Tag Archives: What is an exercise physiologist

What is the difference between Pilates and Clinical Pilates?

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What is Clinical Pilates?

Clinical Pilates is a system of safe and effective exercises which meet your specific individual needs. Clinical Pilates is used by our physiotherapists to treat a wide range of injuries and conditions, ranging from low back pain and chronic pain to hypermobility and chronic fatigue syndrome. It is also used by elite athletes and dancers to improve essential movement patterns and enhance fitness and performance, as well as assisting with injury prevention.  By working into your body’s preferred movement, Clinical Pilates improves your mobility, stability, balance, posture and overall function.

 

Clinical Pilates offers a system of safe, effective and highly specific exercises appropriate for all ages. There are stages of exercises that you can progress through that will allow you to see the improvements in your strength, control and healing.

 

Differences between Regular and Clinical Pilates

There are important differences between regular Pilates and Clinical Pilates.

 

Regular Pilates is conducted by a Pilates instructor, whereas Clinical Pilates is prescribed and supervised by a Clinical Pilates trained Physiotherapist or Exercise Physiologist (E.P.). This difference is very important because a Physiotherapist or E.P., unlike a Pilates instructor, has an in-depth knowledge of injury, pathology, bodily function, healing and movement patterns. This knowledge allows a Physiotherapist to assess each patient and determine which exercises will be the most effective for each individual.  This becomes especially important if you have any history of injury – whether it be low back pain, whiplash, osteoporosis, or if you are an athlete coming back from an injury.  There will be certain exercises which need to be adapted specifically for you so to avoid further harm; this is something that only a Physiotherapist or Exercise Physiologist is trained to do.  Like any form of exercise, Pilates can be wonderful for fitness, however still has the potential to cause injury or pain if not prescribed and monitored in the correct way.

 

Forms of Pilates

 

Treatment Sessions

 

At FirstIn Physio, Pilates comes in many forms so that the benefits can be enjoyed by everyone.  You will often see our Physiotherapists using the Pilates Reformer as part of treatment sessions, to assist in re-establishing correct movement patterns in the body following injury.  Our Exercise Physiologists also use the Reformer during exercise training sessions, which can serve a number of purposes.  Some athletes coming back from surgery of the hip or spine will need a program based on core work and mobility and the Pilates Reformer becomes a mainstay of their rehab program.  It can also be used for high-level athletes as part of a strength session and to work on weaknesses in mobility throughout the body, leading to better overall performance, or with stroke patients to assist with rehabilitation.   We also use it a lot with dancers in order to train their technique to bring them to a higher level and make them more injury-proof.

 

Group Matwork Classes

 

FirstIn Physio offers a number of small group classes at the clinic, designed to cater for different levels of fitness and skill, from beginner through to advanced.  The classes are an excellent way to build base core strength in a fun and supervised environment, allowing your physio to closely watch your technique as you perform the exercises and to give you variations based on your individual needs.  These classes are a lot of fun and tend to fill up fast!  We also offer male- and female-specific classes.

 

Independent Sessions

 

One of our Physiotherapists or Exercise Physiologists can work closely with you to develop your own Pilates program using the equipment at the clinic combined with matwork exercises.  Once you feel confident and competent with your specific program, you can advance to an independent program, where you will be able to use our studio and its equipment at regular intervals on your own. A Physiotherapist will regularly monitor your program and prescribe more advanced exercises as you progress.

Benefits of Clinical Pilates

Clinical Pilates has been shown to prevent injuries, improve balance and stability, strengthen and tone muscle and improve bone density.  It is a great form of general exercise to improve fitness and improve technique in specific movements, such as dance, running and golf.  It is appropriate for all age groups from kids through to the elderly and is safe and fun!

  • Prevention and treatment of back pain & injury
  • Resolution of spinal pain
  • Enhanced core stability and pelvic floor function
  • For the elderly, enhancement in movement, balance, agility and flexibility
  • Falls prevention
  • Muscle toning without adding bulk
  • Increased bone density (for Osteopaenia & Osteoporosis)

For more information, please do not hesitate to give our staff a call and find out more about the amazing benefits of Clinical Pilates at FirstIn Physio!

 

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6 Things You Didn’t Know About Exercise Physiologists

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1. The qualification matters.

Exercise Physiologists (EPs) are not just glorified personal trainers.  At the moment in Australia, it takes a minimum of 4 years of University training to earn a degree in Clinical Exercise Physiology, which includes over 400 hours of practical clinical experience.  This then permits the individual to apply for accreditation as an Exercise Physiologist with ESSA, the Australian body for Exercise Science.  This allows the EP to have the relevant insurance, professional contacts and medical referrals such as Medicare.  To maintain their accreditation, they much invest a significant amount of time and money annually into professional development courses around the country. 

 

 

 

 

2. There are Different Specialty Areas within Exercise Physiology.

 

Just like within Physiotherapy and medicine, an EP by law must graduate with qualifications and competency in all areas of Exercise Physiology, but will generally choose one or two specialty areas to base their career on.

 

These specialties include:

 

 

– Cardiac Testing (eg ECG stress testing in hospitals);

– Cardiac Rehabilitation (eg in-hospital following a heart attack);

– Clinical Pilates;

– Coaching (from kids through to elite level);

– Neurological Rehabilitation (eg following a stroke or Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis)

– Mental Health;

– Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation (eg strengthening after acute sports injuries, or for injury prevention);

– Chronic Pain Management (eg Low Back Pain);

– Research (typically university-based); and

– Public Health (eg weight management and disease prevention, education).

 

 

3. They are the future of our Health System.

In the last 5 years doctors globally have started to recognise the key role of exercise and weight management in prevention of increasingly common chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, depression & anxiety, osteoporosis, cancers and so on.   With a health system that is currently in crisis (in terms of both costs and resources), EPs will be at the forefront of health care in the coming decades.  Take home message: don’t be surprised next time you see your GP and they prescribe 60 minutes of physical activity a day and 5 visits to an Exercise Physiologist instead of medication and a handful of tests!

 

4. A good training program may seem easy at first.

The Commando off The Biggest Loser will scream at you until you finish 50 chin-ups in your first session.  A “Bootcamp” instructor may demand you flip ridiculously huge tyres, regardless of your injury history.  An EP will not.  Every person has a unique set of challenges to work with, and it is imperative that both the EP and the client have clear and common goals established from the first session so that an individual program can be developed that will work for the long term.  The research tells us over and over that the quick-fix programs not only do not work, but tend to make the problem (whether it be weight, injuries or pain) worse in the long term.  Be patient, trust in the fact that you are in the best and most qualified hands, and acknowledge the relationship with your EP as the worthwhile investment into your health that it is.  Think of it like this: you can put in the time and money to be healthy now, or you can put in the time and money being sick later.  Both are hard.  You choose.

 

5. The best trainer in the world cannot make up for a shitty diet.

In this day and age I would find it hard to believe that anyone genuinely does not know that being sedentary, eating processed foods, and smoking are bad for your health.  But we still have the issue of increasing obesity and chronic disease.  Hence, we know that simply educating people is not the whole picture, and that is where an EP comes into the equation by helping you to create the best possible health and lifestyle plan for you and your family.

 

But here’s the catch: simply “buying into your health” by seeing an EP for exercise sessions and an eating plan won’t make you healthier – you have to actually put in the hard yards and stick to it.  If you are not meeting your weight loss goals and are working out every single day with your trainer while eating cereal, sandwiches, candy, soda, and other crap – don’t blame the trainer. Your weight, the way your body looks and your health are predominantly a function of what you put in your mouth. Exercise can positively alter what your body does with the food that you eat, in addition to the phenomenal emotional, physical, and mental benefits it offers.

 

The human body is an amazing machine and the knowledge that you can gain from working with an EP is an incredibly powerful tool; embrace it, and discover how good life can be when you achieve optimal health.

 

6. I am yet to meet a person who cannot benefit from a few sessions with an Exercise Physiologist.

Where most other health professionals are limited to fairly specific areas, an EP is truly is the “jack of all trades”.  They work with clients of every age, from healthy to sick, from elite athlete to chronically ill, from families to individuals.  They can: make you fitter; stronger; more injury proof; reduce your pain; improve your posture; improve your flexibility; make your spine stronger; rehabilitate your body (from toe injuries to hip replacements to heart attacks!); assist with weight loss – or weight gain; muscle sculpting; power; help to reverse chronic diseases (from depression to diabetes); even keep you fit during pregnancy and immediately after.  If you have ever wanted to improve any aspect of your body, health or happiness, then you could benefit from seeing an EP.

 

Exercise Physiology sessions can be expensive for many people, so to get the most out of your sessions, do some prep work beforehand.  Spend some time thinking about your goals, your main limitations, your strengths and weaknesses.  Write them down, along with any questions you may have.  Turn up on time, and listen to every word, and don’t be afraid to write notes!

What are you waiting for?!

 

– Kristy Shannon

B.Appl.Sc(HMS); M.PHTY

Kristy has a degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Queensland and a Master’s Degree in Physiotherapy from Griffith University.  

 

An accredited EP can assist with safe rehabilitation from injury through to full fitness

An accredited EP can assist with safe rehabilitation from injury through to full fitness