Jarmo Ahonen is one of Finland’s most respected experts in body control and physiotherapy.
After completing his Pilates certifications in the United States, Ahonen has worked in Finland as a Pilates educator since 1999. He has taught Pilates to professionals in dance, sports, and physiotherapy alike. Ahonen has served for 26 years as a consulting physiotherapist for the Finnish National Ballet, has worked as a physiotherapist for Finland’s Olympic team at six Olympic Games, and is a member of the Finnish Olympic Committee’s Medical Commission. He has also had a long coaching career in track and field, tennis (including Jarkko Nieminen and Henri Kontinen), and sailing (Sari Multala).
Ahonen specialises in the biomechanics of the lower limbs and its effects on the function of the entire body. He has published around ten books on physiotherapy and body control and written numerous articles for both Finnish and international publications. On Ahonen’s initiative, Dance Health Finland (DHF) was founded in 2000 to improve dancers’ health, educate healthcare professionals in dance-specific health issues, and increase dance educators’ understanding of anatomy and physical function. Ahonen has also contributed to the international development of dance medicine, including serving on the board of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS).