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Whether you’re on the path to recovery or striving for injury prevention, our expert team is here to support you every step of the way. Contact us today to schedule your personalized session and take the first step towards a healthier, pain-free life. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to embrace a brighter, more active future with us!

Address: 3534 Bee Caves Rd. #110, West Lake Hills, TX, United States, Texas
Phone: 512-215-4277
Email: info@therapyandpilates.com

About CORE Therapy and Pilates

At our physical therapy clinic in West Lake Hills, Texas, we stand out as a trailblazer in holistic healthcare. With a unique blend of Physical Therapy, Pilates, and GYROTONIC® care, we’re committed to helping you recover from injuries and prevent them from happening in the first place. We prioritize your overall well-being, offering a comprehensive approach that sets us apart.

Disclaimer: Prior to commencing any new fitness regimen, consulting with professionals like Cheryl and Stephen is recommended to ensure that exercises align with your individual needs and objectives.

What causes poor flexibility?

Poor flexibility can be caused by a number of contributing factors. Possible causes include:

1. Sedentary Lifestyle

Lack of physical activity or inactivity for long periods can cause muscle tightness and stiffness.

2. Age

As we age, our muscles lose elasticity.

3. Inactivity Due to Injury 

Inactivity due to injury or surgery can cause muscle stiffness and reduced flexibility, just as a sedentary lifestyle can. It is best to consult with a healthcare provider for appropriate strengthening and stretching following an injury.

4. Genetics 

Genetics can play a role in determining how flexible someone is.

5. Muscle Imbalance 

Muscle imbalance or weakness can cause poor flexibility. Muscles can be overused and tight or underutilized and weak.

6. Poor Posture 

Poor posture can cause muscle imbalances. It is best to change your posture throughout the day. For example, try to stand at least every other hour if you have a desk job.

7. Chronic Medical Conditions 

Certain medical conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia, or multiple sclerosis can cause joint stiffness, leading to poor flexibility.

What are ways to improve poor flexibility?

Routine stretching exercises can help improve flexibility. Focus on stretching the muscles that feel tight or restricted, and hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds for a static stretch. 

Static stretching, dynamic stretching, contract-relax stretching (PNF), and passive stretching are all types of stretching. Practicing yoga can help improve flexibility, balance, strength, and relaxation. Starting with a beginner's class or video is recommended to avoid injury. 

Similar to yoga, Pilates is low-impact and places emphasis on core activation, form, and flexibility. It involves a series of exercises that help improve flexibility, strength, and proprioception. Regular massage can help improve flexibility by reducing muscle tension, which can improve range of motion.

Massage can also increase blood flow to a tight muscle or area. Engaging in regular physical activity and avoiding being sedentary can help with overall flexibility and wellbeing. Exercise can improve flexibility and keep your muscles from being tight and weak.

Be conscious of your form and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your flexibility exercises over time.

Overexertion can lead to injury. It's important to consult a physician, physical therapist, or qualified fitness professional before beginning any new exercise program, especially if you have any pre-existing medical conditions.

Do these gentle stretches and range of motion exercises to improve flexibility.

1. Posterior pelvic tilt in supine

• To perform this exercise, lie on your back on a yoga mat or other firm surface with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. 
• Think about the points of your pelvis coming towards your ribs.
• Your low back should round down onto the mat or floor, and the space between your pelvis and front ribs should shorten.

2. Cat/Camel or Arch/Curl in quadruped

• To perform this exercise, get on your hands and knees. If you have wrist issues, you can make your hands into a fist and put your knuckles on the floor. 
• To perform the cat portion of the exercise, round your mid and lower back and curl your core in. Look down towards the floor. 
• To perform the camel portion, arch your back, lift your chest, and look forward.
• Alternate between the two for the desired number of sets and reps.

3. Thread the needle

• To perform this exercise, get on your hands and knees. This should be done with both sides leading, but for the purpose of being concise, I will explain this as if the right arm is moving. 
• Keep your left hand on the ground and lift your right arm overhead while twisting at your midback. 
• You should open your chest towards the right side of the area you’re in and look up towards your right hand. Next, bring your right arm back towards your body and bring it across your body towards the left.
• Thread the right arm behind the left arm and twist at your midback to "thread the needle".
• Repeat on the same side for the desired number of sets or reps, then perform on the other side.

4. Lower trunk rotation stretch

• To perform this exercise, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the ground. 
• Exhale as you let both knees fall to one side, inhale and hold, and bring the legs back to the starting position as you exhale again.
• Repeat on the other side and alternate.

6. Arch/Curl in sitting

• Sit in a chair that is low enough for you to be able to place both feet flat on the ground. 
• Feel your weight evenly distributed between your sits bones.
• Feel both of your heels on the ground and act as if a string is pulling the crown of your head towards the ceiling to sit up straight.
• To arch, perform an anterior pelvic tilt.
• Your low back should arch, and your hip pointers should tilt forward and down towards the ground. To curl, perform a posterior pelvic tilt.
• You should feel your low back round, and your hip pointers should go towards your lower ribs to curl.

7. Side stretch in sitting

• Sit with your weight evenly distributed in your sits bones. 
• Place your left hand on either your arm rest or thigh on the same side.
• Reach your right arm overhead and lean towards the left.
• You should feel a stretch in your side.
• Try to avoid lifting your sitting bones off the chair.
• Repeat on the opposite side.

It's important to identify the cause of poor flexibility to fully address it. A qualified fitness professional or healthcare provider can help determine the underlying cause and develop a guided plan to improve flexibility and/or strength, if that is your goal.

Learn more HERE.

Click on our blog to learn 7 stretches with the Stretch Out Strap.

Local to the Austin area? Give us a call at 512-215-4227 to learn more about how we can help you improve your flexibility with our physical therapy, Pilates and Gyrotonic programs.

What is Pilates?

Pilates is an exercise and movement system developed by Joseph H Pilates, originally from Germany. Mr. Pilates was described as a sickly child with asthma, rheumatic fever, and rickets. He was obsessed with being an athlete and over the years he started putting together his own exercise system originally called Contrology.

While working in England when WWI broke out, he ended up in a prison camp. He continued to refine his system in those years while being held captive. In 1918 when the Influenza plaque swept through the prison camp, his camp survived… Yes, every person in his tent, guard, and prisoner was told to have survived the pandemic when every other tent had mass casualties.

Why? Because they were doing Contrology exercises led by Joseph in his tent. The story goes that the English let Mr. Pilates out of his prison camp in exchange for him teaching his methods to all of their soldiers. He agreed but left for America as soon as he could, ending up in New York City and opening his studio around 1925.

Pilates is an exercise modality that encourages the mind to control the body. Through repetition and focused breathing, the mind-body connection improves.

Pilates is based on the following principles:

What is a Pilates Reformer?

A pilates reformer is the classic exercise equipment you will find in most Pilates studios across the world. Joe Pilates submitted the reformer to the United States Patent Office in 1925, getting approval in 1926 and then a second patent in 1927.

The Pilates Reformer sits low to the ground and is typically made of a wood or steel frame. It has a movable carriage that attaches to one end of the frame with springs for resistance. The other side of the carriage has leather or rope straps attached to the opposite side of the frame as the springs.

Pilates reformer allows one to perform exercises laying on your back, side, or stomach, as well as sitting, kneeling, or standing due to its unique design. The entire body, including the mind, is worked out during a Pilates session on the Reformer.

Expect to feel some areas stretching and other areas to be working harder than they have ever worked. The joy and pain of Pilates in one moment.

Who can benefit the most from the Pilates Reformer?

The Pilates Reformer is one of the if not the most diverse pieces of exercise equipment available. Hundreds of exercises can be done on the Pilates Reformer by most people and up to 500 exercises for those capable of performing the super advanced repertoire.

The super-advanced exercises are saved for professional dancers and circus performers, not the average person looking to use the Pilates Reformer. With that said, I have had clients on the Pilates Reformer that are in a wheelchair and I have also had professional athletes and everything in between.

We have worked with physical therapy patients and fitness clients utilizing the Pilates Reformer with spinal pain, hip & knee pain, ankle injuries, shoulder problems, prehab, and postoperative. Our youngest client on the Pilates reformer has been 6 or 7 years old and our oldest is in their late 90s.

To answer the question, most people can benefit from using the Pilates Reformer with a Certified Pilates Instructor in a Personal Training or Physical Therapy session.

Should I start with Pilates Mat or Pilates Reformer?

In my opinion, the Pilates Mat work is harder than the Pilates Reformer, at least initially. With the Pilates Reformer, the machine with its springs for resistance and straps assist you with learning Pilates. It makes it easier to learn the initial concepts of Pilates.

Pilates Mat work is you and your body on an exercise mat working against gravity with no assistance at all. Pilates Mat is cheaper and more accessible at the local gyms and fitness centers. Many people start with Pilates Mat classes for these reasons but I highly recommend doing a few Private Pilates Reformer sessions first and then progressing to group Pilates Mat and Pilates Reformer classes.

In a private session, you will get all of the attention and be able to ask as many questions as you have. In a group class, you are one of many and individual attention is no longer the priority. Group classes are designed to give your body practice and precision over and over again once you have an understanding of the basics.

This is my opinion as a physical therapist who is also certified to teach Pilates and deals with injuries and pain, not the fitness client.

If you are not injured and are looking for a new fitness routine or to complement your current routine, then the Pilates Mat work is a great place to start. In this situation, I recommend trying both a few Pilates Mat and Pilates Reformer classes and letting your body decide which it gravitates towards.

Where can I do Pilates Reformer Classes in Austin | Westlake Hills?

All of our Physical Therapists at CORE Therapy & Pilates are Certified Pilates Instructors and use the Pilates Reformer with their physical therapy patients. All of our personal trainers are Certified Pilates Instructors and offer private Pilates Reformer sessions and group Pilates Reformer Classes.

Also, all of our sessions are 55 minutes and are offered at our beautiful studio at 3534 Bee Caves Rd, Ste 110 in Raintree Office Park.

Our group Pilates Reformer classes in Austin are very small with a maximum of 4 students. We don't believe in group classes with a dozen students on a reformer and a teacher not paying attention to any of them.

Our private Pilates sessions include the use of the Reformer, Trap Table (Cadillac), Pilates Chair, and Barrels as indicated by your goals.

Call 512-215-4227 to tell us your story.

Interested in purchasing some Pilates equipment for home use? 

Check out https://www.pilates.com/store to learn more about our favorite Pilates manufacturing brand. Learn more about Pilates Physical Therapy at CORE Therapy & Pilates.

Want to start Pilates Mat at home? Grab this mat from Amazon.

If you are ready to purchase a home reformer, this is the one that I suggest.

The Paper Challenge - A Fitness Challenge with Cheryl Dunn and Kathy Trow. Cheryl and Kathy are Certified Pilates and GYROTONIC®  Instructors attempting the Paper Challenge on their lunch break at CORE Therapy & Pilates…

Laughter leads to curiosity

I was hearing some commotion around the corner during lunch at the studio and I was very interested in the laughter. I walked around the corner to find this happening… The paper challenge!

Cheryl was standing on one leg and trying to pick up a piece of paper off the floor with her mouth. I was confused and Kathy mentioned it was a social media challenge that her kids had taught her.

I then watched Cheryl and Kathy attempt two different levels of the paper challenge and was thoroughly impressed with the activity. My physical therapist brain kicked in as I was watching them lose their balance and Cheryl fell…

How do you do the paper challenge?

The paper challenge is a great test of balance, strength, mobility and coordination. Standing on one leg is a challenge for many people, even if just a for a second or two.

Then you must have the ankle strength and mobility to allow you to initiate and maintain the bend forward from the hip and spine. Core strength is tested as this is truly a dynamic balance activity. And it was fun to watch with the camera in hand.

Why is it important?

Most that try this will not be able to do it and it should not be attempted if you have balance issues.

What was interesting to me was to watch both Cheryl and Kathy start to rotate their spine and twist as they were getting really close to the paper. When Kathy switched legs, did it make it easier or harder for her?

Well, that is the paper challenge social media challenge coming to you from the lunch break at CORE Therapy & Pilates in Westlake Hills | Austin, Texas.

Call 512-215-4227 to address your balance issues in Austin | Westlake Hills.

Do you have balance issues with standing on one leg to get dressed? Does the sight of them doing the paper challenge make you want to run and hide from your balance issues? If so then give us a call at 512.215.4227 so that we can learn more about your balance concerns and get you pointed in the right direction with our Physical Therapy or Pilates/Gyrotonic Team…

Check out the video that got Cheryl and Kathy going HERE.

Learn more about balance, vertigo and dizziness by clicking on our recent blogs…

https://therapyandpilates.com/vertigo-and-dizziness-treatment/

https://therapyandpilates.com/difference-between-vertigo-and-dizziness/

https://therapyandpilates.com/tips-for-vertigo-and-dizziness

It's Stephen Dunn with CORE Therapy and Pilates and let's talk about Pilates Physical Therapy. I am a Pilates Physical Therapist and today I want to go over this blog that was sent to me by Linda, our wonderful front desk gal.

Linda sent me this blog because it was an actor she likes and he basically recovered from a shoulder injury with physical therapy using Pilates, or what we call Pilates Physical Therapy.  The article comes from hellomagazine.com and let's go check it out.

Mark Harmon has a shoulder injury.

The title of the article is "How Mark Harmon's painful injury resulted in him discovering a new fitness passion."

Mark Harmon who we know from NCIS has had lots of success in the acting world. We quickly learn in this article that he injured his shoulder and let's read what this says...

"The former NCIS star rarely gives interviews but previously opened up about his love of working out and revealed that after suffering a shoulder injury he discovered a new passion in the process for Pilates. Chatting with Men's Journal, the dad of two revealed that he was a huge fan of the workout, saying it completely kicks my butt. I had a shoulder injury that drew me to Pilates and the physical therapist I went to was all about that. They kick your butt on those machines."

He's referencing the Pilates reformers, the Pilates Cadillac or trap table,  the Pilates chair, and the barrels. Those are the Pilates machines and I love it. He found a physical therapist that was using Pilates to rehabilitate his injury, which is exactly what we do at CORE Therapy & Pilates in Westlake Hills, in Austin, Texas.

Pilates Physical Therapist kicks his butt.

He continued... "I was a big Runner after college. I used to do 60 to 70 miles every week and I wish I had some of that back now." He is referencing back then, I wish I had Pilates back then...  

"Pilates is all about controlling the machine and that's twice as hard. The Townsend sports star turned actor has been a household name for many years that made the bold decision not to use social media."

Mark Harmon Finds Pilates Physical Therapy: Wishing to have found Pilates years sooner.

So there's the Blog about Mark Harmon, who doesn't do a lot of interviews and doesn't do social media. Hmmm, maybe something we can learn from this guy on all fronts. Let's get back to Pilates physical therapy.

A shoulder injury led him to use the Pilates repertoire with his physical therapist. The whole body was worked through the Pilates machines and the Pilates Concepts and now he's a fan of Pilates after the fact.

More Pilates Physical Therapy info.

Learn more about Pilates Physical Therapy HERE.

This is exactly what we see at the studio that we've run in Austin | Westlake Hills since 2005. Many physical therapy patients make such progress with combining Pilates and Physical Therapy that they continue doing Pilates personal training after being discharged from Physical Therapy.

Get the best at-home Pilates Mat on the Market 

Get started at CORE.

If you'd like to get started on your journey from your shoulder injury by using Pilates and physical therapy, then give us a call at 512-215-4227 because that's exactly what we do at CORE Therapy & Pilates.

All three of our physical therapists are trained to teach Pilates as a part of the physical therapy program. After Physical Therapy, join a Pilates group Reformer class or take a private session with one of our talented Certified Pilates Instructors.

Y'all take care and we'll talk to you soon.

[S] Hey guys. What's up? It's Stephen Dunn, Pilates Physical Therapist with CORE Therapy and Pilates. Today I want to interview Dr. Danny Masters on his most recent education since he's been with us at CORE. So first of all, Dr. Danny thanks for joining us today...

[D] Sure…

[S] He’s been working with us now for about six months. During that time working with us, there has been a lot of educational opportunities that he's already taken advantage of. One of the things I like to do is get together and have a bio update. We can update the bio on the website but I like to have a discussion and talk about it in person. This allows us to dive deeper into it.

First of all, Danny let's talk a little bit about the pilates training. 

Dr. Danny Masters had been exposed to Pilates when he had volunteered with us and shadowed us before Physical Therapy school. He was able to see the things that I was doing with patients at that time which were including hands-on myofascial release, joint, and soft tissue mobilization type stuff, and then followed up with Pilates and Gyrotonic work. 

With that said, when he came to work with us one of the first questions that I had for him was "are you interested in getting trained in Pilates?" He said yes, that's something I want to be a part of. When he showed up to work, on day one, he was signed up with our Pilates Teacher Training program.

So Danny, tell us a little bit about that experience.

Tell us about the pilates training and then I want to know a little bit about some of the patients for that you've utilized the Pilates equipment and concepts…

[D] Sure… like Stephen was saying, I'd been exposed to Pilates just a little bit but hadn't had any formal training or anything. When I started here at CORE, I realized that I had a bunch of different resources. There are the Pilates teachers, there's Cheryl who knows a whole lot, who runs the Pilates Teacher Training course. 

The program consists of different videos and meetings in person to review and practice different exercises. It's been a great experience because it's been helpful and especially for my Physical Therapy patients.

A lot of it focuses on core stabilization and improving strength and mobility and flexibility. But not just the core muscles, it's also in your hips which I feel like a lot of people don’t think about or kind of miss with some of the traditional exercises and even the traditional Physical Therapy.

It's been great to learn a bunch of different things on the Pilates reformer and be able to control your core and properly activate things...

[S] Now tell me a little bit about some of the patients, the types of conditions and things that you're working with using the Pilates reformer and different Pilates concepts with...

[D] Sure, so pretty much I've been utilizing it with any kind of patient that comes in the door. People with low back pain, whether it be a bulging disc, sciatica, or spinal stenosis. I've used it a lot for shoulder patients, knee patients, and people with pain in their hips. I've used it with people who have had foot or ankle issues. It's a very versatile machine and there are a lot of different things that you can utilize it for. I found a use for it with pretty much everybody that comes in the door...

[S] That’s pretty much the way I would have answered it too. Most people think you're going to say back pain but it's everybody. I've learned if someone has a shoulder problem and we're teaching them Pilates, we're starting with breathing and proper placement of their low back and their pelvis.

Some would say that doesn't have anything to do with their shoulder but if you strengthen your core it helps your shoulder placement, your scapula placement. 

Finding your shoulder and scapula placement while maintaining awareness of your low back is a challenge. Lots of folks will arch their lower back by squeezing the shoulder blades together. They’re not controlling their shoulder blades. Most have no idea that they are doing that but it is a very common thing we see with our patients.

Pilates is one of the things that taught me to look at the whole body.

It helped me with my holistic approach to therapy because with the neck patient or shoulder patient we were starting at their abdominals, pelvic floor, and diaphragm. From there we worked up to their shoulders or whatever their problem is but I think that's a great answer.

It can be applied to pretty much any type of injury, whether it's an ACL injury and you're getting back to playing sports or you have back pain, spinal stenosis, ankle problems, shoulder problems, whatever. It's a fantastic tool. The Pilates machine, the reformer is a tool, it's a piece of equipment that has hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of exercises that you can do on it.

We can stick to the same 15 to 20 exercises with a lot of people or we can dip into four or five hundred different exercises to pull from to help people with what they individually need. To me, that's what's pretty fun about Pilates in Physical Therapy.

So with that said, thanks a lot for your commitment to getting better and serving the people of Westlake and Austin, and if you haven't been around and seen Dr. Danny Masters then give us a call at 512-215-4227 to get on his book.

He's got some great Google reviews so far. We'll post those at the end of this video. Thanks for watching, and thank you Dr Danny! We'll see you all around the studio.

Check out my blog answering the question, What is Physical Therapy. 

See what pubmed has to say about Pilates vs Physical Therapy for improved walking and balance in people with Multiple Sclerosis.

Thanks for reading about our Pilates Physical Therapist at CORE Therapy & Pilates and how we can help you get out of pain and back to living your best life. 

[C] Hi, I'm Cheryl and today we're here with Andrea, our Pilates Instructor and GYROTONIC ® Instructor here at CORE Therapy & Pilates. Andrea tell us a little bit about your teaching and what all you teach here at CORE. 

[A] I’m Andrea. I teach GYROTONIC and Gyrokinesis. Also, I teach on the GYROTONIC Jump Stretch Board, Gyrotoner, and Leg Extension Unit. I teach Pilates, including the Reformer, Cadillac, and Pilates Chair. 

I've taught yoga and all types of movement, I love movement... 

[C] What brought you to Pilates? I know that's what you came to first.

[A] Great question, I was rehabbing a hip replacement with Pilates and I had done the PT (Physical Therapy) and started using the Pilates to find the strength, the length... 

[C] You’ve had one hip replacement? 

[A] I have had both of my hips replaced... 

[C] Both hips and one thing I want to point out here is that Andrea is 60 and super fit. I asked permission, she said I could. I want to put that out because of the testimony to the hard work you have put in. She's very active. You teach all day long. You have an active personal life and I think that's a testament to the work... 

[A] No question, I totally agree with you, yeah, absolutely the truth. 

[C] You love teaching, that's obvious. You can tell that when you work with Andrea, you can tell she loves it. Are there some stories that you have about teaching that are like, this is why I teach!

[A] That’s a great question. I look for small victories with my teaching. Everybody comes in and we all have stuff. The body absorbs the stuff and it shows in the body, whether you've been in an accident or not. You know, we all have compromises and trauma. So I work from where you are and I go for the small victories in terms of last week you couldn't hold the strap, this week you can. I like to build like that... 

[C] It’s very rewarding, to see that. There's a trust. A trust that comes with the authenticity of you... 

[A] Oh absolutely. I think it's CORE as well. I have a good teacher.

[C] Well, thank you… Tell me what have you learned about your own body through doing the work? I see her working out all the time, you know in a healthy manner. 

[A] You get a little in here and there. There's all the equipment here at the studio so we're here to move. With Gyrotonic and Pilates the way that your body starts to move just as you navigate space and how you move through your day. I feel like the work just helps to allow you to find a bigger expression or more safe movement.

[C] When somebody that’s never done Pilates asks you, What is Pilates? How do you answer?

[A] I say it's a movement modality that we use with a specialized machines that allows you to find more space in your body, that allows you to start to move in a way that you didn't know you could. However, the body is designed to move that way. Pilates counteracts the compression that we walk around with, that we all have. 

[C] Compression that we're getting from things that aren't going away like gravity, stress, and using phones in slouched posture. The modern lifestyle…

[A] It’s so true. All of that sort of stuff is not going away and so this work helps you counterbalance that.

[C] Okay, so another question? So you answered what Pilates is and I know that the answer you gave probably could fit for GYROTONIC  as well... 

[A] Absolutely… 

[C] Because we're working for that same thing, the space in the body that creates the stability and the suppleness but people often ask what's the difference between Pilates and GYROTONIC ? In your words?

[A] I think GYROTONIC allows you to move in more of a circular, organic fashion. Pilates has a lot of linear movement. GYROTONIC allows you to move in diagonal and circular motion, which is how we are supposed to move anyways. 

[C] Perfect, I think this is a great explanation about what you do here, what you teach, what you believe, and how you serve it up to people and really meet them where they're at. 

[A] It’s like I said, meet people where they're at and I think we're kind of a more low-key, without a lot of bells and whistles. We don't care about what you're wearing when you come to see us... 

[C] We’re not about crossfit Pilates... 

[A] No I mean we're about learning about your body…

[C] Awesome, well thank you for telling me your story today. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Thanks for watching.

Call 512-215-4227 to book your Intro to Pilates 3 Pack with Andrea!