Physio Pilates

Current Timetable

The Development of Physio Pilates

Kim Murray Ward has been practicing as a Physiotherapist since 1993 with a specific interest in Core Stability. She began teaching Pilates in 2001. Over the past few years Kim has combined her knowledge of Pilates with her Physiotherapy Practice to develop Physio Pilates. Physio Pilates is based on a Pilates framework but incorporates current concepts in core stability from recent research. Where research has shown a more appropriate way of doing an exercise or movement, Physio Pilates uses that way. As further research is done in the areas of motor control, lumbopelvic control, lumbopelvic pain and core stability, Physio Pilates will continue to evolve to reflect this.

History of Pilates

Though Pilates has become popular in the last few years, it is by no means new. Joseph Pilates was a boxer and performer, who was interred with other German nationals in Lancaster, England. Joseph Pilates studied yoga and, ancient Greek and Roman exercise regimens and combined these with his own theories. Joseph Pilates started teaching this technique during World War I while he was interred with other German nationals in Lancaster, England. During this time Joseph Pilates devised the ‘matwork’ portion of Pilates. Later, Joseph Pilates was transferred to another camp where he became a caretaker of fellow prisoners. It was here he began to use the hospital beds and springs to make equipment to provide resistance for exercise. Joseph Pilates worked with injured prisoners to rehabilitate them using the resistance of springs and their own bodyweight. After the end of the war Joseph Pilates emigrated to the USA. He set up the first Pilates Studio in New York City in 1926. Pilates remained the secret of dancers for many years until the recent explosion in the popularity of Pilates.

About Physio Pilates

The Physiotherapy Clinic offers General, Pregnancy and Post Natal Physio Pilates Classes. All Physio Pilates classes are taught by Physiotherapists to ensure a high standard of instruction, supervision and expertise. Where necessary, our Physios are able to adapt the class structure for individuals with a history of pain or pathology. It’s unusual for a Physio Pilates class not to contain someone with a history of pain, especially back pain. Most health funds offer a rebate under your Physiotherapy Cover for Physio Pilates classes.

Physio Pilates exercise focuses on control of the body. There is an emphasis on postural symmetry, breathing and core control. The muscles of the body can be crudely divided into stabilisers and movers. The stabilisers are local muscles, close to the joints which work at a low intensity but have great endurance. They don’t change joint angles much, that is when they contract they tend to stiffen or stabilise an area rather than move it. Stabilising muscles include transversus abdominis, deep fibres of multifidus and the pelvic floor. The movement muscles are more global muscles, which are further away from the joints, they work at much higher intensities and fatigue quicker. These muscles actually move the joints and you easily see their action, such as the elbow bending when biceps brachii contracts.

Both the stabilisers and movers are essential for normal function. The stabilisers provide a stable base for the movers to move from for efficient fluid movement. This is much like a crane working off a stable solid concrete base as opposed to working on a sandy beach. Much better control of the crane would be more easily attained on the concrete base than on the beach.

In Physio Pilates we work on the deep stabilising system of the trunk, which includes the pelvic floor, transversus abdominis, the deep fibres of multifidus and the diaphragm. From this stable base, we expand to include the more global musculature. This involves the superficial abdominal musculature, gluteals, scapula and thoracic stabilising muscles. Once this stable base has been achieved, more of the movement muscles are recruited to achieve controlled limb movement with a stable core.

**Please note, a stable core does not imply a rigid core, but rather a well controlled core. **