Holistic approach to wellness

A few weeks ago, I wrote about my experience with chiropractor Dr. Anton Cancio and how in just four therapy sessions capped by bone-setting with cracking of joints, the nagging pain on the left side of my lower back was gone. The pain had been aggravated by an unsupervised 10-minute adventure on a trampoline and it caused unimaginable discomfort.

The sessions involved electrotherapy, radio frequency therapy, myotherapy and laser therapy (on my right heel). No exercises, just soaking in the effects of therapy. Dr. Cancio prescribed six sessions but after four, my back was fine. It was “back” to normal. Still, I went through two more sessions to complete the process after which Dr. Cancio suggested strengthening exercises. That was when I was introduced to pilates.

Dr. Cancio explained that with my back pain gone, it was time to move on to the next phase of recovery in what he called a holistic approach to wellness.  His chiropractic clinic is on the second floor of the Missouri Square Building in Greenhills and on the floor above is a pilates studio.  It’s the only two-stop wellness place in the country and the convenience is as the saying goes, just what the doctor ordered.

I did some research on pilates and learned that it was named after Joseph Pilates, a German who was a sickly child and dabbled in gymnastics, bodybuilding, jiu-jitsu and boxing to get fit. He was born in 1883 and in 1912, migrated to England. When World War I broke out, he was interned and invented exercises leading to a system called “Contrology” while in camp. After the war, he returned to Germany and in 1925, moved to the US where he continued to teach his innovative method of fitness. Pilates died in 1967 but by then, his path to wellness had become popular although it wasn’t until 2000 that a US Federal Court ruled the unrestricted use of “pilates” as a generic term. Today, it’s practiced by over 12 million all over the world and known as a low-impact exercise method to develop core strength, flexibility and stability through breathing, posture correctness and stretching.

I’ve done two pilates sessions so far and I’m amazed at the results. In the studio, a personal trainer is assigned to supervise the exercises and I’ve gone through pulleys, arm and leg stretches, back strengthening and limbering. Unlike yoga which deals with holding mainly stand-up positions, pilates entails lying down and engaging power muscles with energy through in-and-out breathing. After only two sessions, I’m now able to get in and out of a car without a struggle, bend down easily to pick up things or tie my shoelaces and walk in a straight line. When I cough at night in bed, my back doesn’t throb. I realize it’s a life-time commitment and staying fit goes beyond therapy, chiropractics and pilates.  But nothing beats maintenance and you’ll get the holistic approach with Dr. Cancio. For those interested, check out Dr. Cancio’s clinic and pilates studio on Missouri corner Connecticut, Greenhills, at +639175807530.