 Poster: A snowHead
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Some people may recall a few months ago I discussed an issue I have with my thigh collapsing in whilst skiing. Since then I've been doing one to one pilates classes in an attempt to help the problem. The instructor is excellent - his analysis (without any prompting from me) related all the issues I have not just with skiing, but also running, flat feet weak ankles etc to a muscle imbalance between my inner and outer thighs.
However, even though the issue has been identified, is there any chance an hour per week of pilates is going to redress (enough to deal with the forces involved when skiing) an imbalance that has been 30 years in the making? Or would I need to be doing hours every day to help?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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beanie1, Hi. If you have muscle imbalance, then perhaps a little quad work with balancing hamstring work would help? Build up the strength of the quads. I am sure someone will come along with the required exercises!
I suppose that it would depend on what you would be doing in your pilates class that works these muscles. I would think that you would not need to do hours every day, and since you are clearly an athletic sort with your running, I would imagine that something like 10 or 20 mins of activity would help. Perhaps a trip to a physio who can advise you on exercises would help?
I will add that am a physiologist, not a sports therapist or instructor or remotely qualified in any sense, but working with physios and researchers in this area would make me say that would be my 10 cents.
Just out of interest, to you have any probs with your knees e.g. patellofemoral pain?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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MarjMJ, it's not back / front it's outside / inside. The muscle I need to develop is a little one near the top outside under the hip. If you engage it you can twist your knees in and out.
No problems with knees at all, and since I got decent footbeds for skiing no problems with running (I was getting pain in exactly the muscle I need to develop).
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beanie1, no idea, really. If they're unbalanced - does that mean that one is much stronger than the other? Which? Adductors and abductors rather than hamstrings and quads?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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pam w,
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Adductors and abductors rather than hamstrings and quads?
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Yes I think so. Adductors stronger than abductors. Pilates won't concentrate on just the one though - everything exercised in balance.
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Pilates won't concentrate on just the one though - everything exercised in balance.
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Have you tried searching on the name of the muscle for exercises on t'interweb? I am sure it sounds like you might have to do some kind of acitity like side leg raises with a theraband for resistance. But with massive disclaimer like I say that I am not a therapist!
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| beanie1 wrote: |
| Pilates won't concentrate on just the one though - everything exercised in balance. |
That's not entirely true unless you're doing classical pilates which follows set routines.
Modern pilates can be remedial and will help to redress an imbalance by working the weaker muscle or muscle group (I've been doing this kind of pilates for 6 years and classical pilates for the past year).
To answer your question, I don't think an hour per week is enough. I would recommend 3 hours per week for three to four months or until such time as balance between the two muscles/groups is achieved.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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sounds like you need to strengthen the TFL and glute medius, which perform external rotation and abduction functions. I've had an issue with these, classic isolation exercises include the following: clamshell raises (lie on your side, knees slightly bent, and raise the top knee whilst keeping the top foot in place on the bottom one); kneel on all fours & lift one leg to side (like a dog peeing - its a good isolation ex for the external rotators); and theraband /tube walking: loop a piece of theraband under your feet and hold each end in the opposite hand, to apply resistance, then walk sideways for a number of steps in each direction (see G.Bell's fitness section on skiclub GB for pics).
Then I also found that having done the isolation work, it is also necessary to do functional work eg step ups, 1 leg squats, various types of lunges, bulgarian split squats etc, with a real focus on controlling the weak hip and stopping it swaying or rotating unneceesarily.
I reckon I did the above in 15-20 mins / day to start with, then reduced to 3-4 x p/week when you get to the functional stuff.
I also found that even when apparently fully fit, I still benefit from including an activation drill in the warm up for running, skiing and other exercises.
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beanie1, If the instructor is good enough to identify your problem surely they should be able to recommend either the correct exercises to carry out or at least know somebody who could help.
Or has somebody already said that?.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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beanie1, is there something in your exercise history which explains this - dance? horses?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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beanie1,
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If you engage it you can twist your knees in and out.
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Your saying this indicates that you have already learned how to isolate it, engage it and exercise it. If so, surely ten minutes of clams, or whatever the appropriate exercises are (including the 'opposing' ones) would be feasible for you to do twice a day? That's over two hours a week, even before your 1:1 to session. I reckon you'd start to see results after a few weeks on that regime. (My only qualification for saying this is that I do Pilates myself - it is a life saver, not just my weekly class and the 20 minutes or so I do after gym sessions, but also the very few minutes I do most days to sort out the hurtiest bits!)
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pam w, yes! I used to have a horse and rode almost every day from the age of about 12. Could this be a cause?
I do reformer pilates which I can't pracitice outside the clase- I'll ask the instructor for other exercises I can do at home.
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You know it makes sense.
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Could this be a cause?
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Don't know, but logically the way a rider's thigh muscles develop will definitely be different from a non-rider's. Just maybe a clue to follow up. Someone seems to have written their thesis on it http://commons.pacificu.edu/pt/88/
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FAQ
Which is where my [little] expertise runs out. 
