Reformer Pilates for Arthritis
You might think that Reformer Pilates is only for the young and healthy, but it’s actually a great workout to maintain flexibility as we age.
Because of the increased demand on hip flexors and back extensors as we age, older adults often experience decreased flexibility in these areas.
It also reduces tightness found in those who overuse certain muscles such as those in your neck and upper traps due to poor posture and lack of stretching after an exercise session.
How Reformer Pilates can help arthritis
A 2008 study looked at how Pilates affected flexibility by comparing two groups: one that did yoga versus one that did Pilates exercises three times a week. The researchers concluded “the results indicated that both groups experienced significant improvement in flexibility. However, the Pilates group increased hamstring flexibility while the yoga group increased hip flexor/ extensor flexibility.”
All of this is good news for those with arthritis. Many people with arthritis experience discomfort from tight muscles and loss of mobility from limited flexibility. One study found stretching to be as beneficial as ibuprofen when it came to treating osteoarthritis in a knee by improving pain, stiffness and increasing range of motion.
It’s important not only to do stretches but also include strengthening exercises that will help increase your endurance and balance keeping you healthy and flexible well into your golden years.
With all this in mind there are many types of Pilates that can be tailored to different levels of strength and flexibility and there are also Pilates reformers that can easily be adjusted to accommodate your flexibility needs.
The most important thing is to find a workout that you enjoy and one that will help you achieve all of your fitness goals not just increasing flexibility. And if the doctor has cleared you for exercise, give Reformer Pilates a chance! It’s great for everyone from beginners to experts and provides many benefits such as increased flexibility, endurance, balance and even core strength.
Ready to join the tribe at Vibe Pilates?
We encourage everyone, of any age or ability, to join us for a Foundation class and see what Vibe Pilates is all about for yourself. You get to have a play with the machine and have fun learning new moves across a 45 minute workout.
Our Foundation session is a focus on the core foundations of the body. It’s a set up class designed for our beginners to get you started with confidence. The session is set at a slower pace to ensure you develop the understanding of the movement and feel why a reformer workout is so beneficial for your body.
