Lesley Logan shares a Pilates instructor’s perspective on healthcare during this episode of the Perspectives on Healthcare Podcast with Rob Oliver. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, she is a millennial. She provides Pilates instruction through online Pilates classes at OnlinePilatesClasses.com.
Here are 3 things that stood out as Lesley Logan shared a Pilates instructor’s perspective on healthcare:
· Pilates helps you do the things that you enjoy better: weight training, therapy, etc.
· The goal of Pilates is to keep your spine in proper alignment (there are 5 spinal positions)
· You don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment to do Pilates
You can find out more about Lesley Logan through her website and social media. Check out her online Pilates classes as well.
Website http://www.onlinepilatesclasses.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlinepilatesclasses
Instagram http://instagram.com/lesley.logan
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Here is the transcript of Lesley Logan: A Pilates Instructor’s Perspective on Healthcare
Rob Oliver: Welcome and thank you for being with me. Today’s perspective comes from a Pilates instructor. Her name is Lesley Logan. She is the founder of onlinePilatesclasses.com. She is from Las Vegas, Nevada. She is a member of the Millennial Generation, also known as Gen Y. And she joins me today. Lesley, welcome to the show.
Lesley Logan: Hi. Thanks for having me, Rob. I’m excited to be here. Yes. Us elder Millennials, we’re a unique group.
Rob Oliver: Yeah. It’s kind of weird to me. Millennials are one of the few groups that actually gets divided into, like, there’s Gen Y .1 and Gen Y .2. Go figure that I’m a Gen XR, and there’s no differentiating with us. We all get lumped in together. So that being said, let’s get right into it. Tell me about yourself and your role in health care.
Lesley Logan: Well, I am a palace instructor almost 15 years now, so I’ve been focusing on helping people really, truly find their strengths and insight out using Pilates. And it’s a great tool. Over the 14 years, I’ve worked with people with all sorts of injuries, aches, pains, post surgery and all up into elite athletes and NFL players. So my role to me is really just to help people do life better. Pilates is the thing that can help you do anything you already love to do better. So if you already are weight training, swimming, doing yoga, anything you already have that you’re like, this is my thing. When you add polite into it, it just helps increase your form, alignment, endurance, stamina. And it actually connects your mind to your body, so it can be that movement, meditation.
Rob Oliver: Okay. And so tell me a little bit about how Pilates fits in with health care, if you don’t mind.
Lesley Logan: Yeah. So in Pilates, what’s really cool with palates is you can go to a PT clinic that has Pilates as part of a PT clinic. There are Pilates practices that are inside of medical facilities. And then if you want to think of Pilates as is a strength based practice, however, because of its emphasis on how it is controlling your spine, right. We want to actually make sure all the muscles around your spine are working so that your axial skeleton, your arms so your particular arms and legs can do whatever they want while your center is connected. It really does help people with digestion sleep stress, so you can use it for a lot of different modalities. It just depends on what your purpose is, and you’ll want to find the pie practitioner who has it as an emphasis.
Rob Oliver: Okay. Pardon my stupidity with this question. I had a chiropractor on the show and he’s all about spinal alignment, and Pilates is a similar goal of getting the spine properly aligned. Is that overly simplifying it?
Lesley Logan: Not at all. It’s totally what it is. I mean, your spine can do five shapes. Basically, you can sit tall, you can also have extension, flexion, side bending and twisting and Pilates. Our job is to make sure that you do the longest, strongest version of that so you can side bend by sitting in your chair while you’re listening to this and just sink down into your lower back and bend over. And that would actually not be in alignment. Nor would that be muscularly strong. And if you pick up a heavy thing while doing that, it’s not going to feel so good on your back. But if I teach you how to connect your muscles and you’re sitting up really tall and then you reach to pick that heavy item up. Now you’re so connected, you’re strong, your spine is more than protected and you’re using strength to do it. So our chiropractor applies can work really well together. I often would have clients come see me after they saw a chiropractor because we just help solidify everything you just did with them.
Rob Oliver: Got it. Okay. So what does quality health care mean to you?
Lesley Logan: Oh, gosh, I think that this is probably something that’s, like the word success means to you. But to me, it’s very holistic for me. Quality health care is finding people, doctors or any kind of practitioner who is actually advocating for what your needs and goals are. So find people who want to hear what your end goal is and really help advocate for that and look into that. Also, to me, quality health care is not trying to put a bandaid over something, but really getting to the source of what is going on in your body and then working to get rid of that issue as opposed to mask it with drugs and things like that. So I’m not anti medicine in any way. However, what I do see in set of quality health care is like, oh, you have a symptom here’s a mask for that. And my job as a plies instructor. I see my clients three or four times a week, so I hear them complain about aches, pains, digestion, sleep, and I can help them advocate for themselves. Like, remember last week when you said this, it’s coming up again, you shouldn’t really talk about that with someone and then remind them of what their goals are and getting that help. So quality health care is really like getting to the root of the problem as opposed to masking it.
Rob Oliver: Okay. Can you give me an example of quality health care?
Lesley Logan: Yeah. I think, like, in my life, I struggled a lot with stomach issues and that’s really hard on your applies instructor, and everything is about your core and you can’t feel it. And I was not getting quality health care. I mean, a lot of people just giving me a blanket diagnosis without any hope for that. And I actually found someone who literally did all the blood tests in the world and figured out exactly the real problem was which happened to be stress. And then by having that information, I was able to really start to work through the issues. That one get rid of the stress, but also build the body back up from the inside out. And I think I wish that it had come from our medical industry, but unfortunately, it came from another person in the health care industry who works as nutritionist with athletes.
Rob Oliver: Interesting. So if you don’t mind me asking, what’s your secret to eliminating the stress in your life?
Lesley Logan: I’ll say it it’s going to sound really cheesy, but I do as much Pilates as I can, and that doesn’t mean you have to have equipment. You all like, if you’ve heard plotties and you’ve seen, like, these weird machines and stuff like that, those are awesome. And those are really great. But the truth is that Joseph Palis created the mat work first, and he was designed so everyone could do it right. And so you just need space on your floor and ability to move your arms length around. You don’t need to actually have anything fancy if you have access. That’s great. But for me, just 515 minutes, sometimes 20 minutes of doing that. What it does is it actually, when you do polite here’s what’s really cool. You cannot think about your to do list when you’re doing squats, biceps, curls, all the stuff, not knocking it. I got to go see my trainer later today, but I can think about what I’m having for dinner. I can think about all the things that didn’t get done today. I can think about it and curl, right. But when you’re doing palaze, you actually have to think about what is moving where and from what muscles. And you have to connect everything the whole time. And so it really does drop you into your body and connect that brain body have that mind body connection. So it’s so cool is you get that movement meditation, you get that move, that strength based work on your body, and you get connected to yourself. And I think when we actually connect to ourselves more, it is much easier to not take on the stress that is coming at us all day long. So it’s cheesy, but it works.
Rob Oliver: Okay. And in some ways, I think that what we become passionate about is what works for us. And so the fact that you found something that worked for you, this is phenomenal. And it works good. And how can you not be excited about that and not be interested in sharing with other people? Hey, I found this thing. It worked for me. And maybe it’ll work for you as well. So what do you wish people understood about your role in health care?
Lesley Logan: I wish that more people would see Pilates instructors before they need surgery. To be honest, I think a lot of people end up coming to plates after they have an acre pain after they’ve had surgery because they’ve graduated from PT. And there are applies instructors all over the world who can actually help you get ready for a surgery. I’m not saying they’re going to prevent you from having to have it. Maybe there’s possibilities. I can’t promise. I don’t know what your pain is while you’re listening to this, but if you are having hip issues and you’re like, oh, I’ll do that after I have my hip surgery, let me just tell you, you can go into that hip surgery much stronger than you are right now, and that’s going to really make sure that you heal faster and better than you could have. I just wish more people would seek out a Pilates practitioner for their needs before it gets to the extreme. And that does require being aware that, oh, I’ve had this Academy for a really long time. Yes, it does. It does require a little bit of research. However, it can really make the difference between a quick result, quick healing and a better life after the surgery that you’re about to have. Then otherwise, you might end up actually ruining the other hip while you’re waiting.
Rob Oliver: Okay. It is so interesting to hear you say that kind of not as a substitute for not as preventative, but as preparation for. Is that what I’m hearing you say?
Lesley Logan: Yeah. I mean, polite could absolutely be preventative. But I think sometimes the prevention should have been ten years ago, not ten days ago. Right. So if we get to a point where that is a thing that you have to go through, which I’ve had to do surgeries, and they’re not fun for anyone. But if you can go in as strong as possible, it just makes the biggest difference between your healing and how you feel when it’s over and what your next stage is going to look like.
Rob Oliver: Okay. Makes a lot of sense. What excites you about the future of health care?
Lesley Logan: I think more and more people are really diving into a more holistic approach with their body. They’re not thinking of like, oh, I have this little ache. I’m going to deal with this. I think more people are becoming aware that if you have an ache in your shoulder, it might be because of something going on your back. And so it’s really cool to see people take note of that. And I also do think that self advocacy is becoming a real thing, and people are starting to go, yeah, I appreciate that advice. And I’m going to go get another opinion because it’s not exactly the route I wanted to take, and I just want to make sure it’s the right one. I really do find that inspiring. And I’m not saying that doctors don’t know they’re talking about, but everybody has a filter, right? I have a filter as applied instructor about what I see when I look at a body versus my friend is applies instructor based on her life and the experiences that she’s had doctors the same way they’re trained in their one thing. But it’s okay to go. Thank you so much for that information. Let me just do one more thing over here and just do some more research. And so I’m really excited about people getting more involved in their own healthcare and what they want it to look like. And I think that just actually challenges all of us to step up a little bit differently and explain our answers on why we want to do what we want to do with somebody. Whether or not they want to do that with us is fine. But I think it just makes us all be better in our profession.
Rob Oliver: It’s funny to hear you say that. And I mean, from this perspective, when I was a kid back in the Stone ages, you went to the doctor and you just took what the doctor said as gospel truth because they know and you don’t. Whereas today information is so readily available and you can Google something and you can find out information, whatever it is. There’s a way to get more information. And I think what you’re saying about self advocacy, where you become part of the process, and it’s not just going to the doctor and giving the doctor kind of cart Blanche for your life to say, okay, whatever the doctor says, they’re the doctor they know best. I’ll just do that to say, okay, let me just double check and make sure that what they’re saying is something that works for me. Or maybe there’s something else out there. And this is someone made the statement that when you’re a hammer, all of the world looks like a nail. And so sometimes I think what I’m hearing you say is when a doctor is trained in a certain specialty, that they see the mode of treatment as being as fitting within the specialty that they’ve been trained in. Is that what I’m hearing you say?
Lesley Logan: Yeah. I think that’s exactly it. And I think they call it a medical practice, and I think we forget that. And I think I definitely never saw myself challenging a doctor until I wasn’t getting help. And it was exacerbating the problem because they were stressing me out. And I think what I discovered is that they’re doing the best they can with what they know. They’re a human being just like the rest of us. And so their education depends on where they went to school and what they learned and what they focused on and also how they hear you. And if you’re explaining your symptoms the way that they understand. And so I think sometimes as non doctors, it can be really easy to go. I have this. I’m really tired. But actually, maybe lethargic and there’s a difference. And if you don’t use that right word, they’re going to treat you as a different thing. And so I’m not saying that they’re wrong, ever or always. It’s just that if that answer does not fit, what you feel is exactly what you wanted to go through, it’s okay to go. Hey, you know what? Thank you so much. I’m going to have one more person take a look at this and I’ll get back to you with my options. And I hope that. And I think that more and more doctors are starting to understand that I have a friend who does teaches self advocacy, and she’s like, we really should be calling them clients as opposed to patients. And these doctors are like they are a business that we’re going to really. And so they are someone who is definitely more knowledgeable in that area than I am. But it doesn’t mean that you don’t know your body. And so it’s okay to also know your body. And I think health care is really starting to go into that way. And I think that’s great.
Rob Oliver: Yes. There are two things that you said there one is the willingness to get a second opinion. And of course, I’m a dad. And there’s a dad joke that goes with that in which I went to the doctor and the doctor said I was overweight. I said I wanted to get a second opinion. And he said, You’re also ugly. That was his second opinion. But the other piece that goes with that is what you were talking about patients being seen as clients or customers. Okay. Because when you’re looking at them as customers, customers have a choice of where they receive services, and if they’re not receiving the services that they want from you or they’re not satisfied with the services, they can go elsewhere to get those needs met. And I think that what your friend is teaching is spot on. And it’s something that I share with medical professionals as well. What is one thing medical professionals can start doing today to improve the quality of health care. And you’re not allowed to say, send people to Pilates.
Lesley Logan: I think just listen, look them in the eye. First of all, that is people want to feel seen. And if you look them in the eye and you say, you actually hear them and say, what I’m hearing you say is this, that takes ten extra seconds, and it at least lets them know that everything that they said you heard, you can repeat it back, makes them feel seen and makes them feel more comfortable because no one actually wants to go to the doctor. It’s not like when you go to the doctor, it’s like you’re going to get a good thing. Usually you’re going because something is wrong. So if you at least look people in the eye and say what I hear you say, is this. Did I miss anything? You’re going to make people feel so much more comfortable and confident with you because so few people are doing that. And that’s a shame. I really wish that was kind of the training. And when they say this, your responses and what I’m hearing you say is but truthfully, most doctors, when I go, they’re looking at their chart. They’re writing notes. They’re not even looking up and they’re like, okay, so here’s the test you need to go take. And it’s like, why do I need to take that test? Did you hear when I said this like, you don’t know. And so you feel very uncertain. So I think if they just did that and then send them into Pilates.
Rob Oliver: All right, I will take that under advisement. Basically, what you’re saying is it’s reflective, listening and where they’re listening, they’re processing. They’re reflecting back to say, this is what I’ve heard you say. Listen, Lesley Logan, thank you so much for being with me today. I really appreciate you sharing your perspective on healthcare.
Disclaimer: All opinions expressed by guests on the Perspectives on Healthcare Podcast are solely the opinion of the guest. They are not to be misconstrued as medical diagnoses or medical advice. Please consult with a licensed medical professional before attempting any of the treatments suggested.