Pilates for Medical Workers
Pilates for Doctors, Dentists, Nurses and similar
Pilates is for everyone working in the medical professions. Depending on speciality, many doctors, opticians, surgeons and dentists spend their time bending over patients and this can cause all kinds of back problems.
However, other professions are much more desk-bound, such as GPs. If this is you why not check out “Pilates for Sedentary People”: here.
This can result in a stiff and immobile spine with a forward head position relative to the shoulders and protracted (spread outwards) shoulder blades as well as tight hip flexors.
In addition these people often have to often work very long hours and in stressful conditions – and that’s why we’ve included some “relaxation” focussed exercises.
These are Pre-Pilates exercises than can be useful. Pilates exercises aren’t given because we teach Pilates as a system and not as stand alone exercises.
These Pre-Pilates exercises can be very beneficial.
You can find all these exercises on our Resource Pages (click here), and for a very modest sum, you can get access to video tutorials of these exercises that you can easily practice at home or even in the office.
- Relaxation Position
- Pelvic Rocking
- Pelvic Curls
- Pelvic Clock
- Hip Flexor Stretch
- Abdominal Curls
- Abdominal Curls with Rotation
- Spine Twist Supine
- Side lying quadriceps and hip flexor stretch
- Supine hamstring stretch
- Mini Swan – Swan prep
- Rockets
- Swimming prep
- Joe’s Pose – unless you have a knee problem
- Wall Roll Down
- Standing or seated Twist
- Upper arm external rotations (dumb Waiter)
- Telescope
- Pinwheel
- Relaxation position – from Pelvic Rocking
Pilates for Nurses, Porters and others that have to lift heavy weight
Pilates is for everyone that works in the medical profession. But some people find that they regularly need to lift heavy weight whilst at work.
Spinal stability whilst lifting is crucial for this group of people to avoid injury. Also important are well aligned and balanced lower limbs and strong thighs so that you can bend your knees as you lift – that can also help protect your back.
Pre-Pilates exercises can be very beneficial.
Most of the Pre-Pilates exercises here are very gentle and will not help you develop real strength.
When you are strong enough – a proper Pilates programme will go towards building up real strength, balance and alignment in the body. This is what protects you from injury.
- Relaxation position
- Pelvic Rocking
- Pelvic Clock
- Pelvic curls
- All spinal stability exercises: Toe Taps, Marching, Bridging with Marching
- Abdominal Curls
- Abdominal Curls with Rotation
- Replace the Abdominal Curls with One Hundred, Single Leg Stretch & Double Leg Stretch when you are strong enough
- Hip Flexor Stretch
- Spine twist Supine
- Standing Footwork
- Arm Frog prep
- Wall Roll Downs
- Swan prep
- Opposite Arm & Leg reaches
- Dead Bug
- Draw the Alphabet with Big Toe
- Adductor Stretch
- Telescope
- Pinwheel
Starting Pilates Proper
Pilates practice focuses on global whole body movements. Most of the exercises quoted above are Pre-Pilates and not part of the Pilates system – they tend to focus on one part of the body and so are much more like the exercises that a physiotherapist might give you.
Pilates proper is genuine bodybuilding and coordinating. It’s mind work too: you need to learn how to make supreme efforts and concentrate fully as well as memorise sequences of exercises to get the best out if it.
We always suggest matwork for home practice and Reformer & apparatus in the studio for best results & value for money.
Find out more:
If you have found this material useful, why not find out more by booking a “First Lesson”?
- Online Health Screening
- Postural Assessment whilst you move
- We’ll create your personal programme
