Guest Blogger: Anne Merkel, DPT Intern at Synergy Studio
As part of my
internship with Synergy Studio, I presented an in-service on the research
regarding spinal curvatures and Pilates. As we age, we tend to have increased
thoracic kyphosis and poor posture. One of the research studies I found
measured the difference in spinal angles in 34 people over 60 years old after a
10-week Pilates program. They found that after 20 sessions of Pilates the
average thoracic kyphosis angle improved, meaning that the participants were
standing straighter with better posture. However, 4 weeks after the Pilates
program ended any gains they had made were lost. This may be familiar to you if
the recent holidays interfered with your fitness schedule. It’s important to
maintain your Pilates training through classes or a home exercise program.
In my time here
at Synergy, one of the most frequently asked questions seems to be why a
movement is more difficult on one side than the other. Our daily habits can
create imbalances in our muscles. This can lead to dysfunctional movement and
even non-structural scoliosis. A study of 31 sedentary Brazilian physical
therapy students with non-structural scoliosis and spine pain found Pilates to
be an effective intervention. After 3 months of Pilates, they had decreased
pain, decreased scoliotic angles, and increased flexibility. Pilates helps to
bring balance to the body, which you may have experienced yourself. Truly, the
most shocking part of this study is that the researchers were able to find so
many sedentary PT students, they should know better!
The last
article was a case study on a woman with severe structural scoliosis. She was
having difficulty working as a photographer and caring for her young son and
sought treatment from a chiropractor. It wasn’t until the chiropractor
suggested that she see a Pilates instructor with training in scoliosis that she
began seeing results and was able to successfully function in her role as a
mother and photographer again. This case study speaks to the importance of
combining manual therapy, whether it is from a chiropractor, massage therapist,
or physical therapist, with movement to retrain the nervous system.
If you would
like to read the abstracts for any of the above articles here are the links:
Thank you to
everyone who has allowed me to work with them in physical therapy treatments,
private Pilates sessions, and classes over the past month. I have already
learned so much and can’t wait to see what my final 3 weeks at Synergy Studio
hold!
