Pilates Classes

As an alternative to our individually tailored semi-private classes (see below), North Shore Physio and Pilates also offers Mat Pilates which still focuses on core strengthening, stability work and improving one’s flexibility but in a slightly larger group setting. Please click here for more information.

1. Why the Importance of ‘Pilates’ in our Physiotherapy Exercise Classes?

At North Shore Physio & Pilates, our physiotherapy exercise classes are an integration of gym-based rehabilitative exercises with principles drawn from the ‘Clinical Pilates Method’. The integration of Clinical Pilates encourages focus and body awareness of your movement control when exercising to increase your strength and flexibility. Absolute precision allows you to exercise your joints through a pain-free range and maintain stability as you work to strengthen the weak muscles either in isolation or as a whole with other muscles in functional or sports-related tasks.

2. Who runs the classes?

Our physiotherapy exercise/Pilates classes are uniquely tailored to address the areas of inflexibility, muscle weaknesses and joint instability affecting your physical performance in all aspects of life. These issues are raised and identified during the initial consultation from our lead musculoskeletal physiotherapist who joins a selected few as a member of the Australian College of Physiotherapy for his clinical expertise in understanding musculoskeletal pathology and movement biomechanics. The carefully constructed programme including home exercises will constitute the makings of your class which will be followed up by either himself or other instructors who are all Pilates diploma-trained therapists. Together, our experience in Clinical Pilates will enable us to modify your exercises throughout the class session specific to your goals, injury history or chronic condition (e.g. osteoporosis), as well as providing you with constant feedback whilst you are exercising to enable that you are exercising the correct muscles.

3. What do Physiotherapy Exercise / Pilates Classes involve?

All our classes are taught under close supervision in a small group environment of up to 3 participants. Our gymnasium is equipped with rehabilitative equipment and state of the art Pilates machines such as the reformer and trapeze table, which are tension adjustable and mechanically designed to assist with your movement control and muscle coordination in positions of minimal load to your joints during the initial periods. Once you are well connected to the new biomechanical changes, we will challenge you with functional and/or sports related activities which are more dynamic and require greater muscle coordination. You will also receive ongoing home exercises throughout the programme to continually improve your movement control and maintain the progress in flexibility and strength achieved from the classes.

4. How is it beneficial?

Our physiotherapy exercise classes use ‘Clinical Pilates’ principles to correct your muscle imbalances and improve your body awareness in posture and movement. This allows you to move efficiently with less strain to your joints and fatigue to your surrounding muscles. As the programme is individualised, our Pilates classes are suitable for people of any age or fitness level. These Pilates-based classes are beneficial for:

• Fast tracking the rehabilitation of current injuries
• Preventing injuries by correcting the areas of weakness and instability in your body
• Enhancing your physical performance in recreational and sports-related tasks
• Strengthening the base of your arthritic joints and slowing the rate of degeneration
• Improving your balance and coordination to reduce the risk of falls

Most importantly, physiotherapy exercise classes have been redesigned with adopted principles from the ‘Clinical Pilates Method’ to make it a fun, innovative and effective approach to exercise therapy.

5. How do I get started?

All participants wishing to participate in our Pilates classes are required to book a 1 hour one on one consultation before they book to join a class. This ensures that you receive a structured exercise programme specific to your health and fitness goals (e.g. increasing your lower abdominal strength to improve trunk stabilisation and leg muscle coordination for a more efficient running technique) and modified to your injury history/chronic condition for a safe and effective workout. You will require the one on one attention initially to ensure correct activation of muscles and to feel confident with using our Pilates and gym equipment on site.

Pilates Class timetable (1hr duration)

Physiotherapy Pilates Clinic

Our Pilates classes are available at our clinic in Castlecrag. We also offer home visit physiotherapy to service neighbouring suburbs, including: Castle Cove, Chatswood, Roseville Chase, Willoughby, Cammeray, Naremburn and Northbridge.