Pilates is a form of low-impact exercise that promotes flexibility and muscular strength in your body. This very targeted form of exercise promotes optimum movement coordination, postural alignment and core and muscle strength and movement.
Pilates is named after its creator, Joseph Pilates, who developed the exercises in the 1920s. Watch an animated history of Pilates.
What is the difference between clinical Pilates and reformer Pilates?
At Upwell Health Collective – Camberwell, we offer both clinical and reformer pilates.
The main difference is that in clinical pilates, the pilates exercises are prescribed specifically and uniquely to you. What is prescribed for you will depend on your health and wellbeing goals which your Upwell pilates physiotherapist or accredited instructor (don’t need this) will determine with you as part of your care plan.
This means that in a clinical pilates class (at Upwell they are limited to 1:3 to ensure high levels of oversight), each person completes their own individualised exercise program. Whereas, in a reformer pilates class (at Upwell they are limited to 1:5) each person will be given the same exercise to perform.
Upwell is unique, in that every pilates instructor has completed either a bachelor’s degree in physiotherapy in addition to nationally accredited pilates training. This means that no matter what type of pilates you do at Upwell, there will always be a clinical element to how it is delivered.
Why should I do Pilates?
Anyone who wants to exercise to gain better control of their movement patterns and posture will benefit from Pilates.
The main health benefits of Pilates include optimum movement coordination, correct postural alignment and muscle strength and movement. As a result, you will also start to notice improvements in your joint range of motion, muscle tone (particularly of your abdominal muscles, shoulders, lower back, hips and buttocks) and symmetry.
Further, pilates is particularly great for improving the control of your deep core muscles, including your pelvic floor, which in-turn can also help to prevent and/or manage incontinence issues.
Your pelvic floor muscles are the layer of muscles on the base of your pelvis that support the pelvic organs: your bladder, uterus (for women), the reproductive organs, small bowel, and rectum. They span from the pubic bone at the front of the pelvis, between the legs to the sit bones and the tailbone.
Read our blog on why it’s important to relax your pelvic floor as well as activate them.
Upwell Pilates Camberwell helps your body to move and feel its best. This is achieved through a personal and professional 1:1 assessment which includes Real Time Ultra Sound so that we can effectively assess your pelvic floor muscles.
Pilates can help people of all ages and abilities including women who are pregnant or who have just had a baby (at Upwell we insist that you do only clinical pilates if you are pregnant). You may also turn to pilates when you are ill, injured or ageing or if you’re an athlete or active and want to prevent an injury from occurring.
What training and registration is required of a Pilates instructor?
At Upwell, we require that our pilates instructors have completed a bachelor’s degree in physiotherapy, in addition to having completed a nationally accredited pilates training. This ensures you will receive the best possible care and best possible clinical outcomes.
How is Pilates delivered at Upwell Health Collective?
After recording your full medical history, including your current situation and health and wellness goals, your specialised pilates physiotherapist will then observe your posture and analyse your movements using specific tests and Real Time Ultrasound imaging to view your deeper core muscles.
Following your initial consultation, you will be re-booked into a minimum of two 1:1 pilates sessions so that you have every opportunity to achieve your health and wellness goals as outlined in your Care Plan. If we feel your recovery would be assisted by input from any other Upwell services (e.g. exercise physiology, yoga, podiatry, massage etc), we will recommend this as part of the Care Plan discussion.
Our pilates team also work alongside women’s health specialists who we can refer to if further investigation is required.
What should I wear to my Pilates appointment?
To assess you effectively your Upwell clinical pilates physiotherapist or accredited instructor will ask you to undress so your torso and spine is visible. Please wear leggings or tight-fitting shorts so the contours of your pelvis, hip and lower limb are evident for assessing asymmetry.
How regularly will I need to do Pilates?
This will depend on your health and wellness outcomes as agreed in your Care Plan. All Care Plan’s at Upwell Health Collective are fully tailored to the specific patient and condition that is presented to the Physiotherapist. Most clients will attend between 1 and 3 sessions per week.
Following your initial consultation, you will be re-booked into one, or a number of subsequent consultations so that you have every opportunity to achieve your health and wellness goals as outlined in your Care Plan. If we feel your recovery would be assisted by input from any other Upwell services (e.g. exercise physiology, pilates, yoga, massage, podiatry, occupational therapy, personal training etc), we will recommend this as part of Care Plan discussion.
Is Pilates claimable on my private health insurance?
Most health insurance agencies do cover pilates as part of extras coverage, however we would encourage you to check with your individual provider to confirm – especially in-light of recent government reforms to Private Health Insurance. We can provide a quotation on what portion of your appointment fee will be covered under health insurance, so please free to give our Camberwell centre a call on (03) 8849 9096 to discuss this process.
Is physiotherapy claimable on my private health insurance?
You may be able to receive a Medicare rebate on your clinical appointment at Upwell Health Collective, Camberwell. In order to do so, you will need to obtain a GP Management Plan or Team Care Arrangements (formerly known as Enhanced Primary Care Plan) from your GP.
Once you have your approved plan from your GP, you can then bring that into Upwell Health Collective and receive a Medicare rebate which will cover you for either a full or part-portion of the service fee.
Medicare rebate is available for a maximum of five services per patient each calendar year.
Is pilates claimable on Medicare?
You may be able to receive a Medicare rebate on your clinical appointment at Upwell Health Collective, Camberwell. In order to do so, you will need to obtain a GP Management Plan or Team Care Arrangements (formerly known as Enhanced Primary Care Plan) from your GP.
Once you have your approved plan from your GP, you can then bring that into Upwell Health Collective and receive a Medicare rebate which will cover you for either a full or part-portion of the service fee.
Medicare rebate is available for a maximum of five services per patient each calendar year.
Do I need a referral from my doctor for Pilates?
No, you don’t. Our Upwell pilates instructors Upwell Health Collective in Camberwell are titled Primary Contact Health Care Practitioners, which means our patients can access their care without a referral from a GP or specialist.
We do however accept referrals from GPs and/or specialists in cases where a GP Management Plan or Team Care Arrangements (formerly known as Enhanced Primary Care Plan) as been developed.
Many GPs and specialists (including Women’s Health specialists) are likely to refer you to seek pilates intervention and we will work closely with your circle of care to ensure you achieve your health and wellbeing goals.
