Testimonials

I am 71 years old, have scoliosis, and have a childhood history of dislocation of the hip.

Having been a regular attendee at Lesley’s studio for almost three decades, and following the Pilates programme she has devised for me over the years, has enabled me to lead a normal working life in a highly pressurised job and also remain active enough to undertake long distance walking adventures of various kinds.

Lesley has unique expertise and also a sensitive and professional intuition when working with people who require remedial tuition. She takes immense pains to establish the medical history of each person, and provides a treatment plan that is totally honed to that person’s needs – and her studio creates a supportive and cheerful environment where people of all ages and abilities receive expert care and tuition.

When I retired at 67 I began to develop arthritis in my right hip which was exacerbated by my scoliosis. This led over the course of a few years to the stage where I needed hiking sticks to get around on a daily basis, and eventually I could no longer escape the inevitability of total hip replacement surgery. Lesley guided me through this period with insight and encouragement, providing a programme of strengthening exercises to prepare me for the operation.

My surgery took place in February 2019 and since then Lesley has developed a gentle, gradual plan to get me mobile once more. Because of the complications arising from my prior hip and back problems, this is taking some time – but the hospital physios are impressed with my progress, and I am certainly feeling more confident, day by day.

Lesley’s diagnosis is that at this point everything skeletal is now (at last) in its right place, but my brain needs to retrain my muscles to adapt to the new situation – and that is a neuromuscular challenge !

I am currently attending Pilates classes three times a week and also doing exercises at home – and Lesley has additionally referred me to a physio who specialises in posture and gait. My goal is to get back to doing some long-distance walking, and I am confident that with the help of Lesley and her highly skilled team I will be doing just that by the end of 2020 ……

I first met Lesley around 25 years ago, when a friend recommended her studio to me. I had tried many things in an attempt to manage my scoliosis, but nothing had had lasting results.

Lesley took one look at me and instantly knew what to do, giving me a set of exercises that turned my life around (and that I continue to do to this day).

I have exercised in other studios throughout the year, as needed due to travel and house moves, but no other studio has the knowhow and expertise provided by Lesley and her team. Directed by Lesley the instructors give each client a unique programme suited to their particular needs – and I’ve seen many complex problems disappear in a short space of time. Clients come in to the studio barely able to walk, turn their heads or lift their arms – but within just a few months of following their individual programmes you can see most (if not all) of their problems just disappear !

I have been attending Body Maintenance for 23 years originally because of sciatica which is no longer a problem because of the exercises I was given.

In recent times I have had knee ligament injuries and Lesley has adjusted my program schedule so as to aid recovery from injuries and maintain the muscle strength in my legs to avoid future damage.

In 2019 I was diagnosed with a male auto immune disease which required surgery as part of its treatment. Lesley adjusted my exercises so as not to cause further harm but also to strengthen me for the forthcoming operation. Postoperatively my return to my original exercise schedule has been very carefully structured by Lesley so that the exercises gradually increase strength in the abdominal muscles cut in the surgery. It is because of these pre and post operation exercises that my post operative recovery has amazed the surgeon and the health professionals involved in my treatment.

I cannot speak too highly of the health benefits I have gained by doing Pilates under the guidance of Lesley Ackland.