Well, we learned last week that winter isn’t finished with us quite yet! This is a great time to talk about safety in slippery situations and how to avoid falls. We spoke with two of our Longevity community members, who also happen to be experienced physical therapists.
Stacey Siats and Sada Quijada have both been regular attendees at Longevity classes. They offer unique perspectives on Pilates and how the practice benefits everyone. “Pilates is a comprehensive workout that gives us the opportunity to work through our full muscle length and joint range of motion. This combination builds muscle strength through greater motion and supports healthy, stable joints. This stability contributes to our balance and coordination,” says Stacey.
Both Sada and Stacey were adamant about how balance plays an important role in winter terrain safety. “Balance requires a strong base of standing and walking. Folks who stand and walk most of their day will have better balance than folks who sit more than they stand,” says Sada. “A simple and overlooked balance aid is arm swing when walking. Especially on odd terrain – it’s better to have one’s arms helping the walk by initially swinging so that they are already out and ready to right one’s balance if needed.”
According to Stacey, “Our balance is a combination of body awareness and environmental awareness. Our joints include proprioceptors that let us know where our bodies are in space. Our muscle end range allows the joint to move and our muscle strength, along with ligaments and tendons, controls the joint. If we are lacking in full movement, joint positional awareness (due to injury), or impaired strength, this will directly impact our ability to control unexpected movements like falls or slips. We use our eyes for balance, our ankles with small balance changes, our hips with larger balance disturbances, and with a really big balance disturbance, we take a step. Think about all of the muscles involved from our feet through our core, and also our breath. Now if we happen to be unsuccessful with preventing the fall, how does our body respond? Our arms reach out to protect our head. Stable wrist joints, shoulders, and core can help with the impact. Doesn’t that sound like what we use when practicing Pilates?”
Added Sada, “Pilates has one of the best foot and ankle strengthening strategies of any exercise I have experienced. I have been extremely pleased with all the footwork focus that has impacted my own ankle and lower leg strength!”
What if you’re not in class and you want to work on your balance? Sada’s favorite exercises for walking balance are Tandem Walking and Tandem Stance. “Tandem walking is basically pretending to walk on a tightrope using a line on the floor. Tandem stance is standing in a narrow way with the heel of one foot stacked in front of the toes of the other foot. I love having people practice tandem stance and single leg stance in a doorway using the door frame for both upright posture and balance support. Foot and ankle strength are very important components of balance alongside posture.”
You can be sure that each of your Longevity instructors is creating class content to enhance balance, muscle strength, and joint mobility and stability. We are so grateful to have knowledgeable clients who share their expertise with our community!
Stacey Siats has been a practicing physical therapist for 23 years. She is currently working for the Robbinsdale School District on their Birth to Three team, providing intervention for children at risk and diagnosed with developmental delays. She’s also employed as an adjunct professor in St. Kate’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
Sada Quijada started her career in bodywork at 19 as a Swedish Massage therapist. She’s been introduced to many bodywork techniques and has certified in Lymphedema Therapy, and Esoteric Healing. Massage Therapy is one of her favorite art forms. Sada has worked in Physical Therapy for 25 years, specializing in neurologic conditions. Balance training is a skill she utilizes frequently.