“It’s preventative medicine,” says Michelle Meiklejohn, owner of Connections Pilates. “I want Pilates to be seen in the wellness and fitness community as a viable source of prevention in the next step after physical therapy, to continue to heal and increase health longevity.”
Recently, Meiklejohn had a client who injured her rotator cuff and was advised to get a replacement. Instead, she worked with Meiklejohn for months and was able to avoid surgery, enjoy fitness, and continue her work as a nurse.
Meiklejohn always wanted a career in healing, but in 2007, her journey took a turn. After a c-section left her with limited abdominal strength, she stopped pursuing medicine as an infection disease specialist to a profession in health and exercise science.
She looked to Pilates class as a possible source of rehabilitation. There, she got stronger and was able to resume her hobby of competing in dressage. Afterwards, she switched to health and exercise science, she started teaching Pilates for students at the University of Oklahoma.
Ever since, Meiklejohn has continuously practiced “prescriptive Pilates” to help rehabilitate people to their favorite activities, saying, “What I’ve always known is I’ve wanted to help people.”
Joseph Pilates defined Contrology as “the comprehensive integration of body, mind, and spirit.”
The exercise methodology targets the bodies core and teaches increased body awareness, good posture, builds strength, enhances flexibility, and improves balance. Even joint and muscle aches can be alleviated.
Meiklejohn says Pilates is a form of "cross-training" and "intelligent movement."