Byeollae Pilates for forward head posture after surgery: I am Balance

After my surgery my body got out of alignment, and since I spend so much time on the computer, my forward head posture (turtle neck) got even worse. I was looking for exercise that would keep me healthy and also correct my posture, and the physical therapist at the hospital I go to recommended I Balance Pilates Byeollae (아이엠밸런스필라테스), so I went! I've only had a few sessions, but I'm so happy with it that I plan to keep going ☺️

Who is I Balance Pilates Byeollae for?

I'd recommend I Balance Pilates Byeollae to anyone who wakes up with something aching or who feels their posture is unbalanced. Since I was so satisfied, I want to recommend it to people in a similar situation.

• People who wake up with a particular body part feeling uncomfortable
• People who feel their posture is unbalanced
• People who want to do Pilates while also working on their body alignment
• People who want to learn exactly the right exercises from a physical therapist

Why I was a pillow nomad: it was my posture all along

The truth is, I'm a pillow nomad. My shoulders and neck were so uncomfortable that I tried every pillow out there and never found the answer. Only now have I realized it wasn't the pillow at all; the root problem was my posture.

Because my surgery was near the armpit, my chest muscles shortened, and my shoulders, neck and back stiffened up, which threw off my posture 😭 So I started looking for a place where I could correct my posture and exercise at the same time.

What makes I Balance different from other Pilates studios in Byeollae?

What set I Balance Pilates near Byeollae Station (별내역) apart for me was the instructors who are former physical therapists, the photo-based posture analysis, and the rehab and correction equipment. Here's a rundown of the differences I experienced. I hope it helps ❤️

1. Instructors who are former physical therapists

All three instructors at I Balance Pilates Byeollae are former physical therapists. There are so many Pilates studios these days that even finding the right instructor is hard, and a studio with several people specialized in physical therapy under one roof is even rarer. That made me trust it more.

2. Scientific posture analysis

Just looking and touching can only be so accurate, right? In the first session they photographed me and ran a scientific analysis with a dedicated program, so I could see my own condition in numbers, which I loved.

I could see which way my shoulders were pulled, and they showed and explained things I never expected, all at a glance (my legs are crooked too 😂). It helped a lot. Planning exercise from this kind of data is what makes it truly personalized.

3. Exercise using an international rehabilitation and correction system

I Balance has some unusual equipment I hadn't seen in other Pilates rooms. It turns out they use an international rehabilitation and correction system, with equipment used in the rehab of patients and athletes, to correct posture. It was fun and fascinating to try machines I'd never used, and it's even more amazing to feel myself gradually getting better afterward 🥹

What is the inside of I Balance Pilates Byeollae like?

I Balance Pilates Byeollae has a large room for groups of three or more and private rooms for two people or fewer. The changing rooms are separate for men and women, and the whole space felt really pleasant.

I took a 1:1 lesson, so my class was in a small room. The Pilates equipment I'd seen many times and the machines I'd never seen before were all neatly arranged. The great thing about 1:1 Pilates is that it's personalized. My instructor, a former physical therapist, picks the equipment and exercises to suit my body and condition, so I can use even unfamiliar machines safely and comfortably.

What did we do in the 1:1 class?

Loosening the neck and lower back with a Ballance ball

My 1:1 class at I Balance Pilates Byeollae began with loosening up on a Ballance ball (볼란스). It's similar to the peanut ball often used in Pilates, but it has a spring in the middle. There seem to be several kinds; the instructor placed the one that suits me under my neck and lower back, and it's completely different from a peanut ball! Oh my... it felt so good and refreshing 👍 I plan to keep using it whenever I come to I Balance 😉

Rehab equipment exercises that go easy on the arms

I also tried the new equipment I'd been curious about. They said it's used in rehabilitation. I used it for exercises to set the posture of the neck and shoulders, and for lower-body strengthening.

Because of my surgery, I can't easily do exercises that load the arms. So I've always had limits when using exercise equipment, and that's why I never got much out of working out.

But being able to train my leg strength and lower back lying down, without any force on my arms, was a whole new world. Even on the very first day, I felt my posture straighten and my body relax without thinking about it, and I thought, "Okay, I really have to keep doing this." I'm off to class again today ❤️

Would I recommend I Balance Pilates Byeollae?

Not only for people worried about posture like me, but also for anyone who found it hard to exercise because something hurts, I totally recommend I Balance Pilates Byeollae, where a physical therapist designs exercise just for you!

If you book through Naver, you can get a posture analysis and consultation for free, so I recommend going at least to find out where you stand 😉