Pilates for Osteoporosis

This is a brand new venture for 2023 but one that has been a long time in the making.

Why not come and do a weekly Pilates class that targets bone health? 

This class if for you if you are recently diagnosed with Osteopenia or Osteoporosis. These things are not the same but we can train them within the same class but with varying exercise intensity.

This class is for you if you are a woman who is entering the menopause or is in the post-menopause phase of life.  It is super important for you to do strength training to maintain healthy bones, keep strong, prevent muscle loss.

This class is for you if you have had recent falls and want to reduce the likelihood of having another one

Each class will contain  four distinct elements

• Strength training which builds muscle, but, in the longer term, builds resilience in the bone.  We cannot always alter bone density with exercise but we can definitely maintain the bones we have.  In particular this needs to be in the thigh bone the shoulder and upper arm, the wrist.
• Balance and stability work to reduce our risk of falling.  It is falls that really do damage, if bones are weakened.
• Movement and alignment strategies to safely navigate life.  This is particularly important if you have a diagnosis of Osteoporosis: finding ways to move that doesn’t over strain the spine.
• Exercises to target spine mobility.    If you have osteoporosis then the spine bones can fracture spontaneously.  Keeping the spine  moving well keeps it more readily in a “safe zone” and helps to reduce the tendency for the upper back and head to protrude forwards

We will still have time for other bits of lovely Pilates.

To Jump or Not to Jump?

One rarely jumps up and down in the context of a Pilates class but what about in a bone health class?

Should we, because it is good for the bones?  Exercise that involves impact  through the bones is super good for the thigh bones and pelvis in particular

Or should we not, because it really off putting for of some of you.  Perhaps you have anxieties regarding your pelvic floor, or just don’t feel strong or fit enough to jump

The truth is, I haven’t decided yet.  If we do some impact work it will be NOT be jumping as such.  More a case of movements that involve a  bit of impact like jogging on the spot and it will be for five minutes or so. I was an aerobics instructor for 15 years and I know low impact alternatives to everything.

I wrote about how you use Pilates to help Bone Health in a recent blog post which you can read here 

Live Class

If you would like to book a Pilates class, the cost is £9 if you pay and go, and £8 if you buy a block of 5 at £40.

If you are new to Pilates Leeds, or have never bought a pre pay card before, why not get your first one for just £30? That is just £6 per session.

You can reschedule your booking up to the night before class. If you decide to cancel completely then please contact me.

Note: if you buy a 5 session class pass, you still have to book the classes for the relevant dates.

IMPORTANT: If this is the first time you have done Pilates with us, please can you fill out a very short Health Questionnaire before you attend class. (It only takes 2 mins). It is necessary for your safety, our planning and for our Insurance purposes.

Questionnaire

If you would like to ask a question about the classes or about our booking process, please contact us.