Humans are bipedal animals, with the various muscles and joints of the legs working together to produce controlled movement through space. In Pilates, we train in both gravity-eliminated and weight-bearing positions to optimize this upright functioning. By understanding how the hip, knee, ankle, and foot interact, we can more easily see where our clients’ movement is going wrong, and are more able to coach them safely and effectively. In this Movement Science Made Simple course, we:

• Study the anatomy of the lower extremity, with an emphasis on how the hip and the foot affect the knee
• Learn Pilates protocols for promoting mobility and stability in the lower extremity
• Examine common structural variations, such as genu valgum (“knock knees”) and genu varum (“bow legs”) and learn to adapt our Pilates protocols to accommodate or correct them, as appropriate