Pilates – The ‘Gateway Back to Exercise’ Post Viral Recovery

Post Viral Recovery

Return to Exercise Post Viral

I’ve got a few of you now coming back into classes who have had the virus and it’s taking a while for you to shake of your symptoms. I listened to a podcast last night with a Dr and a Sport Psychologist who is advising Public Health England, and he said that,

Pilates is the perfect gate way back to exercise for those in recovery’.

Post Viral Recovery
Does Pilates hold the key to Post Viral Recovery?

He was talking about those who’ve had the virus, and ended up in hospital – they have a kind of pathway out via physio etc. But he said that there were a much higher percentage of folks that never got to hospital and have just been left recovering on their own.

He said that recovery should be in the community with Pilates instructors being the perfect people to pick up the slack, usually we’re highly qualified, we’ve got good knowledge of the body and we can control the intensity of the exercises – which he said is key.

Trying to do too much too soon can really set you back

What is happening with most people is, they’ve had ‘the virus’ and are then expecting to pick up where they left off with their fitness or exercise program – but that’s not really the case, he said it’s like breaking your leg, getting your pot off and they expecting to run the same distances they you did prior to break.

The key is to ease yourself back into exercise slowly and listen to your body.

What’s happening is folks are feeling ok, and heading straight back to full on exercise – this is then triggering an inflammatory response which sets them back further.

I’ve now got a few of you come to classes who are in recovery, and I’m SO glad that I followed my instincts and have made you dial it down in classes, focus on breathing and stretching.

In fact last Friday, I did a whole recovery class, where we just stretched the breathing muscles, intercostals and shoulders, focused on breath-work, and had a lovely mindful session. Unfortunately my iPad ran out of battery half way through so I didn’t get the full class on video – but I will repeat the class this coming Thursday.

My usual classes that are suitable for virus recovery are Monday’s 6pm Beginner class, and Friday 10am class, you can book on these via my website.

However, before you attend, please let me know if you’re in recovery so that I can adjust your intensity levels and make sure that I keep an eye on you.

Before we all get back in the studio I’m going to update my PAR-Q form with details of whether you’ve had the virus, and how long ago, – there may be things lingering that you hadn’t realised.

So, all very interesting!

Of course, I’ll be keeping up to date with all the research around this, and making sure that those of you who are returning to exercise are working at the correct intensity levels. If you’ve got any questions about it, do let me know.

Jill x

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