Book Review: Pilates for Rehabilitation

by Samantha Wood

Aimed at physiotherapists wanting to use the Pilates Method in injury recovery and prevention programs, Pilates for Rehabilitation details the science and philosophy behind Pilates and examines why it is an effective rehabilitation method.

Written by US Physical Therapist (PT), Samantha Wood, this book also provides a detailed resource for Pilates instructors by outlining the key considerations for many common injuries and pathologies and providing greater insight into the application of Pilates exercises and variations for specific populations and pathologies.

Samantha is also a fully qualified Pilates instructor and BASI faculty member. She specialises in Pilates-based  rehabilitation and has been integrating Pilates into patient treatment for over 16 years with great success. Samantha believes the success of Pilates in rehabilitation is due to its use as a system and not simply individual or isolated exercises.

The book is divided into 3 sections for easy reference:

Part 1- introduces the philosophy of the Pilates Method, outlines recent research on the use of Pilates for recovery for many injuries and pathologies, and details Samantha’s approach to effective rehabilitation.

Part 2- is an exercise library detailing select exercises and  lists objectives, indications, contraindications, instructions and variations for each exercise. Samantha uses the BASI repertoire of Pilates exercises and she outlines variations and progressions to allow a tailored approach for clients and graded rehabilitation options.

Part 3- details the general contraindications, common problems and goals for rehabilitation for each anatomical area of the body. The chapters cover the most common injuries and pathologies for the cervical and thoracic spine, lumbar spine, shoulder, hip, knee plus foot and ankle. The separate chapters make it a quick and easy to use reference in the studio.

This book is a good resource for the new Pilates teacher and will also be useful for the experienced Pilates practitioner in managing clients returning from injury or when working closely with physiotherapists.

Pilates for Rehabilitation provides a good understanding and insight into the application of Pilates within rehabilitation settings as well as highlighting the importance of using Pilates in a holistic manner to attain optimal results.

 

Reviewed by Sharan Simmons, PAA President.

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