How Inga avoided back surgery
“I first started Pilates with Martine in 2005, and then followed her to Studio Evolve when she opened in 2006. I had a herniated disk that had been causing me some pain, I had been to PT and was looking for the next step after PT.
“The doctor was telling me, “no yoga, no biking,” and it all felt very limiting, but when I tried Pilates it felt like a good fit.
“After I had been doing Pilates for a while, I went back for an annual visit with my doctor, and he said, ‘The herniated disk has completely retracted. I don’t see this very often.’
The disk had completely retracted back into place.
Then he told me that he hadn’t told me initially, but it had been so bad that I had been a candidate for back surgery which I had absolutely no need for anymore.”
Inga, Studio Evolve Member
Starting with a Strong Foundation
When Inga started at Studio Evolve, she began with private sessions, because she wanted to build a strong foundation in Pilates before moving on to group classes.
Once she felt confident with the basic moves, she started taking small group Reformer classes, and has worked with a number of different teachers over the years.
What a Consistent Practice Made Possible
She attributes her Pilates practice with helping her avoid back surgery and significantly reduce chronic back pain.
And just as importantly, while Inga no longer had to deal with back pain on a daily basis, when she DID experience a minor flare-up, she was able to use specific moves she had learned at Studio Evolve to respond to and manage her pain.
Taking a Break - and Coming Back
Then in 2019, Inga took what she thought would be a short break from Pilates after experiencing an injury.
Of course, then Covid happened.
Like lots of folks, Inga didn’t do much in terms of exercise during the Covid shutdown (which, she says, “probably didn’t contribute to anything good.”)
But during that time she started to experience a lack of mobility in her hip, which eventually pushed her to get back to the studio.
“It took me a while to feel safe enough to be indoors with a group of people, but when my hip pain started to get bad, eventually I was like, what the heck am I doing? I need to be doing Pilates.”
So in 2023, she got back into it. She’s worked with several different teachers and also tried SPRe bodywork, which she finds incredibly helpful.
Where Inga Is Today
Today, Inga practices Pilates with Marisha and does SPRe bodywork sessions with Kimmie.
Inga says, “Every time I leave the studio, I feel invigorated, my body feels really good and like my body’s been reset. I wish I could do it everyday.”
With more than 400 sessions under her belt, Inga is a member of the Evolve Together Club at the 250+ class level.
Congratulations, Inga - that is a SERIOUS accomplishment!
Right now, we have 16 clients at the 250+ class level, and 3 more who we expect to cross over in the next few months.
Like Inga, most of these folks have been practicing for years, often with a variety of teachers and several different formats, depending on what their bodies needed in each season. Many have taken breaks from time to time, but they have always found their way back.
If you’re new to the studio (and perhaps to exercise in general) and you’d like to find out what a consistent practice could do for YOU, check out our 2 Private Sessions Intro Package.
You’ll get two sessions with one of our expert teachers at an introductory price.
And at the end of the two sessions, your teacher will be happy to recommend a weekly Pilates program that works for you!
