Office environments and the birth of Hip Dysfunction 

/ True Pilates Sydney Studio/
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Since the advent of the modern day workplace with desk and office chairs, we see more and more people sitting for long periods of time. This has become more apparent with clients having the same old story of tight hips, quadriceps (thighs), hamstrings (back of thighs) and buttocks. I have coined it the ‘lower body atrophy syndrome’, a factor that leads to bad posture and poor movement quality.

The importance of keeping hips and lower limbs (buttocks, quadriceps and hamstrings) active is that it keeps the joints lubricated and muscles oxygenated. The movement of muscles engages and enables you to naturally extend (stretch) and flex (contract) and ultimately promotes better movement quality.

The hips are the foundation of the torso, they stabilises the pelvis and legs, yet very little emphasis is placed on the importance of the hips in exercise and movement. The hips are surrounded by muscles that move in several planes — forward & back (flexors and extensors), from side to side and (abductors, adductors) and opening of the hip (rotators). Sitting for long periods at a time keeps these muscles in a static flexed contraction, therefore shortening and tightening them which can lead to bad posture and dysfunctional movement.

Another problem of the tightening of the hips and lower limbs is lower back pain. The tension on the lower back is caused by the pull of the lower limbs. Everything is interconnected and when muscles become tight that tightness pulls, and in this instance it pulls on the lower back causing back pain.

“…think of them as incidental stretches within your workday”

Basic 5 minutes stretch routine   3 reps, 15–20 secs holds — twice in a work day — Calf & Quad Stretches

Basic 5 minutes stretch routine   3 reps, 15–20 secs holds — twice in a work day — Calf & Quad Stretches

Hamstring & Glut stretches — NB. Always keep your pelvis square

Hamstring & Glut stretches — NB. Always keep your pelvis square

My suggestion is put in place simple and workable stretch routines and incorporate short breaks into your work day. These are some basic stretches you can do at or away from your desk - think of them as incidental stretches within your workday! Get up and go for a walk, have coffee and lunch breaks away from your desk - be active in body and mind during your work day and you will feel better for it!

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Yung Ok Yoo

I spent most of my academic years studying Fine Art in various disciplines. I completed my Post graduate in Visual Arts majoring in Photography and minored in drawing. I continued this line of study into Visual Comunication and further my art skill base with Jewellery and Object making. During this time, I worked on commissioned paintings for corporate, commercial environments as an Interior consultant and decorator to which I also was commissioned to paint for for Private collections. My historical professional background stemmed in the hospitality industry - where I managed restaurants. It was during this time that I found Pilates having injured my back at work. In 2008, I started my apprenticeship under the tutelage of Master Teacher trainer Cynthia Lochard (2nd Generation teacher). My training was rigorous with culmative observational hours, training and practiced teaching of over 1000 hours before certifying. Since my Pilates certification in 2009, I maintain my weekly session with Cynthia Lochard and travel to New York every two years (most recently October 2014) to partake in intensive training at the Head Quarters for Romana's Pilates at True Pilates New York originally know as Drago's. It is here, I continue my tutelage with Master Teacher Trainers Jerome Weinberg & Cynthia Shipley who worked closely with the late Romana Kryzanowska herself. In NYC - October 2014 - I also had a chance to work with Peter Fiasca Founder of Classical Pilates. As well as NYC, I have travelled to Singapore, Paris, London and trained with international teachers. In 2013, I opened True Pilates Sydney Studio, because I felt there were very few Pilates studios in Sydney that focused on the True Pilates Method - hence I named the studio 'True Pilates Sydney'. Through my own teachings I hope to inspire, train and educate others in the art of Pilates as I have been inspired in my own training and journey.