Unskilled yoga and pilates instructors ‘are causing injuries’

2:01pm Tuesday 9th September 2003

Untrained yoga and pilates instructors are causing a wave of lower back, knee and hip injuries, a Barnet osteopath has claimed.

Under current guidelines anyone can set up as a teacher, and though training colleges do exist, the industry is still unregulated. While the health benefits of classes led by qualified instructors are well recognised, particular problems can be caused during pilates lessons, as participants must stretch against 'Universal Former' machines.

"People are not in control on a machine, they have to rely on the teachers knowing what to do," said Jeanette Thomson, an osteopath working at Grasvenor Avenue, Barnet, who contributed to a new report by the Consumers’ Association which found a lack of properly trained instructors may be putting people's health at risk.

"If unskilled instructors are overstretched due to class sizes, almost any part of the muscular skeletal system can be injured."

Ms Thomson said people who pick up injuries often avoid attributing them to yoga or pilates.

They remain convinced that the exercise is doing them good and therefore inflict further damage. She advised people to ensure their instructors are fully qualified.

"If your teacher has attended a reputable school they should have insurance. You could also try asking which college they went to," she said.

Ms Thomson also had a word of caution for those who feel it is safer to learn yoga and pilates from books and videos.

Posture is all important in both disciplines and those exercising at home, with no-one to correct any errors, are very likely to injure themselves.

The wisest course is to seek out a qualified instructor, she added.

The three main centres of learning are the Alan Herdman Studios, the Body Control Pilates Association and the Micheal King Pilates Institute.