Find out how to perform post partum abdominal rehabilitation with Pilates therapy, through the benefits of therapeutic Pilates rehabilitation. Find out what benefits this pratice can bring to pregnant women but not only.
What is therapeutic Pilates ?
Therapeutic Pilates is a rehabilitation method carried out by physiotherapists. This method allows us to reduce pain and imbalances in our bodies through exercises.
The method promotes physical and mental health. It helps to reduce pain through breathing exercises. The importance of connecting your mind with your breath while performing the exercises is fundamental.
All Pilates exercises are based on the activation of the powerhouse. In other words, it is the contraction of our transverse, multifiudus and pelvic floor muscles as we breathe in and out. The activation of the central core of our body will be combined with the exercises. This promotes good alignment, control of our movements and efficient breathing.
Therapeutic Pilates for pregnant women
Unlike Pilates, Therapeutic Pilates is suitable for anyone suffering from rheumatism, imbalances, injuries and/or pathologies, such as lumbago, neck pain, scoliosis, herniated discs and sciatica, etc.
Moreover, this method is perfectly suitable for mothers or pregnant women. It is highly recommended for post-partum abdominal rehabilitation and for the preparation of childbirth.
But also, it meets the demands of sportsmen and women. Indeed, Pilates allows to increase the sports performances and to reduce the metabolic cost of certain disciplines in addition to these numerous benefits. Studies prove their effectiveness in runners. To find out more, read our article on the effects of Pilates on runners to learn more.
In short, this method is suitable for everyone and allows you to strengthen yourself without increasing pain. All this while integrating movement and control of the whole body.
A practice that helps to correct imbalances and posture
The aim of therapeutic exercises is to correct imbalances. But also the posture and function of the skeletal muscles. The aim is to improve strength and endurance.
This approach can also help patients to adopt a more adequate breathing in their daily life. It can also help them to adopt a more adequate breathing pattern in their daily life and during sports activities, avoiding parasitic breathing, often linked to neck pain.
Many muscles strengthened through Pilates
The stabilising muscles of the body are the main muscle groups used in Pilates.
These are the muscles that allow us to have a better support of our scapular and pelvic belt.
In parallel, the glutes, obliques, abs, lower trapezius, pectoral, serratus anterior, and pelvic muscles are also strengthened to firm up the body and help with overall stability.
Pilates, an effective rehabilitation tool
The latest studies have demonstrated an improvement in symptomatology, particularly in patients with low back pain:
In a randomised controlled trial, 74 patients aged 65-85 years with chronic low back pain were placed in two separate groups. 37 of them were randomly assigned to the Pilates group and the other 37 to the aerobic (treadmill exercise) group. All participants will exercise twice a week for 8 weeks.
Patients in the Pilates group had a more significant reduction in pain than patients in the aerobic group.
This may be due to Pilates exercises targeting pelvic and trunk muscle stability and mobility in older people with low back pain. Unfortunately, the lack of evidence does not allow us to affirm this hypothesis.
23 studies have evaluated the effectiveness of Pilates in the rehabilitation of low back pain. That is, for ankylosing spondylitis, multiple sclerosis, postmenopausal osteoporosis, non-structural scoliosis, hypertension and chronic neck pain. 19 papers found that Pilates was more effective than the control or comparison group in improving outcomes, including pain and disability levels. The majority of trials found that therapeutic Pilates was effective in reducing pain and disability.
In runners, the effects of Pilates can improve postural control during running. Thus, Pilates can improve running technique and performance. For more information please see our article: The effects of Pilates on runners.