Should I Add Pilates Classes to my Health Clinic?

Pilates is an incredibly effective low-impact exercise technique. It certainly pairs well with many physiotherapy modalities and therefore thinking about add Pilates in a physiotherapy clinic seems like a no-brainer.

But, there might be some things you haven’t considered. Because we’ve tried it, here, we’re sharing four things you should consider before adding Pilates classes to your physiotherapy clinic and why it might not be the best idea.

Things to Consider Before Adding Pilates to Your Clinic

Cost vs. Benefit

Pilates reformers are specialised machines developed by the founder of Pilates, Joseph Pilates. Mat Pilates without the reformer is a thing, but to get the true benefits of Pilates, a reformer is necessary.

So, you’ll need to consider the cost of this equipment and each reformer costs anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 each. Assuming that you’re looking to teach group Pilates classes at your health clinic, it can take a while to earn back that investment.

How many people would need per class to make the equipment worth it? Can you realistically make that happen? How much would the Pilates offerings take away from your physiotherapy offerings?

It’s so easy to consider the benefits of a new endeavour without properly measuring the cost. Pilates is absolutely beneficial, but do the costs outweigh those benefits?

Sometimes, even something that’s a good idea can draw us away from our ultimate aim. If you run a physiotherapy practice, your aim is to offer the best physiotherapy services possible, not to teach Pilates. Make sure adding a Pilates service won’t distract from your true goals.

Quality vs. Quantity

Pilates requires very specific instruction and Pilates instructors go through a lot of training to ensure they’re up to date with their skills.

So, before adding a Pilates offering at your physiotherapy clinic, you’ll want to consider if you’ll be able to provide quality Pilates instruction.

Sometimes, less is more and focusing on what you do best rather than trying to offer everything you possibly can is the better option. It’s tempting to want to fill every perceived hole in the market, but the truth is, if other companies can do it better, stick to what you know.

After all, being the best physiotherapy clinic is always preferrable to being a jack of all trades health studio offering a mediocre taste of it all. It can be a tough pill to swallow but it can also help you focus on your niche and be the best in your field.

Trends Change

Finally, considering that the Pilates trend could change at any moment is something to keep in mind. Yes, Pilates has been around for a while but it’s only recently that you can find a Pilates studio in every major city in the world.

Just like Jane Fonda-style exercise was popular in the 80s and swiftly went out of style, Pilates could too. So, be careful to only do what you feel is best for your physiotherapy clinic in the long term, even if Pilates seems to be trendy right now.

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Long story short, Pilates is an amazing method of low-impact exercise but that doesn’t mean you have to offer it at your physiotherapy clinic. Perhaps a better idea is creating a business partnership with a Pilates studio who’s likely doing a much better, more focused job.

Then, you get the best of both worlds, keeping your ability to focus on physiotherapy without getting distracted and supporting another small business providing a service that you truly believe in.

You don’t have to do it all. So, before you invest in expensive Pilates equipment and get distracted from your physiotherapy practice, see if there’s something you hadn’t considered.

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If you have any questions about how Physio Inq can help support your business and provide you with the tools to grow, you can reach out to our team for a free business consult by filling out the form below.