Pregnancy can be a stressful time, both physically and mentally. We’ve worked with many pregnant women in our Olympia studio, and new research shows that Pilates can have many benefits during this exciting time.
A Spanish study started with 105 pregnant women. Fifty of the women attended two Pilates classes a week for eight weeks; the other women did not receive any Pilates.
Both groups of women were evaluated both before and after the study period on a variety of factors. The results were impressive:
“Significant improvements in blood pressure, handgrip strength, hamstring flexibility, and spinal curvature, in addition to improvements during labour, decreasing the number of Caesareans and obstructed labour, episiotomies, analgesia and the weight of the newborns were found at the end of the intervention.”
Pregnancy is an exciting time, but the stresses and strains put on your body can result in discomfort and pain. Pilates can be a safe and effective way to keep yourself strong and in shape, and also help reduce pain.
If you would like to learn more about Pilates and how it can help you, give us a call today at (360) 951-4771 for more information!
Rodríguez-Díaz L, Ruiz-Frutos C, Vázquez-Lara JM, Ramírez-Rodrigo J, Villaverde-Gutiérrez C, Torres-Luque G. Effectiveness of a physical activity programme based on the Pilates method in pregnancy and labour. Enfermería Clínica 2017;27(5):271-277. doi: 10.1016/j.enfcli.2017.05.008.