Do you feel back pain?
Need to correct your posture? Different exercise techniques have been gaining space in offices and gyms for some time now. After all, with the pace of life increasingly fast, there is less time for people to take care of the body and also health in general. Therefore, it is very important to know the difference between RPG and Pilates to choose the modality that best suits your needs. Global Postural Reeducation, known by the acronym RPG, is a physiotherapy technique divulged by the French physicist and physiotherapist Philippe Emmanuel Souchard, in 1981. Pilates was developed by the German nurse Joseph Hubertus Pilates, in 1920.
What is RPG?
This technique was created from the book “O Campo Fechado” written by Southard. It is a gentle manual method that applies to all pathologies that require physiotherapy such as orthopedic, neurological, rheumatological, and somatic diseases. It is usually indicated, for example, for the treatment of spinal deviations, postural vices, and joint injuries, such as those caused by repetitive effort. According to the Brazilian Society of RPG, there are three principles of RPG, see below: individuality: as each person is unique, their reaction to the exercises will also be unique; causality: the cause of a problem may be far from its symptom; overall: the body must be treated as a whole, in order to “identify the responsibilities of muscle retractions in musculoskeletal pathologies”.
How it works?
The service is individualized and the session usually lasts an hour. The duration of treatment can vary widely, depending on the problem to be corrected. In the first consultation, the physiotherapist specialized in RPG makes an assessment as to the number of meetings required. The postures of this technique are performed by the patient lying down, sitting or standing. At all times, it is guided and corrected smoothly by the professional, there are no unexpected or abrupt movements. In reality, it is your answer that guides the physiotherapist regarding the intensity and pace of the exercises. The goal is to reorganize the patient’s body globally, improving his posture and relieving pain. The aesthetic part is not in focus. It is worth mentioning that Souchard is constantly updating the RPG.
What is Pilates?
This technique was developed by Joseph Hubertus after having dedicated himself to the study of different methodologies, such as Rolfing and Gyrokinesis. For this reason, Pilates combines principles of different methods in approximately 500 exercises. They can be performed on specific devices or on the ground, using body weight and gravity. Here are some of them: Cadillac: also known as Trapeze, Trapeze Table or Trapeze Table, is composed of a table and a trapeze, similar to that used in aerial acrobatics; Ladder Barrel: called a barrel (due to its curvature in the shape of a half barrel) or a horse (due to its similarity with the apparatus used in Artistic Gymnastics), it can be translated into Portuguese as “ladder barrel”. It also has a backrest similar to that of a ladder; Springboard / Pilates board: it was created by the North American Ellie Herman. It is a practical device and takes up little space; Reformer / Reformer Classic / Classic Reformer: the name is due to the fact that Joseph believes that the exercises on this device “reformed” the person’s body; Tower Reformer: There is a Tower Reformer, known as Tower Reformer or Tower Reformer. He is like a Reformer but has a tower to perform exercises like those practiced in Cadillac. When used in the rehabilitation of people, it is called Reformer Clinical, Clinical Reformer or Reformer Rehab; Step Chair / Chair / Combo Chair / Pilates Chair: when a friend of Joseph needed a Reformer, but did not have space to allocate it, the French created a kind of chair so that he could practice. It may or may not have walking sticks. How does it work? The class, with about fifty minutes, is given in small groups by teachers who graduated in Physiotherapy or Physical Education. As in Yoga, there are variations in the exercises according to the intention of each practitioner. All of them must be performed with the spine erect and the abdomen contracted in the breaths. One of the differentials of Pilates is to contribute to the connection between body and mind through movements. Although it is not an aerobic exercise, it defines and tones the muscles of the body. It can be practiced by people in rehabilitation, teenagers, pregnant women and the elderly.
After all, what is the difference between RPG and Pilates?
Very much in vogue these days, the two types of exercise still confuse many people about their techniques and benefits. Pilates has been known to include celebrities such as actresses, singers, and models in its list of practitioners. The RPG boom came soon after and apparently has the same principles as the previous one.
As said, Pilates is a method of stretching and physical exercises, which use the weight of the body itself for its realization. It consists of a technique of re-education of body movements, consisting of exercises based on human anatomy, capable of reestablishing and considerably increasing flexibility, design, and muscle strength, improving breathing, correcting posture, and preventing injuries. Of course, in addition to all this, it also promotes a connection between body and mind in the pursuit of quality of movement.
One of its greatest benefits is to provide the work of several muscle groups in a single movement. For example, in a single exercise, the student stretches certain muscle groups and, at the same time, strengthens others. All of this, of course, with a lot of security guaranteed by the observation of the professional when using the devices.
As for RPG, it is a physiotherapist technique developed in France, whose main function is a postural adjustment to reorganize the movements of the human body through a series of stretches performed on the retracted muscle tissue. The goal is to allow the reorganization and rebalancing of the muscles that maintain the posture.
The work is performed through maintained postures, being indicated as preventive or rehabilitation therapy for problems that require physiotherapies such as joint, traumatic problems, tendonitis, muscle contractures, and postural deviations. It can be performed with people of all ages, children, teenagers, and adults as long as a postural assessment is done beforehand.
Unlike Pilates, which takes care of body realignment and also works as an aesthetic method, RPG is recommended for people who have considerable postural asymmetries and, consequently, pain resulting from poor posture. volume_upcontent_copysharestar_border