“Nobody in this world has a NEUTRAL alignment!”
– Master Patricia Duchaussoy
(Founder of Pilates Station, Creator of The Body Fly Method and Co-Founder of Sana Motion).
And even more nowadays since almost everyone uses phones and computers, sitting many hours which are the root causes of problems that most people face today such as knee pain, back pain, shoulder pain, neck pain… etc.
If you face pain in any part of your body, it’s always better to address at an early stage before it aggravates to bigger problems.
I often come across seeing people hunching while sitting down and the most obvious conclusion will be that this will have an immediate effect on the back. However, I feel the need to educate people on how important it is to rebalance the body in order to treat many different pathologies such as office syndrome (i.e., back pain, neck pain… etc.). and even joint problems.
The first step would be to realign the body by:
• strengthening the weak muscles;
• stretching the strong muscles;
• strengthening the core muscles;
• mobilizing the spine in every direction;
• mobilizing all the joints in our body.
Let’s highlight a common problem:
Knee Hyperextension
What does that mean?
When you overwork the muscles in the knees or extend it above the usual range of the knee joint, the tissues, muscles and tendons in these joints become loose and this is known as Knee Hyperextension. Many people suffer this condition due to the misalignment of the posture and the images below explain what happens to your pelvic area, spine and knees.
In the knee joints, there are lymphatic vessels that are connected to the arteries of the heart, which not many people are aware of. If these knee joints get hyperextended, the heart will not receive enough blood as these vessels get constricted. Hyper extended knees also shorten the Soleus muscle which is the muscle that exists at the calf of the leg. This muscle is sometimes known as the “second heart” as it is required to pump blood back up to the heart and this can be done through walking or mobilizing the ankle joint.
Loose knee joints can lead to several other problems in the body making them unstable and vulnerable to injuries. Not only injuries from sports can result in knee injuries; even a lack of exercise or other health conditions (ex: Arthritis), can lead to such problems associated to the knees.
Pilates – a non-surgical option
Pilates is considered as one of the best solutions to solving Knee Hyperextensions as it not only strengthens and stretches the muscles but also re-organizes the posture.
There are several Pilates exercises that can eliminate problems as a result of Hyper Extended Knees or other Knee instabilities. Pilates encourages one to create awareness of how to properly engage the muscles through exercises that are performed via controlled movements. Over a period of time, Pilates tones, tightens and strengthens the looseness of the tissues, muscles and tendons and stabilizes the condition of the knees. Pilates is considered a form of therapy to resolve physical conditions rather than going through surgical procedures. Today, Doctors & Surgeons are creating awareness of the Benefits of Pilates and communities are growing as Education continues to spread.
Pilates, in simple words is ‘body conditioning’ as it develops tremendous body awareness in such a way that after 30 regular classes, it changes the way you walk, sit or move. Just make sure you are in good hands with a qualified and certified Pilates Instructor.
PILATES CHANGES YOUR LIFE!
