Pilates and Running

ADVANCE for Physical Therapy & Rehab Medicine (www.advanceweb.com/pt October 1, 2012) recently published an article supporting Pilates for both running-related injuries and for ongoing conditioning to prevent future injury for runners of all discipline. The repetitive motion of running often leads to muscle imbalances extenuated by poor running technique, incorrect training, problems with footwear and running surfaces. The most common running injuries include iliotibial band syndrome (outer upper leg pain or outside knee pain), patellofemoral dysfunction (knee pain), plantar fasciitis (foot pain), and shin splints. Running is mostly a saggital plane motion (forward-backward) while the muscles that stabilize the spine and pelvis are supported in the transverse (rotation) and frontal (side to side) planes and are not specifically challenged when running. Research supports specific trunk stabilization, core strength, posture control, and alignment to optimize performance. Pilates exercise requires appropriate alignment, breathing and movement precision. It is designed to simultaneously strengthen and lengthen muscles, stabilize the core and promote balance, symmetry and proportionately developed muscles ultimately addressing the runner's muscle imbalances that lead to pain and dysfunction. Therefore Pilates is a "superb complement for any runner's conditioning program".

Call Great Moves today at 719 477-6870 to start your Pilates mat/ball/Reformer program with Shallyn and have your running technique and footwear analysed.

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These are some of my "runner" favorites to hit all dimensions of stability for the runner.

 Working the frontal plane for spinal and pelvic stability.

 Working the transverse plane for spinal and pelvic stability.

 2nd part of above exercise showing hip external rotation strengthening

with core stability in extension.

Stabilizing the upper spine for spinal control during reciprocal arm movement during running.