Pilates & Tai Chi as Alternative Care for Orthopaedic and Musculoskeletal Conditions
Dr. Fowler and the team at Capital City Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, serving the Atlanta, Georgia area, offers a comprehensive approach to treating a wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions, including but not limited to: lower back and neck pain, sports injuries, joint and muscle pain, and arthritic conditions. When treating orthopaedic injuries and ailments, conservative methods are always preferred to more invasive, surgical procedures. Oftentimes, conservative treatment methods, such as physical therapy, will successfully alleviate the pain a patient experiences. An advocate of alternative treatment methods, Dr. Fowler often recommends tai chi and Pilates for patients suffering from muscle and joint pain. These two disciplines produce significant benefits not only for the musculoskeletal system, but the cardiovascular system as well as the mind.
With both tai chi and Pilates, the patient will be asked to engage the body in new movement methods, as well as understand how the musculoskeletal system works and how to best take care of it. These types of exercises help build the body's core strength and stability, improving musculoskeletal strength after surgery and reducing the likelihood of incurring a future orthopaedic injury.
Pilates: Alternative Care for Musculoskeletal Disorders
Pilates is a form of strength and flexibility training that can be performed by patients at any level of fitness. Because Pilates strengthens and lengthens muscles, the exercise can both prevent and rehabilitate joint or muscle injuries, improve posture, and increase flexibility, circulation, and balance.
Clinical Pilates targets the core stabilizers and focuses on improving muscle control as well as endurance. Clinical Pilates facilitates more efficient use of the body's resources, and reduces overstrain of the musculoskeletal system. Pilates programs are developed according to each patient's unique situation, and uses a combination of spring-loaded equipment, as well as ball and floor work, to ensure a successful program that appropriately strengthens the patient's core muscles.
Tai Chi: "Moving Meditation" for Musculoskeletal Treatment
Tai chi originated in China as a form of martial arts. The discipline comprises both mind and body, and is an exercise in alternative medicine that is often used complimentarily with other forms of noninvasive treatment. Tai chi is referred to as "moving meditation" because practitioners move their bodies slowly, gently, while performing diaphgragmatic (deep) breathing.
Tai chi's potential benefits include improved stability, cardiovascular fitness, and overall well being, as well as reduced blood pressure and risk of imbalance. Several peer-reviewed studies have been published extolling its health benefits for the elderly, with some citing tai chi's potential benefits for a variety of other conditions, including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and osteoarthritis.
Comprehensive Orthopaedic Care in Atlanta, Georgia
Dr. Fowler is dedicated to the treatment and recovery of all of his patients, and only recommends surgery when other noninvasive treatment methods cannot sufficiently alleviate pain. The team at Capital City Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine put an emphasis on patient comfort, making sure their needs are met through quality care.
Find out more about the Atlanta, Georgia offices of Capital City Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine »
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