Pilates for Rehabilitation Flashcards

Before beginning Pilates with a new rehabilitation client, an instructor should:

Answer: Obtain medical clearance and conduct a thorough intake and postural assessment

Medical clearance and a thorough intake including health history, postural assessment, and movement screening are mandatory before beginning Pilates rehabilitation work.

Which Pilates modification is appropriate for a client recovering from a lumbar disc herniation?

Answer: Focus on spinal neutral exercises and avoid deep spinal flexion until cleared by a physician

Clients with lumbar disc herniation typically need to avoid deep spinal flexion initially, focusing instead on neutral spine exercises and gradually progressing as symptoms resolve.

For a client with anterior knee pain (patellofemoral syndrome), which Reformer exercise requires the most careful monitoring?

Answer: Footwork series with deep knee flexion

Deep knee flexion in the footwork series significantly increases patellofemoral joint compression, requiring range of motion limitation and close monitoring for clients with anterior knee pain.

A client with osteoporosis should avoid which type of Pilates movement?

Answer: Loaded forward spinal flexion and extreme rotation

Loaded spinal flexion and extreme rotation increase vertebral fracture risk in clients with osteoporosis, requiring significant modification or avoidance of these movement patterns.

Diastasis recti is a condition affecting which structure, requiring specific Pilates modifications?

Answer: The separation of the rectus abdominis along the linea alba

Diastasis recti is a widening or separation of the rectus abdominis muscle along the midline (linea alba), requiring avoidance of exercises that increase intra-abdominal pressure.

Which Pilates principle is most important when working with post-surgical rehabilitation clients?

Answer: Progressing gradually within pain-free range under physician guidance

Gradual, pain-free progression with physician guidance is the cornerstone of post-surgical Pilates rehabilitation, ensuring tissue healing is respected throughout recovery.