Pilates

Pilates helps improve overall strength, flexibility, and posture while focusing on core stability. By promoting mindful movement and alignment, Pilates reduces the risk of injury and helps correct muscular imbalances caused by everyday habits or previous injuries. The practice also targets both the body and mind, offering stress relief and enhancing body awareness. Whether you're looking to alleviate pain, improve athletic performance, or simply increase your general well-being, Pilates is a holistic exercise method that can be adapted to meet individual needs, making it beneficial for people of all ages and fitness levels.
-Discussion about your goals
-Exploration of your sense of alignment on the reformer
-Exploration of the “Powerhouse”
-Foundations: Breathwork, Pelvic rotations, Core activation
-Self-myofascial release techniques
Pilates is ideal for individuals of all fitness levels, offering benefits to a wide range of people. It is particularly helpful for those looking to improve flexibility, strength, and posture. Pilates can benefit people dealing with muscular imbalances, chronic pain, or injury recovery by promoting balanced muscle development and improving range of motion. It is also great for those seeking low-impact exercise options that are gentle on the joints, making it suitable for older adults, athletes, and those with specific mobility issues. Whether you're aiming to enhance athletic performance or simply improve your overall well-being, Pilates can support your goals by focusing on core strength, alignment, and controlled movement.
-Blood circulates at its best.
-Our muscles and joints work more efficiently.
-Correct diaphragmatic breathing happens.
-Our chances of back and neck problems reduce.
-Internal organs function better.
History and Benefits of Pilates for Scoliosis
Pilates was developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century as a method to improve physical fitness and rehabilitation. Initially created for injured soldiers and later expanded to dancers and athletes, Pilates focuses on strengthening the core, enhancing flexibility, and improving posture. Over time, its benefits for various conditions, including scoliosis, became widely recognized.
Scoliosis is a condition characterized by an abnormal curvature of the spine, often leading to pain, muscle imbalances, and reduced mobility. Pilates has gained popularity as an effective therapeutic approach for managing scoliosis due to its emphasis on controlled movements, spinal alignment, and core strengthening. Research shows that Pilates helps improve posture, flexibility, and strength in individuals with scoliosis, reducing the asymmetry in the spine. It works by addressing the muscle imbalances associated with scoliosis, strengthening weak muscles while stretching tight ones. This balance helps alleviate discomfort, improves posture, and supports spinal alignment.
Several studies have highlighted Pilates as a non-invasive, safe exercise option for individuals with scoliosis. It can help improve functional mobility, reduce pain, and enhance quality of life. Pilates also promotes body awareness, which allows individuals to better manage their condition and adopt proper postural habits throughout daily activities. With tailored exercises, Pilates can be adapted to accommodate the severity of scoliosis, making it an accessible and beneficial tool for both children and adults with the condition.
Here are some key research studies on the benefits of Pilates for scoliosis:
1. "The Effectiveness of Pilates in the Treatment of Scoliosis" – Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies (2013)
  - This study explored the impact of Pilates-based exercises on individuals with idiopathic scoliosis. It found that Pilates helped reduce spinal curvature, improved posture, and enhanced overall flexibility and strength in patients with scoliosis.
2. "Effects of Pilates on Postural Control and Functional Ability in Adolescents with Scoliosis" – Physiotherapy Theory and Practice (2017)
  - This research examined the effectiveness of Pilates in improving postural control and functional ability in adolescents with scoliosis. The results indicated significant improvements in postural alignment, trunk stability, and the ability to perform daily activities, suggesting Pilates as a beneficial exercise for managing scoliosis.
3. "The Influence of Pilates on the Spinal Curvature and Pain in Adults with Scoliosis" – Studies in Health Technology and Informatics (2015)
  - This study focused on adults with scoliosis and assessed the effects of Pilates on spinal curvature and pain. The research concluded that Pilates significantly reduced pain and contributed to improved spinal alignment and mobility in individuals with mild to moderate scoliosis.
4. "Effects of Pilates on Physical Function and Spinal Alignment in Individuals with Scoliosis" – Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development (2016)
  - This study examined how Pilates affects the physical function, strength, and spinal alignment in individuals with scoliosis. It found that Pilates exercises led to improvements in spinal alignment, muscle strength, and range of motion, particularly in the trunk and lower back.
5. "Pilates Exercise for Children and Adolescents with Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Systematic Review" – Scoliosis and Spinal Disorders (2017)
  - A systematic review of multiple studies evaluating the benefits of Pilates for children and adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis. The review concluded that Pilates is an effective intervention for reducing spinal curvature, improving posture, and enhancing flexibility, with minimal risk of injury when performed under professional supervision.
6. "Comparative Effectiveness of Pilates Versus Traditional Exercise for Scoliosis in Adults" – European Spine Journal (2018)
  - This research compared Pilates to traditional physical therapy exercises in adults with scoliosis. The results showed that Pilates was more effective at reducing pain and improving spinal mobility compared to conventional physical therapy methods, highlighting Pilates as a promising treatment option for adults with scoliosis.
These studies demonstrate that Pilates is an effective approach for managing scoliosis, improving spinal alignment, alleviating pain, and increasing strength and flexibility.
While, I teach you the core concepts of the Pilates method, I don’t believe in moving through a sequence of exercises just to complete the repertoire. Together with the Pilates apparatus we will meet your body where it’s at. I lean on the principles that have influenced my movement perspective through working closely with physical therapists:
- Restore Function & Improve Health Through Movement:
  Pilates emphasizes controlled, low-impact movements that build strength, flexibility, and neuromuscular coordination without placing excessive strain on the body. By targeting the deep stabilizing muscles—particularly in the core, hips, and spine—Pilates helps correct muscular imbalances, improve alignment, and support proper movement patterns. This is especially beneficial for individuals recovering from injury, dealing with chronic pain, or experiencing reduced range of motion due to poor posture or inactivity. Pilates also focuses on breath control and mindful movement, which enhances body awareness and encourages efficient, pain-free motion in everyday activities. Over time, this approach not only restores lost mobility but also builds resilience to prevent future dysfunction.
- Everyone Deserves a Tailored Approach:
  Pilates on the apparatus—such as the Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, and Barrel—is a highly versatile exercise method because the equipment is designed to support, guide, and challenge the body in a controlled and adaptable way. The springs and pulleys create adjustable resistance, which can be modified to suit various fitness levels, body types, and physical limitations. This makes Pilates accessible to a wide range of people, from beginners and older adults to athletes and those recovering from injury. The apparatus also provides feedback and alignment support, helping individuals develop better body awareness, improve posture, and move more efficiently. Because exercises can be performed lying down, sitting, kneeling, or standing, Pilates on the apparatus offers a customizable experience that meets people where they are and helps them progress safely and effectively.
- A Holistic Approach:
  Pilates takes a holistic approach to movement, recognizing the deep interconnectedness between physical and mental health. The method is not just about building strength or flexibility—it's about creating balance in the body and mind. Research consistently shows that regular physical activity can significantly reduce pain, improve mood, and enhance overall well-being. Pilates, in particular, supports these outcomes by encouraging mindful, breath-centered movement that calms the nervous system and promotes mental clarity. Through focused attention on alignment, control, and breath, Pilates helps individuals reconnect with their bodies, fostering a sense of presence and self-awareness. This integration of mind and body is especially powerful for managing stress, reducing anxiety, and addressing the emotional components of chronic pain or physical dysfunction. By taking a whole-person approach Pilates empowers people to move more freely, feel more resilient, and live with greater vitality and balance.
- Share, Educate, and Empower:
  It is paramount to educate people about the benefits of exercise—especially mindful systems like Pilates—and how practices like self-myofascial release can be integrated into daily life to support long-term health and well-being. Pilates is not just a form of movement; it's a tool for education, helping individuals understand how their bodies move, where imbalances lie, and how to correct them through controlled, intentional exercises. When people learn how to release tension through self-myofascial techniques (like foam rolling or targeted stretching) and combine that with Pilates-based strengthening and alignment work, they begin to take ownership of their own physical care. This approach shifts the individual from being passive in their recovery to actively participating in it. It fosters greater self-awareness, encourages consistency in self-care, and builds confidence in managing pain, mobility limitations, or postural challenges. By incorporating these strategies into everyday routines, individuals are more likely to prevent injury, improve function, and sustain their health over time—empowering them to move through life with greater ease and resilience.
Pilates on the apparatus is an excellent adjunct and complementary exercise to both prehabilitation (prehab) and rehabilitation (rehab) for arthroscopic and arthroplastic surgeries—as well as for injuries—because it offers a safe, low-impact, and highly adaptable form of movement that supports healing and long-term recovery. The Pilates apparatus (like the Reformer, Cadillac, and Chair) uses spring resistance rather than weights, which provides both assistance and challenge in a controlled environment. This allows individuals to rebuild strength, stability, and mobility without overloading joints or healing tissues.
In addition to prehab with a medical provider, Pilates on the apparatus as a complementary exercise can help strengthen key muscle groups, improve joint alignment, and enhance overall function, better preparing the body for surgery and potentially improving postoperative outcomes. Pilates is a wonderful adjunct during rehab as well in its capacity to aid in restoring range of motion, correcting movement patterns, and addressing compensatory habits that often develop due to pain or limited mobility. The focus on core control, breath coordination, and precise movement makes Pilates particularly beneficial for improving proprioception (body awareness) and neuromuscular control, which are essential for joint stability and injury prevention.
Additionally, Pilates supports the entire kinetic chain, not just the site of injury or surgery. For example, following a knee replacement, a client might use the Reformer to work on hip and core strength while gradually increasing load through the operated joint. This whole-body integration not only accelerates recovery but also addresses underlying issues that may have contributed to the injury in the first place. Ultimately, Pilates complements physical therapy by reinforcing therapeutic goals in a gentle, progressive, and empowering way.
Please note that I am not a physician, physical therapist, or chiropractor, and do not offer diagnoses, medical advice, or treatment. I am pleased to work closely with you and any medical providers you authorize to communicate with me to create a wellness program and provide non-medical, exercise-based support that caters to your unique needs for a true continuum of adjunct and complementary care.
Incorporating Pilates into prehabilitation and rehabilitation programs for joint surgeries can lead to improved outcomes, including enhanced strength, balance, and quality of life. However, personalized guidance from healthcare professionals is crucial to ensure safety and effectiveness. While Pilates offers numerous benefits, it's essential to consult with healthcare providers before starting any new exercise regimen, especially post-surgery.
Please consult with your medical provider(s) first when considering Pilates as a complementary adjunct exercise during the prehab and rehab phases as I do not diagnose, advise, or treat. My goal is to help broaden your understanding of your body through Pilates, strength training, mobility routines, and myofascial release.

Woman exercising with dumbbells in a gym

Optimal posture is one in which the different segments of the body, head, neck, chest and trunk are vertically balanced upon each other so that the weight is borne mainly by the bony framework with a minimum of effort and strain on muscles and ligaments. Posture is in constant dialogue with our structure and structure will change or adapt for the good or the bad in response to our postural behavior and vice versa (form follows function!). A big part of it all comes down to how we choose to live in our bodies and how these choices affect our posture.

Excerpt from Posture "Play" Written by Marie-Jose’ Blom-Lawrence Spring/Summer 2003 Volume 7, Issue 2

Pioneers of Movement

By Marguerite Ogle
Updated June 27, 2018
German-born Joseph Pilates was living in England and working as a circus performer and boxer when he was placed in forced internment in England at the outbreak of World War I. While in the internment camp, he began to develop the floor exercises that evolved into what we now know as the Pilates mat work.
As time went by, Joseph Pilates began to work with rehabilitating detainees who were suffering from diseases and injuries. It was invention born of necessity that inspired him to utilize items that were available to him, like bed springs and beer keg rings, to create resistance exercise equipment for his patients. These were the unlikely beginnings of the equipment we use today, like the reformer and the magic circle.
Pilates Develops His Interest in Fitness
Joseph Pilates developed his work from a strong personal experience in fitness. Unhealthy as a child, he studied many kinds of self-improvement systems. He drew from Eastern practices and Zen Buddhism. He was inspired by the ancient Greek ideal of man perfected in the development of body, mind, and spirit. On his way to developing the Pilates Method, Joseph Pilates studied anatomy and developed himself as a bodybuilder, wrestler, gymnast, boxer, skier, and diver.
From England to Germany to New York City
After WWI, Joseph Pilates briefly returned to Germany where his reputation as a physical trainer and healer preceded him. In Germany, he worked briefly for the Hamburg military police in self-defense and physical training. In 1925, he was asked to train the German army. Instead, he packed his bags and took a boat to New York City.
On the boat to America, Joseph met Clara, a nurse, who would become his wife. He went on to establish his studio in New York and Clara worked with him as he evolved the Pilates method of exercise, invented the Pilates exercise equipment, and trained students.
Pilates Teaches in New York
Joseph Pilates taught in New York from 1926 to 1966. During that time, he trained a number of students who not only applied his work to their own lives but became teachers of the Pilates method themselves. This first generation of teachers who trained directly with Joseph Pilates is often referred to as the Pilates Elders. Some committed themselves to pass along Joseph Pilates work exactly as he taught it. This approach is called “classical style” Pilates. Other students went on to integrate what they learned with their own research in anatomy and exercise sciences.
Pilates Appeals to Dancers
Joseph Pilates' New York studio put him in close proximity to a number of dance studios, which led to his discovery by the dance community. Many dancers and well-known persons of New York depended on Pilates method training for the strength and grace it developed in the practitioner, as well as for its rehabilitative effects. Dancers and elite athletes kept Joseph Pilates' work alive until exercise science caught up with the Pilates exercise principles in the 1980s and the surge of interest in Pilates that we have today got underway.
The Legacy of Joseph Pilates
Joseph Pilates passed away in 1967. He maintained a fit physique throughout his life, and many photos show that he was in a remarkable physical condition in his older years. He is also said to have had a flamboyant personality. He smoked cigars, liked to party, and wore his exercise briefs wherever he wanted (even on the streets of New York). It is said that he was an intimidating, though deeply committed, instructor.
Clara Pilates continued to teach and run the studio for another 10 years after Joseph Pilates death. Today, Joseph Pilates' legacy is carried on by the Pilates Elders, and by a large group of contemporary teachers.
Books by Joseph Pilates
Joseph Pilates called his work Contrology. He defined Contrology as “the comprehensive integration of body mind and spirit.” He authored two books:
"Return to Life through Contrology" (1945) with William J. Miller. This short book has 93 pages, with most being illustrations for 34 mat exercises. But in it, he conveys the breadth and power of the Pilates method philosophy and technique for whole-body health.
"Your Health: A Corrective System of Exercising That Revolutionizes the Entire Field of Physical Education" (1934).
By Craig Morris, DC
Dynamic Chiropractic – April 21, 2003, Vol. 21, Issue 09
Much has been written about the recent passing of Professor Vladimir Janda. Praises from distinguished multidisciplinary groups have been heaped upon this gentleman, a disabled (polio-stricken) medical doctor from Prague. Just what was his message, and why was it so profound to arouse such accolades?
Understanding Professor Janda's background and training allows one to better appreciate his contribution. His disability, which began during his teenage years, enhanced his observational skills to almost unbelievable proportions. Because he was initially trained as a neurologist who later specialized in manual medicine and rehabilitation, he was uniquely qualified to explain the complex nature of chronic pain syndromes in a manner that integrated neurologically based principles with manual techniques. At the rehabilitation clinic he founded at Charles University in Prague, he supervised cases on a daily basis that varied from myofascial pain, to posttraumatic quadriplegia, to cerebral palsy, and did so for decades. His understanding of kinesiology and EMG testing/research was elevated to the highest level when he completed a fellowship with the legendary Professor John V. Basmajian of Canada in the 1960s. Appointed as a representative for the World Health Organization in the 1970s, he traveled the world to establish rehabilitation hospitals in third-world countries.
Armed with such a unique and vast clinical armamentarium, Janda started to integrate his knowledge with observed consistent patterns in various chronic pain syndromes. These patterns of muscular imbalances led to stereotypically altered postures; altered gaits; trigger point patterns; joint dysfunctions; and pain syndromes. He found this movement was neurologically mediated and required a comprehensive understanding of manual techniques, such as manipulation and muscle-balancing measures, and neurophysiologically based techniques to attain long-term improvement. Inspired by the proprioceptive facilitatory techniques of Herman Kabat, MD and Sister Elizabeth Kenney, he integrated these methods into his rehabilitative model. A proponent of manipulation, myofascial procedures and exercise, he found that each approach alone was insufficient for the chronic syndrome. As he wrote about his findings, a growing list of global admirers invited him to come and share his unique insights. Professor Karel Lewit, Janda's colleague, once commented on his own understanding of "sensorimotor system" dysfunction by saying: "I learn from everyone, especially Janda. His insights are original."
Professor Janda is perhaps best known for his identification of three postural syndromes: the upper (proximal) crossed; lower (distal or pelvic) crossed; and layer syndromes. Briefly, each of these clinical scenarios described conditions in which the tone of antagonistic muscle groups became imbalanced and led to the predictable sequelae of pain and dysfunction.
When asked about his contribution to the worlds of physical therapy, chiropractic, osteopathy and manual medicine, Professor Janda stated that he directed each group toward the importance of muscle dysfunction in the perpetuation of musculoskeletal pain syndromes. At one time, he felt each group focused too heavily on dysfunction of the passive joints.
Attempting to briefly encapsulate Janda's message is practically impossible because of the breadth and complexity of the topic. In the simplest terms, it all boils down to the nervous system. The coordination of afferentation, central organization of neural data, and efferentation was paramount to the quality of function. To him, joint function was dependent on muscle function, which was dependent on nervous system function, although each of these factors was at times interdependent. A reader of these words who studied with Janda could easily find fault, because he emphasized so many other aspects that could lead to dysfunction and subsequent pain. Such factors included psychosocial; nutritional; ergonomic; congenital; endocrine; genetic; traumatic (micro- and macro-); occupational; and sports.
To appreciate Janda's brilliance, one truly needed to see him in action - teaching one of his courses, especially when he was assessing a patient. Students were amazed as he told the patient about his or her past history of injury, simply by glancing at posture or watching the patient take a few steps. Whether assessing chronic back pain or severe brain trauma, his students were left spellbound by the clarity of his observations; his insights into each condition; the complexity of the etiology and confounding factors he detailed; and his comprehensive treatment options.
Professor Janda was not without doubters. Some complained his observations seemed too subjective, and were unable to be consistently recreated or measured; some of these complaints may be true. Many of his visual observations required a keen eye and fall under the heading of "art," as do palpatory findings. However, many of his original observations may not be fully accepted in the international scientific community, because the technology does not yet exist to prove or disprove them. However, one example of Janda's genius may help to clarify this topic to the reader.
Janda first addressed his concepts to Australian physiotherapists in the 1970s. Among his many findings was that patients with chronic low back conditions frequently had inactive abdominal muscles, especially the transversus. He noted that the abdomen was rounded in such cases. This, along with his emphasis on muscle dysfunction, rather than just joint dysfunction, led the Australian PTs to later utilize fine-wire EMG studies and diagnostic ultrasound, to prove the existence of what is now called the "pressurized canister." This reasoning revolutionized our understanding of lumbopelvic stability, but it required the genius of Janda to observe and explain it so others could later prove it.
Professor Vladimir Janda was an original genius. His insights were revolutionary, and his message inspired a multiprofessional global audience for decades. Those who were his students will be able to state proudly for the rest of their lives, "I studied with Janda." It remains the duty of his protégés to continue to share his message; to better understand its complexity; to strive to prove his tenets as technology allows; and to build upon the groundwork laid by this humble master.
For me, my relationship with Professor Vladimir Janda evolved over the years, from instructor to mentor, from friend to family member. Thank you, Vlad. Sleep well.
Craig E. Morris, DC, DACRB, FAFICC, CSCS
Torrance, California
Dr. Craig Morris is a 1981 graduate of, and retired clinical professor from, Cleveland Chiropractic College, Los Angeles. He is board certified in chiropractic rehabilitation and the editor of Low Back Syndromes, Integrated Clinical Management (McGraw Hill), a multidisciplinary textbook. He has taught sports / rehabilitation on all five continents.