposite effect in therapeutic exercise. A diverse movement strategy works best to improve mobility in Pilates. Think of the many different exercises that take a muscle through its full range of motion – there are hundreds. By improving the motor pattern we have, it positively affects both mobility and available strength. Do not look focus on the stretch itself, but for efficient, integrated and quality movements in all of the repertoire.

6. Propose difficult exercises too soon

One of the oldest myths in the fitness industry is,”no pain, no gain”, or, “no pain, no glory”. Both trainers and clients generally operate with the belief that the harder the exercise, the more beneficial it is. This belief sometimes causes instructors (sometimes “obliged” by their clients) to select high challenge exercises too early in their movement programs. This often causes the student to develop compensatory movement strategies to compensate for the lack of efficient motor skills, mobility or strength. Ineffective or inefficient motion patterns can often turn into the client’s usual movement. In other words, the body becomes very good at incorrectly performing movements. After you screen your client, remain loyal to a suitable regimen for them. No need to rush to the finish line, so to speak. If you catch yourself performing one of these undesirable habits, don’t beat yourself up. Take it as a learning opportunity and a chance to make your clients more have an even better experience. What other poor habits do instructors make? Let us know in the comments – we’re all human!

No Pain No Gain? Ingredients for the Perfect Fitness Recipe

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No pain, no gain?  Polestar educator Karyn Staples PT, PhD, NCPT discusses how cross training, moderation and epsom salt might be crucial ingredients for the perfect fitness recipe.

When You Don’t LOVE your Exercise Anymore

It’s been nearly two months since you resolved to get more exercise. You started with the best intentions. You went to the gym. You were going to run your first race.  But then your knee started to bother you. Or maybe it was your foot, your hip or shoulder. And the exercise didn’t seem so great anymore. The motivation to move is gone. It’s easy to become a couch potato.

What symptoms indicate that you need to see your doctor? According to Karyn Staples, PT, PhD, and lead physical therapist at ProHealth Physical Therapy and Pilates Studio, if you have pain while you’re at rest, pain that wakes you up in the middle of the night, or pain that lasts more than three days, it may be time to see a doctor.

“It’s normal to have muscle soreness twenty-four to forty-eight hours after exercise. If that soreness maintains the same intensity, and does not get any better seventy-two hours later, then you need to see your doctor.”

Staples explained, “It’s normal to have muscle soreness twenty-four to forty-eight hours after exercise. If that soreness maintains the same intensity, and does not get any better seventy-two hours later, then you need to see your doctor.” ProHealth offers Pilates-based physical therapy for those with a doctor’s referral.  What does Staples recommend for pain after exercising? “The first thing is to take an Epsom salt bath,” she said.  “When you next exercise, do a workout that is less intense. Walk instead of run. Lift weights that are less poundage.”

Karyn also recommends cross training at least once a week. “When you’re sore, if it’s purely muscle soreness from running too hard or too long, you want to do something that moves in a different way. Go through the range of motion for your joints, in a restorative yoga class, full body conditioning class, or a Pilates class.”

Pilates classes or private lessons create better movement.

Pilates classes or private lessons create better movement. How? “Pilates works on awareness of your body movement, working on the local stabilizing muscles. When we workout, we work the large global muscles—the ones that take you from Point A to Point B. We need the local stabilizing muscles to maintain the body in alignment so that the global muscles can do their job,” explained Staples.

One client, Emily, takes weekly Pilates lessons. “I don’t have an impressive physique or any great athleticism, and Pilates is perfect for me. Before Pilates, I would start exercise, and I would reinjure my knee and have to quit. So last year, I began private Pilates lessons. I was doing well, so I added in bike riding and weights at the gym. I feel so much stronger. I have less pain than when I started,” said Emily.

Besides working the local stabilizing muscles, Pilates works on balance. Karyn Staples said, “Balance is twofold—so that you don’t fall over, and balance in the body to decrease asymmetries. When one side is stronger than the other, your body will tend to use the stronger side.”

“Pain is an indication that we’ve chosen a poor movement strategy”

You might hear “No Pain No Gain” at some gyms. “Pain is an indication that we’ve chosen a poor movement strategy” said Staples. Pilates is never supposed to hurt.

It’s hard to love any exercise that hurts.  And Staples recommends finding movement that you can enjoy. “It should be fun. That way it’s not a task that you are dreading. There’s a lot of research on emotions. Negative emotions attached to something mean that we will have a negative experience.”

Staples told the story of one patient, a woman training for a marathon. She had pain in her knee while running, and it got worse to the point where she couldn’t walk. She started in Physical Therapy at for Illiotibial Band Syndrome. The Pilates-based therapy was so effective, that after she finished, she continued with Pilates once a week. She’s had a marked improvement in her running, pain-free for months. She calls Pilates her “favorite hour of the week.”

“In 10 sessions, you feel better, 20 sessions you look better, 30 sessions you have a completely new body.” – Joseph Pilates

Join Karyn in the upcoming Comprehensive Pilates Teacher Training in Atlanta, GA

Working with Clients with Scoliosis

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A teaser by Polestar Pilates International on the topic of our course: Scoliosis and Spinal Conditions, Pilates Master Course with Scroth educator Hagit Berdishevsky and Polestar educator Lise Stolze (Stolze Therapies)

WORKING WITH CLIENTS WITH SCOLIOSIS

Scoliosis is one of the most stubborn, abundant disorders in growing children and teens. The good news is that Pilates professionals can help ease the pain scoliosis sufferers experience through movement. The question is, how does one go about helping someone find peace with this condition?

WHAT IS SCOLIOSIS?

Scoliosis is a skeletal deformation, usually the result of growth spurts during adolescence, congenital spinal abnormalities, and other defects. 65 – 80% of scoliosis cases are idiopathic or of unknown origin. In sufferers, the spine is bent out of shape (no pun intended). Sometimes minimally or sometimes dramatically, the spine contorts into a C or an S shape. The Cobb angle is widely used to test for scoliosis, which is a measure done by locating distorted vertebrae and marking their paths on the back.

Early onset or early childhood scoliosis appears before 5 years of age and makes up 2% of all reported cases. It is sometimes associated with severe respiratory failure and, by affecting lung growth, may lead to decreased respiratory capacity even before puberty. Late-onset idiopathic scoliosis appears after 5 years through adolescence and usually occurs at puberty, around age 10. In such cases, complications with breath and healthy lung function have been reported. When left untreated, these conditions are exaggerated and the spine can be very distorted, to the point where the backbones can only be fixed through surgery. Most cases of scoliosis, however, resolve themselves with age, moderate exercise, and physical therapy.

HOW TO TREAT SCOLIOSIS

Lise Stolze and Hagit Berdishevsky discuss working with scoliosis clients on Pilates Hour.

ALTERNATIVES FOR SCOLIOSIS TREATMENT

  • Observation: where the deviation does not exceed 20º.
  • Use of corset: Used to slow the progression of the curve during the growth stage in people whose curvature is between 20º and 45º.
  • Surgery: Stop the evolution of the curve and, if possible, to correct it. It is indicated for the minors of growing age whose curve is greater than 45º and for adults with curves higher than 50º.
  • Physiotherapy and active rehabilitation: These treatments seek to slow the progression of curvature, improve respiratory function and reduce pain.

These types of treatments can be combined with different techniques. These include electro-stimulation through medium-frequency currents, heat treatments with IR to increase tissue elasticity and circulation, and lumbar traction to reduce compression in the spine. Kinesiotherapy uses movement-based exercises that include stretching, exercises to strengthen weakened muscles, and those that seek to invert the curves of the spine by position.

Therapeutic exercises for scoliosis treatment are based on principles that we manage day by day in Pilates such as postural reeducation, flexibility and muscular strength. The Schroth Method is a good example of a regimen that targets scoliosis to reduce pain and the rapid growth of scoliosis. The method focuses on postural and breathing exercises, spine flexibility, and convex-side stretching. It has been praised for being effective in minimizing symptoms.

These tips will not cure scoliosis, as most forms will resolve themselves naturally. However, these techniques will greatly reduce the discomfort that usually comes with this disorder. This is also true for recovery from extreme scoliosis. The key is to continue positive movement experiences and expanding our knowledge of this disorder to gain insight on how best to stop it.

What are the best Exercises for people with Scoliosis? Click here.

To learn more about the online course, click here: Scoliosis and Spinal Conditions, Pilates Master Course

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