Pilates and Rehabilitation

Growing up, German-born Joseph H. Pilates suffered from several illnesses, which in turn resulted in muscular weakness. Aside from his condition he dedicated most of his life learning how to become physically stronger. He studied martial arts, yoga, and developed several different exercises to help improve his physical function (he coined these exercises “Contrology.”) He brought this mental and physical training program to the United States in 1923. More than 70 years later, Pilates’ techniques have become popular and successful in the rehabilitation setting. In the 1990s, many rehab practitioners were using the method in multiple fields of rehabilitation, including orthopaedic, geriatric, chronic pain, and neurological rehabilitation.

Purpose of Pilates
“The goal of achieving efficient movement and returning to functional movement and enhanced performance is the foundation of Pilates-evolved work. Pilates-evolved exercises are thought to facilitate such movement behavior by allowing the patient to be in a position that minimizes unwanted muscle activity.”

References
www.Pilates.com