Pilates is one form of exercise that can benefit your bone health, strength, and mobility as you age.
Pilates is an excellent full-body, low impact method known to align and strengthen the structure of the body.
Regardless of your age, conditioning, or ability, it’s never too late to start a Pilates practice. Pilates can meet you where you are in skill and strength and support your livelihood for years to come.
Studies have shown that a Pilates practice can have tremendous benefits at various stages of life.
You should consult a doctor before embarking on any exercise program, and it’s best to work one-on-one with a qualified instructor or in a specialized class if you have any existing health concerns.
Finding a class for older adults or working privately with an instructor can help you maximize your progress and reap the many benefits of Pilates when healthy aging is your main priority.
1. Improves bone density
Studies have shown that Pilates may improve bone density, especially among postmenopausal women.
Maintaining bone density as you age is important for counteracting the onset of osteopenia and osteoporosis. Increasing bone density through weight-bearing exercise is key to slowing bone deterioration.
A specialized Pilates program incorporating weight-bearing exercises, such as standing Pilates or resistance on specialized, spring-loaded equipment, is beneficial.
If maintaining bone density is one of your goals, try Pilates on the apparatus. Unlike Pilates mat work, exercises performed on the Reformer and Tower (or Cadillac) use spring resistance as “weights.” This type of Pilates is likely better for improving bone density than mat work alone.
2. Improves posture
Misalignment and slouching can be attributed to loss of bone density and bad habits. But slouching also contributes to compression of the joints and organs as you age, as well as tight and imbalanced muscles, which often result in pain.
Pilates focuses on aligning and balancing your body with an emphasis on creating ease and mobility through the joints.
The combination of strength and suppleness in your muscles, along with a deeper awareness of alignment, often results in better posture.
3. Improves balance and gait
Balance and coordination are necessary for everyday activities like walking. Loss of strength and mobility, along with slouching, can cause a chain reaction that starts with a reluctance to move and often evolves into a fear of falling.
A good Pilates program will build strength and stability and also improve balance, decreasing the risk of falls and fractures. It’ll build better habits, such as learning the optimal way to carry and pick up objects or get up and down from the floor or a chair.
People often experience changes in gait patterns as they age. Many lose ankle mobility and then have swollen and stiff feet that they drag or shuffle.
Pilates improves balance and gait through specific balance training and strengthening of the trunk and hips, as well as the feet and ankles.
4. Improves mobility
Mobility is the balance of strength and flexibility that allows for a full and controlled range of motion.
Strength alone can leave you tight, stiff, and prone to injury. Flexibility alone can leave the aging body unsupported, weak, and also prone to injury.
Studies have shown that Pilates’ smooth transitions and mindful, controlled movements are ideal for building strength and support and improving the range of motion at the joints. This allows for ease of movement in everyday and extracurricular activities.
5. Improves mood
Pilates is a mindful practice based on the principle of breath in conjunction with movement. The ability to focus inward and breathe builds self-awareness and calms the nervous system.
Studies have shown that Pilates improves mental health, namely anxiety and depression.
One study noted that Pilates — more than the other forms of exercise included in the research — offered psychosocial benefits for older adults.
6. Improves memory
Blaming age for memory loss and forgetfulness is a thing of the past.
Studies show that exercise like Pilates increases blood flow to the brain, contributing to the development of new neurons responsible for thinking, memory, and learning.
7. Decreases back pain
Pilates is known for targeting the core.
It acts as a supple brace that houses, lifts, and supports the organs and spine. A strong core better supports your back.
In studies, participants have reported improvements in chronic lower back pain when practicing Pilates, in some cases after just 3 months.
8. Boosts immunity
Studies have shown that Pilates helps with immunity, especially among older adults.
One 2020 study of men over the age of 65 found significant improvements in immune system function after doing Pilates for 12 weeks.
9. Prevents injury
Pilates prepares your body for everyday activities that require strength and mobility.
It pays significant attention to joint support and stability — and learning to move with that in mind makes you less susceptible to injury.
Self-awareness and a deeper connection to your body also heighten proprioception, helping you become more mindful of your surroundings and how you move through space.
It’s important to consult your doctor before starting any exercise program, and ideally, start with one-on-one sessions. Individualized sessions with a qualified Pilates instructor can help you confidently learn the fundamentals and make any modifications.
Alternatively, numerous Pilates group classes are geared toward active agers. They’re taught by instructors who have received specialized training.
While some older adults are rockin’ hardcore, traditional Pilates workouts, some signature Pilates exercises are not recommended for anyone with low bone density or osteoporosis.
Generally, you should avoid excessive twisting, flexion (think of a typical crunch), and loaded flexion, like rolling in a curved position on your back.
Traditional exercises like Rolling Like a Ball, Jackknife, and Roll Over are to be avoided when bone density is a concern. There are, however, plenty of safe, interesting, and fun bone-building Pilates modifications.
A chair is a perfect prop for helping you get down to the ground or supporting your balance when standing. If neither of these options is suitable right now, you can still benefit from a good workout while seated on the chair.
A chair can provide feedback and proprioception of where your pelvis and spine are in space, help you find the ideal length and posture without doing fully weight-bearing exercises, and strengthen the legs.
Plus, chair Pilates allows you to get a workout in if you don’t have much space or are working at a desk.
Chair Pilates teaches you to develop better habits for getting up and down from a chair, bench, car seat, and other seated positions.
A consistent and mindful exercise practice is essential to maintaining quality of life as you age.
Pilates, with all of its variety and modifications, is a low impact form of exercise suitable for older adults. Numerous Pilates programs are backed by the medical community, bone-safe, and geared toward the mature adult.
Pilates meets the individual where they’re at and builds strength, confidence, and mobility. It also produces those feel-good endorphins, leading to a more energetic mood to keep you performing at your best.
