We, the physiotherapists at Envision, have been referring our clients to The Movement Studio pilates studio for years. There is no doubt that the postural awareness and movement correction that pilates instructors can offer is essential to pain-free function. But as much as physiotherapists would like to spend our time working with our clients on fine-tuning posture and movement biomechanics, we truly are pressed for time to squeeze in the necessary manual therapy, exercise, and education into a single 30-minute session.
So when Brent and Harry decided to incorporate clinical pilates into our new multidisciplinary clinic, I was ecstatic. It meant that we physiotherapists could focus on using manual therapy and needling techniques to restore motion, introduce the basics of core stability and motor retraining, then progress our clients to a clinical pilates instructor for progression of the postural and movement retraining. Because clinical pilates sessions are an hour long, much more time can be spent on the correcting subtleties of movement than we can spend in a regular physio session.
In Australia and the UK pilates has been used for years as a complement to physiotherapy practice, and has been integrated into physiotherapy clinics. This has only been a recent phenomenon in North America, but the number of clinics now offering clinical pilates is growing.
How is clinical pilates different than “regular” pilates?
Prior to beginning a clinical pilates session, the client must be assessed by a physiotherapist. The physio will recommend to the pilates instructor how many sessions the client will need, and will tell the instructor what areas need to be addressed and what types of exercises should be the focus. The client may continue with physiotherapy treatment in conjunction with clinical pilates or, if they are not attending physio sessions, will need to follow-up with the physio for an assessment after 6 sessions. Clinical pilates is a physiotherapist-monitored rehabilitation program that is covered by most extended health-care plans, while “regular” pilates sessions are not.

For more information on Clinical Pilates at Envision Physiotherapy, check out our website or The Movement Studio.

Ask your physio for more information, or call our office at (604) 737-7309.