Pilates in the Grove is home to some of the top Physical Therapists and fitness experts in the area, dedicated to cultivating a supportive community of customers that inspires a pain-free journey to improved health and wellness. Pilates in the Grove Founder Christa Gurka's reputation speakers for itself, with over two decades of experience training fitness enthusiasts of all ages. Christa has worked with many high-profiles athletes, including Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra; WNBA star Ruth Riley; pro volleyball player Kelly Schumacher; and pro golfers Cristie Kerr and Natalie Gulbis, as well as celebrities Penelope Sosa and actor Cristian de la Fuente.Here are Christa's 4 ways Pilates can help prevent injuries.
- Improving Flexibility
Whether you perform Pilates on the Mat or the reformer, you will undoubtedly improve your flexibility. Improvements in flexibility help decrease the risk of injury by allowing for an increased range in motion. A small increase of hamstring flexibility even by 10 degrees can make every day movement easier, keeping your body less at risk.
- Increasing Strength
An increase in strength, especially the abdominal muscles, can help minimize risk of injury. Strong abdominals, arms and legs all play a role in preventing injury during heavy lifting and recreational activities by improving dynamic control of movements.
- Improving Balance
Pilates helps to improve one’s balance by incorporating exercises that include unilateral stance or being able to control the moving surface of the reformer while stabilizing yourself on the carriage. Improved balance will decrease risk of injury by improving the neuromuscular system, decreasing ones fall risk and being able to perform daily and recreational activities in a more efficient way.
- Improving Overall Body Awareness
Practicing Pilates on a regular basis helps clients improve their body awareness because the method emphasizes and requires precision, forcing one to THINK about how the muscles are working while doing the exercises. Being able to control your body will decrease your risk of injury by having a more efficient movement pattern reducing stress on joints, tendons, muscles and ligaments.
