Client Journey: Stephanie Walstrohm

At Complete Pilates, we’re lucky enough to have a lovely, interesting and diverse group of people as clients. We love hearing their stories and finding out the unique and varied reasons they started – and have since continued – Pilates with Complete. We also love finding out the various ways they’ve benefitted from taking Pilates classes with us.

We want to share these stories; they reveal just how powerful and transformative clinical Pilates can be. So, in the coming months, we’ll be posting them to the blog.

First up with her ‘Client Journey’ is long-standing client Stephanie Walstrohm. Here she shares the reasons that brought her to Complete Pilates and the ways that clinical Pilates has helped her.

Q. What first brought you to Complete Pilates?

I had been dealing with a bad shoulder issue after a dislocation for several years and was in a lot of pain. I had been to loads of Physiotherapy before for my shoulder, but they only focused on the one issue which meant more pain in other areas to compensate. The problem wasn’t solved and I continued to re-dislocate my shoulder even in simple day to day activities.

My doctors said that surgery was the only option but not guaranteed to help. My personal trainer at Lomax (and Complete Pilates instructor), Lucy Chadd, suggested Complete Pilates as my last resort option before surgery, so I went.

Q. Had you ever tried Pilates before coming to Complete?

I went to some group classes at a random gym and found it boring. [Because of that] I didn’t think Pilates was for me.

Q. How has Pilates with Complete helped you?

It is not an exaggeration when I say Complete Pilates has changed my life. Stephanie and Roxy’s combination of Pilates and Physio/rehab has left me pain-free for the first time in years. I am able to lift something over my head again and my sleep has improved.

Q. What’s the best thing about Pilates with Complete?

Stephanie and the team looked at my entire body as a whole. Together, we worked on areas that would improve my overall stability as well as the stability in my shoulder.

[Pilates with Complete] has worked and I am beyond grateful. I haven’t had another dislocation since I started with them and my shoulder is stronger than it has ever been.

What Our Experts Say?

Pain is often influenced by more than just the area that hurts. At Complete Pilates, we assess how the whole body moves before creating an individual programme designed to improve movement quality, restore confidence and address the factors contributing to your symptoms. Our goal is to help clients move better—not just temporarily relieve pain.

Sophie Martin

Conclusion

Stephanie's story highlights the value of taking a whole-body approach to rehabilitation. Rather than focusing solely on one painful joint, Clinical Pilates considers how the entire body moves and works together. Whether you're recovering from an injury, managing persistent pain or hoping to avoid surgery where appropriate, a personalised programme can help you build strength, improve movement and regain confidence in your body.

Key Takeaways

• Clinical Pilates treats the whole person, not just the painful area. Looking at how the whole body moves can help identify the underlying factors contributing to pain and injury.
• Personalised rehabilitation can make a lasting difference. A tailored programme that combines physiotherapy principles with Clinical Pilates can help improve strength, stability and confidence in movement.
• Pilates may help reduce pain and improve function. Many people find they can return to everyday activities more comfortably by improving movement quality and addressing compensations.
• Better movement supports better quality of life. Improvements in strength and stability can positively affect everyday activities, sleep and overall wellbeing.
• Every rehabilitation journey is different. Working closely with experienced instructors allows exercises to be progressed safely as your body becomes stronger and more resilient.

Feeling Inspired?

If you want to experience the Complete difference and discover the benefits of one-to-one or small group Pilates, book a session at one of our London or Norfolk studios today. Not able to make it to one of our studios? We've got online options to suit you anywhere, anytime. 

Our physiotherapist-led Chelsea Pilates studio, our Angel Pilates studio, our Pilates studio in London City, and our Norfolk Pilates studio in East Anglia, offer a highly tailored approach to your Pilates training. Whether your goal is to manage a health condition, rehabilitate from an injury or to improve your strength and fitness, Complete Pilates is the studio for you. 

Education is Key

These blogs are designed to give information to everyone, however, it is important to remember that everyone is different! If you have not seen one of our therapists and have any questions about injuries, what you have read or whether this may be useful to you, please just ask. We are more than happy to help anyone and point you in the right direction. Our biggest belief is that education is key. The more you understand about your injury, illness and movement, the more you are likely to improve.

If you are not sure whether this is for you, simply get in touch. We are here to help!

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