By: Kerrie Murphy | 18/06/2024

There has been a recent study by Stefano Cacciatore, MD (the corresponding author on the paper) with Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, in Rome. The study was published online on May 2, 2024, in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society and explored the idea of physical performance being associated with long term survival in adults 80+ years. Physical performance was evaluated using Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) tests which included Balance tests; a 4-metre gait speed test and a chair-Stand test. ‘Long term survival’ was defined as reaching the age of 95.

We are very fortunate that the body of work we call ‘Pilates’ has within its repertoire many examples involving such challenges. So, let’s take a moment to look at some examples and how these not only integrate into your daily life, but can add to a longer life span!

Long Strides involving the speed and rhythm of walking gait

We’ve all seen it – and been guilty of it at times in our lives – of the ‘old person shuffle’: our feet slide along the floor as we step; the arches of our feet collapse and the length of our steps and the distance between each footprint becomes less and less. We slow down. We feel ‘heavy’.

Such an act requires less demand and less movement range from our hip sockets. We remain more folded in the front of our hip joints which shortens our hip flexing muscles and weakens our hip opening/extension muscles as we move through space. Our bodies are very clever: we get very good at what we practice and find ourselves physically doing most!

Hip Dissociation ”Chair Sit to Stand”

This is such a necessary part of our lives! Practically, we need to be able to get up and down of a chair, the couch or the toilet, therefore developing the strength and control to do such becomes vitally important! As this function decreases, we start to throw our body weight around to get up (running the risk of toppling over) or we land with a hard thud and we develop unconscious quirks and compensations throughout the body to do either action.

“Our muscles should obey our will” says Joseph Pilates and again, we find this action replicated in much of the work we do. We want to stand up strong and sit down soft.

It feels so amazing to find that power under our ‘seat’ to achieve the opening and closing of our hips! And often, as an instructor, our work is on emphasizing the great movement patterns and reducing the quirks and compensations. There are many examples of this action in the studio!

You will probably start noticing how you sit to stand or sit down again – Good!! We want to bring awareness to that as we can only change – and improve – what we become aware of.

Balance

This is a big issue! We are seeing more and more in the news and social media about ‘Falls Prevention’ and realising the importance of balance in our day to day lives. We try to make light about it regarding aging: You know you’re getting older when you don’t “lose your balance” but you had a “fall”!

Pilates brings balance to our various muscle groups, which in turn, brings improvements to the act of balancing. Let’s take this simple act: Stand on one leg for as long as you can. Notice where you start to feel a sense of work on the outside of your hips. Try the other leg – can you stand for longer on that side? Do you wobble more?

Whilst there is a lot more to ‘balance’ the exercise– Wall Glutes – are a great way to start. They target directly the muscles you would have felt activating as you stood with one leg off the floor. You could also try standing on one leg while you brush your teeth or wash the dishes. Again, we get better at what we practice.

But most importantly regarding balance – and in fact with ALL the exercises – is the importance of Breath. Effective and improved breathing improves our balance as we access all the lobes within our lungs rather than just a bit of each of them. When we hold our breath, we set up bracing and ‘locking’ patterns which makes us less responsive and adaptable to forces both from outside and within our bodies. Pilates has this integral factor and development at its’ foundation and the awareness of Breath is integrated from the first session.

Paul Schembri