Before you attempt to lift, or push, or pull heavy loads, the major joints of the body must be stabilized.
Because of the deep intrinsic work of Pilates, it is the perfect joint stabilizer. I have mentioned the spine as a series of joints and how Pilates can benefit the spine. Now I would like to give you insight on the shoulder, the knee and the ankle joints.
The shoulder is the most vulnerable joint with only one bony attachment to the body, at the sternoclavicular joint. We all are familiar with the biceps, triceps, the deltoids and the latissumus muscles. These muscles are primary movers and provide gross motor skill movement. But, we need to have a stabilized joint before we do gross motor skill movement, making sure that the long bone of the arm (humerus) is securely held in the shoulder socket. Pilates works those muscles, which stabilize the shoulder, more commonly known as the rotator cuff muscles. This enables safer workouts and a lessened chanced of a dislocated shoulder.
The knee is also another vulnerable joint suffering from many instability problems. This can indirectly affect the health of the spine, the hip, and the ankle. Pilates can be the answer for many common knee dysfunctions, acl problems, misaligned patella, and medial and lateral instabilities. Because Pilate’s equipment does not use weights, Pilates does not create a load or tension on the joint. It is designed to adjust the pull of gravity though spring resistance. This is a non- stressful method for strengthening major joints and can bring relief and healing to those suffering with knee alignment problems.
The ankle like the knee joint, if misaligned or weak can transfer instabilities sequentially up the leg to the spine. The ankle is also a main source of balance for the body. The muscles of the ankle are smaller muscles and are usually neglected in our standard workout programs. In Pilates the feet are one of the focal points. Working the feet in several different positions builds a bi lateral well rounded strength in the foot, which helps to stabilize the ankle, which in turn effects the entire body alignment.
Keeping every joint strong and supple should be a goal for our health.Pilates can give you both the strength needed for stability and the flexibility required for a supple agile body