Bone Mass Research Opportunity at The Pilates Studio

It’s been a week and nearly everyone at The Pilates Studio has learned the standing balance series that Sherri Betz Physical Therapist and Polestar Pilates Educator taught me in her osteoporosis course.  Last week’s post reviewed three necessary components of a bone-building workout.  It’s been fun teaching with my mind’s eye towards bone health, and I’ve already seen some changes in people’s strength and proprioception.  This week I want to continue our look at osteoporosis by outlining an opportunity for The Pilates Studio!  As a community we could be a part of a research study that is gathering data for a Pilates Based workout and its effects on bone density.  We could as a community not only benefit from the research that has already been done, but we could also contribute to the health and wellness of others.

If you are interested in being a part of this study, please read the following:

1.     Participants must have their Bone Density taken on a DEXA machine within two months of the beginning of the program.

2.     Participants must communicate with their physician regarding desire to participate in this study.

3.     Participants must commit for one year to do a standardized home program along with pilates sessions.

4.     Participants must agree to keep any medications that they are taking consistent, and cannot be taking any bone density medication. 

5.     At the end of the year in this program participants will need to get bone density taken on the same DEXA machine.

Now if for some reason, you are not qualified for the study due to one of the criteria above, there is no reason why you can’t still participate in the program.  We may not be able to use your data as part of the study, but you could certainly learn the bone friendly home program, and focus on the bones in your pilates sessions!

Before the start of the program there will be some basics that need to be covered.  Don’t worry if anything below seems daunting.  It’s my job to understand these concepts and communicate them to you.  If you are a client at the Pilates Studio, you’ve covered these ideas many times over, and if you are new to us all of the following concepts are covered during our Introductory Package.

1.     Participants must have an understanding of neutral spine in all positions.  standing, supine, kneeling, lunge, quadruped and plank (both front and side)

2.     Participants must also understand Ron Fletcher’s centering cues.  (Ron Fletcher is a Pilates Elder, who can be credited with many of the posture cues that are prevalent in the Pilates repertoire.)

3.      Participants must be working through Sherri Betz lunge progression (Don’t you worry we’ve been working on this already and there's a video for practice below!)

4.     Participants must be aware of the role of the transverse abdominals in standing, kneeling, supine, and prone.

5.     Participants must be aware of the shoulder girdle and its role in axial elongation and core control (Fancy words for things you already know)

6.     Participants will practice the side lift exercise.

7.     Participants must understand thoracic extension and spine articulation (More big words for what you already know)

Now to get started, each participant will need to set up an initial appointment.  At this appointment we will start gathering data about your lifestyle and health history, and then lead you through some movement tests.  After this initial appointment your pilates sessions will begin focusing on the home program and the apparatus program.  Your progress will be charted for one year, at the end of which another DEXA test will need to be administered.  

Are you ready to get started????  Why don’t you get ahead of the game by trying this lunge series,  Thanks Sherri Betz again for showing such great information!

I said it last week too! What if we all emerge from the coming winter months stronger and more balanced than ever before?

Katrina Hawley, C.M.A, PMA-CPT
Co-Director of The Pilates Studio