Pilates is an exercise system that can be used in the prevention and management of sports injuries. Before we discuss how Pilates can be used we need to classify the two types of sports injuries. These are extrinsic and intrinsic injuries.

Extrinsic injuries

These types of injuries are due to collisions, tackles and contact, and due to the nature of sports are unavoidable. Broken bones, ligament sprains, contusions and head injuries would fall into the bracket of extrinsic injuries. However with adequate strength and conditioning, speed, agility and good body weight these types of injuries may be reduced.

Therefore athletes should take part in structured strength and conditioning sessions to help to make themselves bigger and stronger. On top of these strength training sessions athletes should also add in one or two Pilates sessions a week to help build a more stable core. This should be followed up with nutritional advice as tissue health depends not just of good strength but also good quality nutrition.

Intrinsic injuries

The second type of sports injury is classified as an intrinsic injury; these types of injuries are predominantly due to muscle strains, tendon overload syndromes, such as Achilles tendinopathy, pelvic overload syndrome sometimes called osteitis pubis and less so ligament sprains. These injuries are caused by inadequate conditioning, core muscle weakness, muscle tightness and poor posture. So it stands to reason that intrinsic injuries should be minimised by athletes having good postural alignment, excellent proprioception, and good core and joint stability.

This is where Pilates comes in and is perhaps more important than regular strength sessions in the gym. If you suffer from intrinsic injuries you need to pay more attention to proprioception and prehabilitation exercises as well as working on individual stretches to correct your posture and flexibility.  Once again, injury healing depends on adequate rest and good nutrition / hydration.