In 1999 when MaryAnne Houghton first came across Pilates, it was still a relatively new thing to both the general population and the medical community.
“Pilates: Is that a vegetable?” was the genuine question posed by one Consultant Surgeon!
MaryAnne has a background in Physiotherapy (BSc Hons Physiotherapy University of Liverpool 1995) and worked in all broad areas of practice in public and private healthcare in the UK and also worked in the USA. She was an early adopter of Pilates and qualified with Body Control Pilates in London, being only the second Physiotherapist in her region to do so. At this time she had specialised in paediatrics, and had responsibility for outpatients with Dyspraxia.
She successfully adapted the Pilates principles and exercises to pioneer it as a way to treat Dyspraxia as well as a number of other paediatric conditions. Her business then developed to include Pilates classes and individual sessions for adults, individual sessions for children with varied conditions (including Dyspraxia and scoliosis) plus developing and teaching courses for other Physios and Occupational Therapists in the clinical application of Pilates. MaryAnne taught these courses throughout the UK and into Europe as well as presenting at local and national conferences.
Her background knowledge and experience in Physiotherapy (she does not currently hold registration as a Physiotherapist) along with her Pilates training and experience has allowed her to apply Pilates with clients ranging from children with health/developmental issues to adults including elite international athletes. MaryAnne feels passionately that ultimately, what matters most is the quality of the Pilates you are practicing – the attention to detail and ensuring that all exercises are properly tailored to the individual.
