Pilates for physical therapy

24 years ago

I'm going to start physical therapy very soon to strengthen and rehabilitate my back. I have not been to a physical therapist before, and I was told over the phone that (at this facility) they use Pilates machines and exercises to do small, precise movements which have a very big impact.

This is the first I've ever heard of Pilates so I did some research. I just left a chiropractor who just wanted to crack my back and keep me coming back for extensive treatments for way too long, so I am feeling burned and leary of anything else I've never heard of.

What can you tell me about Pilates exercises as a form of physical therapy for the back? I have scoliosis, an old low-back severe sprain, and a painful, stiff neck. I want to strengthen and improve flexibility in my back to relieve pain and, hopefully, reverse or stop some of the degenerative process in my back. I think what the PT offers is exactly what I want and need but I thought that same thing at first about the chiropractor too (and I got NO relief from him except my wallet is much lighter now!).

I will appreciate any comments or personal experiences you have to share.

Thanks.

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Comments (12)

trekaren
24 years ago
I just started taking Pilates classes (no machines, all mat work).

The exercises concentrate on strengethening what they call the "core" - your abs and spine. Basically, if your abs and back muscles are healthy and strong, and if you work on general flexibility and stretching, your back will be in better shape, for the long term. I can already tell a difference.

You leave at the end of class, totally wiped out and you think you will wake up sore the next day. But oddly enough, I think due to the stretching combined with the strengthening, there is no soreness. If your problem is lower back-spine-related, I highly recommend it.
jenn
Original Author
24 years ago
Thanks Karen,

I'm happy to report that after only 2 sessions (beginner, stretching/strengthening exercises on a mat), I already notice a HUGE difference. Thirteen visits to a chiropractor for 2 minutes of back "adjustments" did nothing... but just two 1-hour appointments of physical therapy including deep neck massage (I have literal knots in my neck), exercises and stretching, I can already see a difference. It's amazing. This morning when I awoke, my neck was more flexible and less painful than it has been in months.

Plus, the physical therapist is great -- she gets right to the core of the problem: many, many years of bottled up emotions and constant, every-day tension!
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It's late so I'm just going to respond train-of-thought to your questions..... RE your exercises -- that's a lot of the stuff my last PT had me doing -- I think it's general leg strengthening stuff and probably all very good stuff to do, but the exercises the new PT gave me really get the butt and outside of the hips, which is what I need, apparently, to cure the IT band stuff. And it takes so much less time -- if I hustle, I can do everything in 10 minutes. re: pilates being too boring and slow-paced -- the more advanced winsor workouts are much faster-paced with less explaining. See if you can get a hold of the Maximum Burn series - she goes very fast in that one. There's a 20 minute one and a 45 mninute one. I think they're both out of print, but there are usually plenty of used copies on amazon (cheap!) re: your arches -- I think high arches are big contributors to knee pain. I'm sure you already did this, but make sure you have the right shoes -- high arched feet need neutral/cushioned shoes -- any sort of stability or motion control shoe will just screw you up further. I have Nike Zoom Vomero 4's -- they are the cushiest shoes ever but they don't last long -- my last pair needed replacing after less than 200 miles. You may want to see a different podiatrist for a second opinion on your orthotics -- I've seen a few and each one has a different opinion on what kind orthotics to make me. I have a set of old orthotics from my 20s and sometimes I wear them to run, sometimes I don't. I don't think they make much difference actually. (Part of me thinks podiatry is a hocus-pocus kind of field!.) A good book to read is "Running Injury Free" by Joe Ellis. He is a podiatrist but very knowledgable and I found it fascinating how he took people's weird pains and traced them down to all kinds of crazy causes (one woman had hip pain that he traced to a tiny nail that had penetrated the sole of her running shoe and was very mildly poking her as she ran -- she didn't even realize it was there, but it was throwing off her stride to such an extent that it screwed up her ankle, knee and hip. But anyway, he spends a lot of time talking about how people's arches and foot structure can really cause issues all the way up the leg - it's interesting to read. re: how long I foam roll - I usually foam roll for a few minutes. You are supposed to stay on each painful spot for as long as you can and at least 20-30 seconds. I will roll til I hit all my painful spots (some twice) or until my arms get tired from holding me up (I find that you have to be pretty acrobatic to get yourself in some of these positions, LOL!) If you have painful spots, you need to roll. The first time I did it, my right IT band didn't hurt at all -- not one bit -- when I foam rolled it (and of course, my right knee didn't hurt). My left IT band, on the other hand, was excruciatingly painful the whole way up and down my leg. I rolled for maybe 3-4 minutes total (it hurt so bad I had to stop) and the next morning, I felt so much better. When I rolled again (I was doing it twice a day at first, now just once a day), there were far fewer painful spots, and now I find that if I keep up the rolling regularly, I can roll and not find any painful spots at all (and then I'm done in like 20 seconds!). Basically, if you feel any pain when you roll your IT band, you've found a problem and you just need to park there on the roller and let the roller work the knot out. Seriously -- in just days, with proper rolling, you should be feeling far less pain during the rolling itself and of course, less knee pain during all your activities. re: the fluid in your knee -- the fluid in your knee might never go away but it is probably not causing your pain. I have tons of fluid in both knees (docs think it is from the trauma of the accident) but other than making really loud crackling popping noises all the time (seriously, in my first set of PT, people could hear my knees popping from across the room when I was doing those step-ups and stuff - it was gross!), it never hurt. The pain is caused by the muscles around your knee pulling your kneecap all out of whack. Once you release the tension in your IT band and strengthen the other muscles around the knee to hold your kneecap in place, it won't be getting yanked all over the place and your pain should go away or at least become a lot more managable. Good luck!
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Pesky, I have been reading along and thinking about you and am truly sorry you have come to this place in your life. I have been blessed with good health for most of my life, with a few surgeries and recoveries that set me back but no long-term pain like you have had to endure. I'm so sorry you have had to deal with this. I know from just getting older I have to take better care of me and do more stretches. Some of them I can actually do at my desk. When I injured an ankle once, a doctor told me to try to trace the alphabet with my foot in mid-air several times a day if possible. It really helped because the muscles and ligaments were stretched in almost every possible direction. Maybe you can try this in small stages at your desk. If you can't get on the floor, there are some things you can do from a chair, just lifting your legs. The yoga in a chair someone suggested is a great idea, as was the elastic bands, and if you can do some things standing, even lifting some 1-lb weights, and bending and stretching at the waist would be good for circulation. My DH was also having some joint problems, and he cut out all artificial sweeteners and cured/processed meats. He now uses Stevia or agave to sweeten his coffee and most of his joint pain disappeared. I'd suggest your food plan change first of all, and that would include any diet sodas and other products containing aspartame. Any other further reduction in sugar, as many have suggested, would help. I know you already know this, but you need lean protein for energy, especially if your job is often physically demanding. So just a vegan diet may not be what you need right now. Salads are great, but you can add a little chicken, beef or fish to it for variety. I even buy a whole roasted chicken and freeze some of it for later. Easy leftover meals with a little rice or salad. Keep your favorite fruits close. Anything filling is best for a snack or to keep you from grabbing something you know you shouldn't eat. Even a spoon of peanut butter on a piece of apple is better than a handful of chips. There are even frozen fruit popsicles that are pretty good desserts. Portion control and healthy eating for energy are what you need to get control of your weight. Sneak in a small square of dark chocolate or whatever gives you a smile once a week! It will make you feel better. And yes, try to find that place for aquatic workouts that can help you work around your schedule. Maybe you can work something out with your employer to come in later a couple of times a week so you could do it early in the mornings? I do hope you can get the help you need in this regard. I think any exercise is a 'mental break' any of us need from the daily stress of life away from home or office. Let us hear from you again. This is such a supportive group.
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fangdangle
24 years ago
Jenn,glad to see physio is working out also. This way you can learn how to take care of your own body instead of repeat payments for ajustments.

Even if I don't have a lot of time to exercise the mat work of simple stretches makes me feel better mentally and physically..

Elizabeth
jenn
Original Author
24 years ago
Elizabeth, you are so right. The chiropractor kept saying "we'll talk about that later" when I asked about exercises (he has a notebook in the waiting room filled with exercise pamphlets, so I know he has them). His "adjustments" gave me NO relief whatsoever. And when he cracked my back he'd say "this is going to help your lungs work better" or "this will make your stomach work better"... and I kept thinking "how about making my back work better???".

Yesterday I did some intensive gardening all day. Last night I was very sore, but I needed to do the exercises as prescribed by my PT. I have 5 exercises (so far, after only 2 visits) and I was leary because I was so sore, but I did them all as recommended. When I was done, my body felt MUCH better, much less pain.

Part of my treatment involves nightly writing of my feelings, then shredding the paper. It's about dealing with the issues that are causing my chronic back pain. The chiropractor made a big deal out of the slight degeneration in my spine and the curvature and neck stiffness.... the orthopedic doctor and the PT don't think it's such a big deal... they are teaching me how to relieve it on my own and to get to the ISSUES that are causing it.
fangdangle
24 years ago
Pros and cons of the Chiropractor.
I watched W5 TV show which was airing about the people in Canada that are suing the doctors for not being warned about the dangers of a stroke following neck manipulation.
They showed two cases of people who are disabled ..they feel because of their stroke shortly after the neck manipulation.
One of the cases is on going in court at this time.
The report mentioned that younger people are at greater risk.
There was a 28 year old girl who also suffered a stroke shortly after.The problem seems to be in the lower arteries at the base of the neck tear and create blood clots.

One women who was in her twenties said she enjoys yoga and has been going to chriopractors for years with no ill effects.
At the ending of the report they said how they are encouraging the chiropractors to skip the neck manipulations.
trekaren
24 years ago
Month two for me of Pilates. I still highly recommend it. I have had severe tendonitis in my abdomen since I had my DD. She's 4 now, and I was still unable to do any kind of ab work without cramping up badly.

The Pilates is so focused on isolation strengthening and on flexibility that the combination has done the trick! I am now almost caught up with the rest of the class on ab work. AND I did the Seal move for the first time this week, and actually got back up! I was so excited because that move utilizes the ab muscles and I was able to do it!
fangdangle
24 years ago
My girlfriend has the tape .
I will have to check it out and see what it's all about .
I do enjoy the yoga .
fangdangle
24 years ago
Some more information on pilates

Here is a link that might be useful: stretch it
fangdangle
24 years ago
I need some advice on which video to purchase.
I am not that flexable but do some yoga.
Was thinking about ordering one of the above for a beginner what do you think of the 3 dimensional toning?
Or would the core essentials be a better bet?
Thanks
msnikki
23 years ago
Which tapes did you purchase? Did anyone get Winsors?
Linda352
23 years ago
My DD has the Windsor Pilates and loves it when she has the time to put towards it. I am hoping when she comes to visit this coming weekend she will bring it with her so I can check it out. I'll post my opinion of it next week.....Linda/NJ
trekaren
23 years ago
Our instructor has informed us that we are ready to advance to intermediate. She kicked our butts Monday! I am going to HAVE to at least do the 100s every single day if I have any prayer of keeping up! Me and my weak abs!

Linda, it was amazing. We got thru the basic 12 in around 30 minutes! Bam bam bam, move from one move to the next. And let me tell you, we were sweating!

I have advanced some, to be able to do the Seal and the open rocker with only a little trouble. But my abs need the stretch in between so it's tough to not stop for a sec in between each move! Well, I'll be looking like Daisy Fuentes before you can say Winsor! LOL

Pilates for physical therapy

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