Pilates and upper crossed Syndrome

Pilates is all about moving efficiently. What makes Pilates so important with respect to upper crossed syndrome is that Pilates train us to develop and use core strength, rather than holding our position with superficial musculature.

Using the deep core muscles of the powerhouse, the abdominals, back, and pelvic floor to support our posture allows the shoulders to relax, the neck and head to move freely, and relieves stress on the hips, legs, and feet. Take a look at people around you, especially when they are sitting. See any rounded shoulders? I guarantee that once you start looking you will find more and more people that fall into this camp.

Sitting at a desk, slouching on the sofa, carrying heavy bags on your back, leaning forward to play with your kids on the floor or changing nappies, breastfeeding, driving, lifting heavy loads; all these activities can lead to rounded shoulders, tension in your back, neck and shoulders, causing pain in those areas and headaches.

What happens? Well it’s known as upper crossed syndrome. Below is how it affects your muscles:

The pectorals in your chest become tight and short. They need stretching and releasing. The lower trapezius and serratus anterious ( mid back and shoulder blades) become weak and need strengthening. The upper trapezius and levator scapulae become tight ( neck and shoulder area, the classic areas most people want massaged), these need releasing. The deep neck flexors are weak and lengthened, so they need some strengthening and postural correction. Let’s face it. As much as we try, our bodies take the ‘ path of least resistance.’ And a lot of times we don’t even realize it until it is too late. Have you ever noticed that on a lot of days driving home from work you have to lower the setting of your rear view mirror? In the morning you were much taller but through the work day, the shoulders rounded forward, the chest caved in, upper back rounded and the belly just surrendered. This ‘ path of least resistance’ is our bodies naturally giving into gravity. There are times when we want to give in to it but if it is happening in a consistent, habitual manner then trouble could be ahead. Instead of using our tissue activation to support our joints, we start to hang and sit into our connective tissue ( fascia, tendons, and ligaments). And just certain workhorse muscles are on constant overtime and other muscles are on a constant vacation. The most common occurrence of this is the lower back being super rigid because one has no abdominal activation to speak of. Any of us that have had an injury like a broken foot or a badly sprained knee know all about how the body loves to compensate and how that can lead to a lot of mucked up stuff in the body and imbalances galore! Everything in the body is connected and when one thing changes everything

else will, whether that be for the good, bad or the ugly.

A typical pose that a lot of us sit into day in and day out is a desk worker’s posture. And these days all of us are desk workers because we are slaves to our computers and smartphones. We are pulled forward and down because we are unable to counter gravity. Our shoulders are rounded forward and the chest collapses and to bring our eyes to the horizon our neck must extend into a forward head posture. This is typically called Upper Crossed Syndrome. The chest and back of the neck are very tight and the upper back and front of the neck are weak.

Please note that, learning Pilates from other than a real live instructor is not easy and does carry some slight risks; you should, in addition to the routines I will share with you attend a Pilates class with a certified Pilates instructor and don’t hesitate to visit your doctor for clearance before you start.

June 22, 2018

Pilate’s classes for expecting mums can be a wonderful social experience – as well as giving you a safe and supportive way to help keep your body strong and healthy. Exercising when pregnant doesn’t have to be just about the exercise. I enjoy getting to know each of the mums- to- be during this exciting yet hesitant time.

Participating in exercise while pregnant – in the absence of medical or any complications and in a correct, safe and supportive environment – is perfectly acceptable for pregnant women. Pregnant women are encouraged to accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate- intensity exercise on most, if not all, days of the week. There are several considerations that must be taken into account when a pregnant woman decides to participate in Pilates classes. As an instructor, it is my role to ensure the room is set at an appropriate temperature and is not too warm, as this may increase the risk of fainting or collapsing during the class. I always encourage lots of drink breaks between exercises and remind my clients to take a break if they need

We are often some of the first to know they are expecting and it can be quite a nervous and apprehensive period between finding out and telling the rest of the world. I like being part of this safe, nurturing and caring environment.

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Fast and Comprehensive Results In fact, gravity and sedentary lifestyle is constantly challenging our ability to keep our bodies in alignment. Gaborone is slowly becoming one of the fastest and busiest cities in the Southern Africa. What you will possible consider as your normal day to day routines is like this, “It is 8.00 am in the morning and you are ready to reach the office. You sit in your car while commuting to your workplace. You then sit for six hours in front of the computer, reach home and sit to watch TV. You follow this schedule for six days in a week and drink to your heart’s content and party till you drop during weekends.” Usually this kind of lifestyle is defined as the sedentary life style. Your body was designed to move but now it is trapped. Another type of sedentary lifestyle, which is now so evident and common in and around Gaborone is a lifestyle that involves a lot of sitting and little exercise. A sedentary person’s usual activities are spending time on gadgets, special cellphones, reading a book, watching televi

t various times during our lives, from teenage years, to changes that occur in women during pregnancy, to injury and illness related changes in later life - posture and spinal alignment can become a significant challenge. The reformer may fitness fad, but since the early 1990‘ first cobbled a version bedridden patients their illnesses. The the positives a Mat provides, including flexibility and body reformer workouts benefits, too.