Growing from a Pilates Instructor to Osteopath

Like many in the Pilates industry, Alison Spink began her Pilates teaching after a career as a dancer. “I worked as a ballet dancer in Queensland, Ireland and China. While working at the Queensland Ballet I had surgery for an ongoing ankle injury. What was meant to be eight weeks of post-surgery rehabilitation turned into a year away from dancing and a second operation. During this time I decided I would begin my Pilates training with STOTT Pilates in Brisbane, Australia and started teaching mat and reformer classes before returning to dance for several more years. When I stopped dancing professionally, I transitioned into teaching pilates full time.” said Alison.

However, it was Alison’s first encounter with an Osteopath that opened her eyes to another way of understanding her ongoing injury. “While I was going through the rehabilitation process for my dance injury, someone recommended that I see an osteopath. I didn’t know much about osteopathy before my appointment but 20 years on I still remember how they took the time to explain biomechanically why my initial injury may have occurred. I found it reassuring to be able to have someone help me understand my body when things weren’t going as planned with my rehabilitation. I also loved that they were treating the body as a whole unit, not just the part that was injured,” she said.

It would be years later that her two worlds would collide. “I was teaching Pilates in London and ended up working in the same clinic as an osteopath. I was inspired by their in-depth knowledge of every system of the body. It was a model that moved away from purely musculoskeletal elements and instead considered the whole person to try and achieve better long-term changes,” said Alison.

Five years later, Alison embarked on completing a Bachelor of Clinical Science and Master of Osteopathic Medicine at Southern Cross University. Over four or so years Alison did onsite and external clinical placement that involved treating patients under supervision.

“I started the first year part-time to see how I could handle it while also working as a Pilates teacher. After the first year, I continued full-time study. At that time I was working for myself in a small pilates studio so I was able to keep teaching throughout uni and adapt my schedule each semester as required.”

“I strongly believe that starting the degree with some knowledge in anatomy, biomechanics and teaching movement was a big advantage for me. Exercise is an integral part of helping someone move out of pain, so having prior skills in this area was a great foundation to build on and meant that I could focus on the things I didn’t have as much experience in.

Additionally, having worked one-on-one with Pilates clients for more than ten years had given me the confidence to communicate with patients, and the ability to problem-solve and determine the best management approaches for their individual needs. These skills were so helpful when switching to Osteopathy.

I went into further study so I could have a broader range of things that I can offer people. I always enjoyed teaching pilates as part of a rehabilitation program and now I can assess, diagnose and treat as well. My ability to assess and form a diagnosis now means that I can reassure someone to move through pain when appropriate, rest when needed, problem solve when things don’t go according to plan and refer when necessary.

The knowledge I gained while studying reinvigorated my Pilates teaching because I was able to apply additional skills from the course straight away. Likewise, from years of professional development in Pilates and from working with a number of wonderful allied health professionals, I picked up a lot of extra knowledge that helps me in my new career as an osteopath every day.  

These days I don’t teach specific pilates classes anymore but I nearly always give exercises as part of a management program. I love being able to move someone from pain and fear avoidance, back into feeling confident about exercise and performing daily tasks again” she mentioned.

So what is Alison’s advice for any Pilates teacher out there who is looking to further their career and is seeking more?

“Find something that you really want to do and start taking small steps to get there. I was initially daunted by the years of study my career change would take but once you get to the other side you realise that it went so quickly. The important thing is choosing something you are excited to transition into,” she said.

Alison Spink is an Osteopath and Pilates teacher at Next Level Health in West End, Pivot Osteopathy in Kelvin Grove and New Farm Wellness Centre in Brisbane.