Pilates: A Fitness Tool That Transcends the Ages

Someone somewhere once said: "age is no excuse for weakness."

I believe that is true.

As millions of Baby Boomers and beyond enter their golden years, they hope to be active, and stay healthy and injury-free. However, the greatest challenge in doing so for many has been and will be a sedentary lifestyle.

Many older adults have the perception that they cannot exercise for fear of injury, when just the opposite is true. A body will respond to proper training regardless of age. Unfortunately, many older adults fail to realize that someone who does not exercise is potentially more prone to injury and poor health.

WHAT HAPPENS AS WE GET OLDER?

Balance, agility, proprioception, and kinesthetic awareness all start to diminish as we age or become sedentary. We use vision, the vestibular system and the complex of nerve endings in our muscles, joints and tendons to keep ourselves upright. As we get older or become sedentary, these sensory systems operate less effectively.

Additionally, the muscular system starts to weaken from the core to extremities as we get older. Our core (consisting of the abdominal wall, back, and pelvic musculature) becomes weak with progressive weakening of the hip and shoulder stabilizers. Loss of flexibility also impairs our ability to move properly and hold good postural alignment. As a result, many older adults experience orthopedic injuries such as hip and shoulder fractures from falls due to loss of balance, and to overuse-repetitive stress injuries.

Our skills for focus and memory retention also diminish as we age. Osteopenia and osteoporosis can complicate exercise programs, limiting some forms of training. Arthritic and degenerative changes, high blood pressure, pelvic floor dysfunction, and many others can be added to the list.

Many therapists are turning to Pilates as a method of rehabilitation and training for older adults experiencing these aging-related challenges.

WHY PILATES?

Pilates is effective because it is an extremely flexible rehabilitation system. Exercises can be modified based on each client's needs to best facilitate a positive movement experience. The exercises can be assistive in nature or, as a client gets stronger, modifications can be made to make the exercises more challenging. The training is low impact and weight bearing, and positional restrictions can be accommodated.

Pilates starts with nine principles of training that make it a perfect therapeutic remedy for this population:

1. Breathing—the essential link between the mind and body, relaxes, improves focus.
2. Concentration—paying attention to movement quality.
3. Control—optimizing form and technique.
4. Centering—moving from a stable, balanced and flexible core.
5. Precision—greater efficiency in movement patterns.
6. Balanced muscle development—postural and muscular symmetry.
7. Rhythm and Flow—smooth flowing movement.
8. Whole Body Movement—integrating movement through the mind, body and spirit.
9. Relaxation—using just the effort needed to accomplish a task, and releasing tension.

Through Pilates an older adult can achieve a strong core, integrating stabilizing muscles, and creating a strong, balanced foundation from which to move. Pilates enables them to better react to their environments.

CONDITIONS TO CONSIDER

As is the case when working with any specialized population, you will need to be aware of certain cautions when using Pilates with older adults. For example:

• Osteoporosis—Many Pilates exercises incorporate flexion-oriented movement. For osteoporosis sufferers, flexion is contraindicated. We recommend clients at risk of osteoporosis get a bone density scan to find out their T-score. A T-score of -1 to -2.5 indicates osteopenia, or 10-25% below normal bone density. Caution is required when moving into flexed postures. A T-score of >2.5 indicates osteoporosis and all flexion of the spine is contraindicated. The beauty of Pilates is that modifications can be made to meet the needs of people afflicted with osteoporosis. (See case study)
• Arthritis and Degenerative Conditions—By the time we reach middle age and above, most of us have some level of arthritic or degenerative changes in the joints of our extremities and spine. As with any form of exercise, appropriate precautions need to be observed. The low impact, controlled environment of Pilates training is ideal for managing and improving mobility and strength.
• High Blood Pressure—One of the principles of Pilates is breath work. Breathing can reduce anxiety, focus attention and lower blood pressure during exercise. For people with high blood pressure or an ailment like glaucoma, breath work incorporated into Pilates is very important to make sure they are not spiking their blood pressure.

THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT

Exercise balls and foam rollers can be incorporated into a modified, at-home Pilates regimen.

Pilates equipment includes: the reformer, trapeze table, chair, barrels and small apparatus, such as circles and the Pilates mini-balls.

For an older client population, the trapeze table and clinical reformer are ideal due to the ease of getting on/off the equipment, and to the variety of exercises one can perform on each piece. This versatility is a key benefit; you can make more efficient use of your time instead of having to move older clients from one piece of equipment to another.

Mat Pilates is a great form of exercise for home programs. You can incorporate the principles of Pilates and modify the exercises using foam rollers and exercise balls for home programs.

CASE STUDY: TREATING OSTEOPOROSIS

Client "A" is a 5 foot, 7 inch, 120-pound, 67-year-old female. She was diagnosed with "established" osteoporosis 3 years ago with a T-score of -2.2 of the lumbar spine and -3.2 at the femoral neck. She initially had a single leg standing balance of <>

She started Pilates training three times per week and began using the medication recommended by her physician. After 1 year, her T-scores were -1.3 at the lumbar spine and -2.4 at the femoral neck. In addition, her diagnosis has changed from osteoporosis to osteopenia. Her balance has improved to allow single leg standing >90-seconds while doing standing Pilates exercises including single heel raises. The fracture risk for the client has gone from high to moderate, and her fall risk from high to low.

Rob Kopitzke, PT, MPI, USACC, NMR, is the president of Body Concepts Inc, a Pilates-based physical therapy clinic in El Dorado Hills, Calif. Kopitzke has extensive training in biomechanics of the foot and lower extremities. Two long-term manual therapy courses on the spine and a variety of other orthopedic-sports medicine courses round out his physical therapy training.

Types of Pilates Equipment Found in Therapeutic Clinics

THE REFORMER
The Reformer is the most well-known piece of Pilates equipment, providing an effective, low impact resistance-based workout that is friendly to the joints. It consists of a gliding carriage inside a wooden or metal frame connected to a system of springs, pulleys and ropes. Users sit, kneel, stand, or lie on the carriage and push and pull the footbar and the ropes. Resistance is provided by the attached springs. Reformer exercises target every part of the body.

TRAPEZE TABLE (OR, THE CADILLAC)
The Cadillac is a raised horizontal table-top surrounded by a four-poster frame, on which various bars, straps, springs and levers are fixed. A tremendous variety of exercises can be performed on the Cadillac—from gentle spring-assisted sit-ups to advanced acrobatics while hanging from the upper bars. Resistance is provided behind, in front, and above at a variety of different angles.

THE REFORMER/TRAPEZE COMBINATION
This piece of equipment combines the Reformer and the Trapeze Table. The Reformer is hidden underneath two, removable tabletop mats, and greatly increases the amount of exercises that can be done. Another variation—the Reformer/Trapeze combination resembles a standard Reformer, with a half wall of Cadillac features on one end.

FITNESS CHAIRS
Pilates fitness chairs activate the legs, buttocks, shoulder girdle, arms and core, as well as heightens neuromuscular coordination. Pilates fitness chairs (or combo chairs) resemble a stool with single or split steps at the bottom. Handles, chair backs, rotational discs, and other accessories can be added for increased variety.

Although many exercises are performed sitting on the chair and pressing down on the steps or pedals, many more can be performed lying on the floor, standing up, or lunging forward.

MAGIC CIRCLES
This is a circular ring made of sprung steel or flexible plastic, with contoured handles. Circles are available in a range of resistance tensions (from band level 2 to 4) and diameters (12 inches to 14 inches) to meet the needs of different body sizes and ability levels. They can be used standing, sitting or lying down on your front, back or side. Magic circles are a simple way to add resistance training to mat exercises.

THE LADDER BARREL
This consists of ladder-like rungs and a rounded barrel-like surface on which a multitude of stretching, strengthening and flexibility exercises can be performed. The barrel is separated from the ladder by a sliding base that can adjust to accommodate different torso sizes and leg lengths in a range of Pilates exercises.

Beware of Trendy Health Food – it May Not be Your Best Bet

Here is Part 1 of Gina Laverde article that tells you the inside scoop on trendy food.

I am very inspired by our generation’s growing concern for health. We continue to test the norm, and find the answers that work best for us. But, BEWARE – as soon as people like us start thinking, corporations tend to jump on the bandwagon. Now that health is a trend – there’s so much opportunity to make a buck.

What can be cooler than yogurt these days? Companies that used to sell these creamy treats as a low-fat alternative to ice-cream are now claiming that this stuff actually boosts your immune system and controls your weight?

The idea behind the scenes is the pro-biotic. Pro-biotics are amazing little organisms that already live in your gut. They help ward off infection and balance out any bad bacteria and viruses. The word pro-biotic actually means pro-life. So, yeah – they are good.

But, what the yogurt companies do not reveal is that most of their “live and active cultures” are actually dead. And furthermore, the rest can easily die in your stomach acid as they make way to their destination. And even furthermore, since the sale of raw dairy is MOSTLY illegal in the U.S. – all commercial dairy has been homogenized and/or pasteurized. This process kills the natural enzymes and bacteria that live in the milk, and turns them into histamines. Have you heard of these guys? Histamines cause allergic reactions.

So, if the yogurt cultures were actually “alive” and the dairy “raw” the enzymes would act to assist in your digestion of the dairy, make it into your gut and flourish.

Before you spend your money and test your health on any pro-biotic you should know that many of the pills (like acidophilus) that are sold commercially contain mostly dead organisms as well. It’s very hard for a pro-biotic to make it passed your stomach. Some of these products claim to have seven billion or 30 billion per capsule – but, what you’d like is for a claim of how “alive” they are. The box should also contain info on how the bacteria are preserved (i.e. freeze-dried).

Pro-biotic foods, which have been used for centuries may be a better way of re-introducing that healthy bacteria into your system. Health food stores in my area can’t keep enough Kombucha Tea in stock. This fermented tea is actually very potent because it is able to sneak passed your digestive acids and settle in your gut.

Because of their potency, Kombucha and other raw pro-biotic foods may cause detox or die-off symptoms. In essence this is a good thing, but moderation is key. The Kombucha bottle recommends one bottle a day to keep healthy. When your body releases toxins, it can mimic illness – so drinking a whole bottle on your first taste can be really painful.

I encourage you to make all of your health decisions conscious ones – weigh all sides and introduce new remedies in moderation. Some books that offer a well-rounded view of the benefits of pro-biotics, and the truth behind them are: The Body Ecology Diet, by Donna Gates; and Nourishing Traditions, by, Sally Fallon. Both also have websites.

Brain Fitness

Little Miss Brain gives her two cents on how to keep your brain young and fit!

… and I promise it’s almost nothing like the boot camp in Full Metal Jacket.

A new study concluded a training program focusing on improving thinking and concentration can improve mental acuity. The study primarily focused on attention training in older adults who have a harder time blocking out distractions due to how the brain changes with age.

“In the one-on-one sessions, subjects are asked to ignore distracting information and tasks get harder as the eight-week training progresses. For the group sessions, participants learn new information relevant to healthy aging and are tested on their ability to apply the new information. All participants had an fMRI scan while they completed a task that required them to look for target words or numbers while ignoring distracting sounds. The scans showed brain activity in areas related to both sight and sound. Follow-up fMRIs showed that in the group receiving the one-on-one training, activity related to sight was increased, while activity related to sound was decreased. In addition, performance on the task was improved.”

Essentially this “brain training” is a powerful statement regarding how much control we have over how our brains function. Interesting. And for those of us who might not fit into the “older adult” category?

“There are a growing number of activities, from crossword puzzles to Sudoku, promoted as ways to keep our minds young,” said Jennifer Mozolic, a Wake Forest graduate student who presented the results."

Too bad I hate Sudoku.

Get Your Kids off the Couch This Summer & Out In the Sun!

Filed under: Fitness, General Health, Healthy Habits, Healthy Kids

With school out and your young kids at home, they've got a lot of extra time on their hands. The mere mention of fitness and taking them away from the TV or their favorite video games can often evoke reactions usually reserved for doing chores, getting haircuts, or visiting the dentist.

To make fitness less tedious for everyone, print physical games and actual exercises on strips of paper, color-coding to distinguish the games from the exercises. On 'fitness day', once or twice a week, have everyone draw and complete an exercise or play a game -- this works best with 3 to 8 year olds. Cheer each other on while completing each exercise and at the end, make them show their muscles. I don't know a kid yet that doesn't love to show them off.

Fun Tip: Get a polaroid camera and take instant photos to post on the fridge of their accomplishments and you'll soon see them excited about 'fitness day'.

thxs Tanya Ryno

Your Batteries - re-energize during the workout

Re-energizing your dead batteries will help you put fatigue to rest for good.A little effort and a positive attitude will perk you up in a flash. These simple energizing tips will give you new life.

1. Eat properly. Nutritious meals are number one in the battle against fatigue.Make sure to eat high-protein foods, such as meat, cheese, eggs and whole-grain breads with each meal. Munch on fruit when you need a snack. Avoid too much caffeine.You may want to try perking yourself up with a high potency vitamin B complex, Fifty mg. Of B15 with each meal is said to help.Cayenne pepper is another natural stimulant. You can mix a teaspoon in hot water or take it in capsule form.

2. Get your proper rest. If you are not getting enough at night, take a break and nap during the day. Or perhaps before you head out at night if youre a late night partygoer.

3. Keep in shape with exercise. A good daily walk will get those tired muscles moving.

4. Meditate. Any form of meditation can be a real, natural healer. Just sit quietly, breathe deeply, and let your mind forget your daily hassles. Think of pleasant things.Above all, you can fight fatigue best by keeping a positive mental attitude. Try the tips mentioned, and pamper yourself; take a break when you need it.