PILATES REFORMER FOR INJURY PREVENTION
A piece of equipment that is beneficial for all ages, all fitness levels, and all body types!
The pilates reformer can be used to specifically address and cater to each individual's weaknesses and/or imbalances. The pilates reformer focuses on functional movement patterns that help reduce the risk of injuries in everyday activities. Strengthening the muscles around joints, improving flexibility and increasing joint mobility all contribute to a resilient body that is less prone to injuries (Parker, 2023).
The pilates reformer is a low-impact machine that optimizes alignment, controlled mobility, balance and stability, and full body strength. Pilates focuses on working all the core muscles in the body, including those often neglected in more traditional workouts. When each muscle gets the exercise and strength it needs, it works together with other muscles to maximize stability, flexibility, and resilience, and that has been proven in multiple studies to reduce the likelihood of injury (Parker, 2023).
A few reasons why the Pilates Reformer is beneficial for you!
Low-Impact and Highly Effective:
The reformer is a low-impact machine that is gentle on the joints and reduces the level of stress on injured areas. Therefore, this piece of equipment is beneficial for people recovering from an injury or people wanting to prevent future injury.
Precise Muscle Activation:
The reformer allows for isolated muscle activation, meaning specific muscles are targeted without causing stress to surrounding areas. This allows for purposeful and specific strengthening of muscle groups needed to improve overall muscle balance. Muscle imbalance is a HUGE component in injuries among athletes. The pilates reformer focuses on addressing incorrect movement patterns, promotes balanced muscle strength, and helps you to move with proper alignment that will not only help to heal your injuries, but will help prevent future injuries (Rheaa, 2023). When you’re dealing with an injury, you can focus on the small surrounding muscles of your injury for support and strengthen the injured area.
Adjustable Level of Resistance:
The Reformer uses springs to provide adjustable resistance. The springs vary in level of resistance and allow you to move fluidly through a full range of motion with control. The resisted level of difficulty can cater to all fitness levels and be increased in intensity overtime as you progress through your rehabilitation journey, promoting safe and efficient muscle strengthening.
Controlled mobility:
The Reformer helps improve range of motion and flexibility to prevent stiffness that can be associated with injury recovery. In dancers, controlled mobility is essential in preventing injury. Dancers today tend to deal with hypermobility that increases the risk of injury if they do not have the strength to control their mobility in its fullest ranges. The reformer works to improve mobility in a controlled manner while strengthening all the muscle stabilizers at their end ranges (10 reformer pilates benefits backed by science 2022).
Core Support
A majority of the pilates reformer exercises specifically require a supported core. The core muscles, including the diaphragm, pelvic floor, spine muscles, and transverse abdominus, are crucial for proper movement. Pilates strengthens these muscles through neuromuscular sequencing, reducing the load on the spine and lowering the risk of injury (Rheaa, 2023).
In Pilates, some of the exercises focus on stability, some focus on mobility and many provide a perfect combination of both . Thus, Pilates emphasizes both stability and mobility, allowing us to achieve optimal performance and helping to prevent injuries.
Stability + Mobility = Agility
(Wood, 2019)
Resources
10 reformer pilates benefits backed by science. In Touch NYC Physical Therapy. (2022, January 31). https://www.itnycpt.com/blog/10-reformer-pilates-benefits-backed-by-science/
Parker, A. (2023, October 30). Pilates for rehabilitation and injury prevention: Restoring balance and strength. Pilates Equipment Fitness. https://www.pilatesequipment.fitness/pilates-for-rehabilitation-and-injury-prevention-restoring-balance-and-strength/
Rheaa, J. (n.d.). 6_ways_pilates_helps_athletes_to_rehabilitate_and_prevent_injuries.JPG. AmongMen. https://www.amongmen.com/health-fitness/6-ways-pilates-helps-athletes-rehabilitate-and-prevent-injuries/attachment/6_ways_pilates_helps_athletes_to_rehabilitate_and_prevent_injuries-jpg-6/
Wood, S. (2019). Pilates for rehabilitation. Human Kinetics.