How a Physical Therapist Uses Pilates to Build Strength and Improve Mobility
Physical therapy and Pilates don't seem like two things that would enter the same conversation. But for Femi Betiku, DPT and Club Pilates instructor, the combination has become the ultimate one-two punch for how he shows up to serve his community. Through his work, Betiku blends clinical expertise with movement-based training to help his clients move better than they ever thought possible.
"Physical therapy gives me the clinical tools to diagnose and fix complex injuries, getting people out of pain and back on their feet," Betiku says. "Pilates is the engine for long-term health, bridging the gap between rehab and real-world performance."
As a physical therapist, Betiku’s job is to remove any physical roadblocks preventing clients from moving well. Often, those very obstacles come down to a lack of foundational strength, coordination, or both. This is exactly where his Pilates expertise comes into play, integrating it as a method to rebuild that foundation and set clients up for long-term, pain-free movement.
c/o Femi Betiku
"When I teach a Pilates class, I’m looking at movement through a clinical lens," he explains. "I can anticipate where a joint might compensate, or where the body might be vulnerable. That insight allows me to safely push my clients' strength, endurance, and balance to their absolute limits without putting them in the danger zone."
In the 2010s, reports showed that only about 15 percent of Pilates participants were men. But since 2019, the number of male Pilates participants has actually increased by 15 percent. For men specifically, Pilates improves deep core strength, flexibility, and joint mobility.
Working in professions like physical therapy and group fitness brings in all sorts of faces from different backgrounds. That’s why, for Betiku, representation is much deeper than a buzzword. Rather, it's a powerful force that actively changes the dynamic in any room: building trust and connection in a welcoming space to work hard.
"When clients from different backgrounds step into my clinic, they get a fresh perspective. We swap stories, find unexpected cultural similarities, and I get to share elements of my Nigerian heritage," he explains. "On the flip side, for my clients of color, there’s immense power in being treated by someone who looks like them and understands their lived experience. It builds immediate trust, which is the foundational starting point for any real physical breakthrough."