Author: Shannon Anderson

Breast Cancer Survivor Eve Gentry

A favorite exercise of many Pilates teachers and students is the “Gentry stretch” on the reformer.  This particular movement stretches the hip flexors and looks like a modified lunge as one leg bends and the other leg moves the reformer carriage.  Named after first generation teacher Eve Gentry, her influence goes beyond the Gentry stretch.  She also developed a “pre-Pilates” technique that is used today.

While Gentry’s name and technique might be recognized, her own remarkable story as a breast cancer survivor is not as well known.  Eve had a radical mastectomy in 1955.  This type of procedure was more common back then but not performed as much today.

Through her work with Joseph Pilates, Eve made a complete recovery.  Within a year, she returned to her dance career and continued to dance for years to come. Eve eventually retired to Santa Fe where she opened a studio.  She taught dance and brought the Pilates method to the region.  Eve also developed her own approach or “pre-Pilates” technique that she kept distinguished from classical Pilates.

Many teachers and students benefit from Eve’s work today.  Whether it’s the Gentry stretch or pre-Pilates technique, her influence is still felt.  As a first generation teacher, Eve helped to impart Joe’s method and she helped the work spread by bringing it to the West.

For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Eve Gentry’s remarkable story is highlighted.  Eve’s full recovery through her work with Joseph Pilates is an inspiration. Eve’s exercises and her story live on offering hope for women today.

Pink Pilates for Breast Cancer Awareness

As October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM), special attention will be given to this important topic all month.  Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in women.  BCAM is the international yearly campaign that aims to educate the public, support those impacted by the disease and raise funds to further research.

Fortunately, advances are being made.  Recent research found that chemotherapy does not benefit the majority of women with early breast cancer.*  Protocals for treatment are being adapted accordingly.

Exercise is recommended for breast cancer survivors by the American Cancer Society.**  Of course, depending on the type of treatment, guidelines may vary as to the kind of movements that may be permitted and when to begin those movements after a procedure.  In addition, every woman is unique and may heal at a different pace, so following the doctor’s prescription is paramount.

Exercises that restore shoulder and arm movements are particularly important not just after surgery but also after radiation.  For those treated with radiation, exercise is even beneficial during treatment and can help with the side effects, including fatigue.***   Long after radiation is completed, continuing to exercise and maintaining upper body mobility will be essential.

When it comes to exercise, there is sometimes a concern that with increased circulation cancer could spread more quickly.  The research so far has shown the opposite is true.  A study published in The Journal of Applied Physiology found that aerobic exercise could lead to “‘normalization’ of the tissue microenvironment in human breast tumors.  Such findings may have important implications for inhibiting tumor metastasis…”****  These results are exciting and empowering to realize that exercise could potentially help physiologically in preventing cancer growth.

Pilates has valuable benefits for those recovering from breast cancer.  There are, of course, many shoulder and arm exercises.  With the focus on awareness and breathing, rib cage mobility is expanded which in turn supports the shoulders and arms.  The props, such as the foam roller, balls and arcs, can be used to help stretch the chest and spine.  Resistance from therabands or springs on the equipment can be added as appropriate.

Before physical therapy was readily available or exercises recommended after surgery, a student of Joseph Pilates had a single mastectomy.  This young woman made a remarkable recovery through her Pilates practice.  Her inspirational story will be shared next time as Pilates goes pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

*https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/press-releases/2018/tailorx-breast-cancer-chemotherapy 

**https://www.breastcancer.org/tips/exercise/safe

***https://www.mdanderson.org/publications/cancerwise/2014/07/four-tips-for-exercising-during-cancer-treatment.html  

**** https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19959769

Pilates For Strong Bones

 

When it comes to Pilates, people often think of building muscles rather than bones.  As a number of women and men over the age of 50 are impacted by osteoporosis, we are going to learn more about this disease and the scientific process that occurs in the bones.  This will set the foundation for a better understanding of the value of weight bearing exercises and how Pilates offers several advantages in building stronger bones.

Considered the silent disease because it can sneak up without any symptoms until something is broken, osteoporosis is a bone condition that effects anatomically at the deepest layer.

From a cellular level, there are bone building cells called osteoblasts and bone eating cells called osteoclasts.  It’s normal to have both kinds of cells.  Even the bone-absorbing osteoclasts serve a purpose in repair and regeneration.  It’s when the osteoclasts out pace the osteoblasts that the bones can become porous leading to osteopenia and osteoporosis. There are also osteocyte cells that are thought to regulate whether the bone builders or eaters are activated.

When a load is placed on the body, it calls the osteoblasts into action.  This is why weight bearing exercises are so important.  It stimulates the bone building cells.

Even something as simple as standing is considered “weight bearing”.  Interestingly, when astronauts spend time in space, they lose bone density.  Gravity helps in bone building as it exerts a pull or load on the body activating the osteoblasts.

A few things to keep in mind about strengthening the bones.  One is that building muscle also builds bone. Second, this strengthening is specific, so if you lift arm weights that will build the arm muscles and bones. However, if someone has osteoporosis, she should not lift objects more than 20lbs (and perhaps even 10lbs depending on fragility).  Also, good technique is important whenever lifting, whether gym weights or grocery bags.

A strength training regimine is not only recommended to combat osteoporosis but also a walking, balance and spinal extensor program. As posture is often a concern with age, a spinal extension program can have a double benefit of improving posture and building the back bones.

It is important to note that without proper guidance Pilates could be harmful!  The classical Pilates matwork consists predominately of spinal flexion exercises which should be avoided by those with osteoporosis.  With the right instruction, a Pilates program can safely improve posture, balance, muscle and bone strength.

Pilates has a number of benefits when it comes to bone health.  Obviously, the Pilates equipment offers unique resistance, whether small props like the magic circle or large pieces such as the reformer and the cadillac/trapeze table.  The spring loaded machines give progressive resistance which means the weight increases the further into the movement.  Since Pilates develops the whole body, this strengthens multiple muscle groups and bones.

The standing exercises offer additional weight bearing, not to mention balance opportunities.  A focus on good posture and proper form during movement is valuable so the bones are strengthened in good alignment.  While spinal flexion should be avoided, Pilates has plenty of beneficial spinal extensor exercises.  In the fight against the silent disease of osteoporosis, Pilates builds not only muscle but can also build strength down to the bone.

Anatomy 101

Anatomy 101

With the start of school, it seemed an appropriate time to review anatomy.  Based on frequent questions, this article briefly covers some of the points of anatomy that would serve for a deeper understanding in a Pilates practice and beyond.  Going from the inside out, we’ll look at bones, ligaments, muscles, tendons and fascia.

Bones:

At the deepest level, the bones are the framework for the body.  Bones protect important areas such as the brain, spinal cord and heart.  Bones provide structure for mobility by giving the muscles something they can attach to and leverage in order to move.

 

Because bones are such a strong structure, it’s easy to think of them in a stiff way.  It’s remarkable to consider the human frame is actually living tissue!  At the marrow of the bone, red and white blood cells are manufactured. The bone itself either grows denser or more porous as the bone cells lay down bone or reabsorb bone.  This is an important process.  In the next newsletter, we’ll examine bone health more closely, specifically looking at osteoporosis and how Pilates can help maintain strong bones.

Ligaments:

The bones wouldn’t make as effective a frame without the ligaments.  Ligaments connect the bones together. This forms the joints.  Some ligaments allow certain movements and other ligaments might prevent movement in a certain direction altogether.

Muscles:

Muscles move the body.  Internally, there are cardiac and smooth muscles (lining the esophagus, intestines,…) which are “involuntary”.  More superficially are skeletal muscles which are “voluntary muscles” or under conscious control.  When a skeletal muscle contracts, it brings the bones closer together.  For example, when the biceps contracts it moves the upper and lower arm bones towards each other.

 

The two categories of skeletal muscles are fast and slow twitch muscle fibers (light and dark meat). Fast twitch powers explosive, quick movements but these muscle fibers fatigue swiftly.  Slow twitch have more endurance but not as much force.

 

Muscles break down into smaller and smaller bundles. The outermost layer called the epimysium is what most people think of as the muscle and at each end are tendons that attach the muscle to the bone.  The perimysium is the next layer and consists of bundles of fibers.  The smallest layer is the endomysium and contains myocytes or the single muscle fiber.  At the cellular level muscles have protein filaments, actin and myosin, that slide past each other causing the actual muscular contraction.

Tendons:

Each layer of the muscle (epimysium, perimysium and endomysium) contributes fibers that create the muscle tendon.  Tendons connect muscle to bone.  Tendons are the beginning (origin)  and end (insertion) of a muscle. In the middle is the “belly of the muscle”, where the muscular contraction occurs.

Fascia:

The layers of muscles are each covered in fascia.  While muscles can be dissected and considered to neatly begin and end, the fascia is continuous throughout the body. Fascia covers not only muscle but also internal organs.

Conclusion:

This “bare bones” article on anatomy briefly touched on bones, ligaments, muscles, tendons and fascia.  More in depth coverage could be given to each of these topics, not to mention subjects like physiology, organs and the brain/body connection.  This focused article intended to give simple, clear body basics, Anatomy 101!