Pilates vs. Physical Therapy—When to Use Each for Joint Hypermobility

Estimated read time: 6 minutes

“Proprioception is like your body’s GPS. Without a signal, even the strongest muscles get lost.”
– VASIE® Pilates 

If you’ve been diagnosed with hypermobility or Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), you've probably bounced between different types of care—physical therapy, Pilates, chiropractic, massage, YouTube stretches…so What works best? And when?

Let’s break it down, from both a clinical and cost perspective—so you can make smarter, body-aware choices that actually support your long-term stability.

🧠 When Physical Therapy Is Best for Hypermobility

Physical therapists are movement detectives. A skilled PT can:

• Diagnose specific joint dysfunctions
• Address muscle imbalances and gait irregularities
• Use manual therapy to release stuck joints or tissue restrictions
• Guide you through therapeutic exercises in a controlled way

Use physical therapy when:

• You’re dealing with an acute injury
• A joint feels locked, misaligned, or inflamed
• You need a diagnosis or imaging
• You haven’t built up enough baseline strength or coordination to exercise on your own

PT can help “reset” your system—but here’s the issue:

Most insurance plans only cover 8–12 visits per year, and those sessions are often packed with paperwork and rushed guidance. Once your pain decreases, you’re discharged—even if your coordination and proprioception haven’t fully recovered.

🌀 Where Pilates Comes In

This is where smart, breath-led Pilates shines—especially when you're hypermobile.

Pilates bridges the gap between rehab and real-life function. It retrains your body in:

• Whole-body coordination
• Reflexive core engagement
• Breath-led stabilization
• Dynamic posture and joint timing

Think of it this way:
PT helps get you unstuck. Pilates helps keep you from getting stuck again.

💸 The Cost Problem: Why Most People Can’t Rely on PT Alone

Even if you have great insurance, here’s what we often hear from clients:

“I only get 10 PT visits per year… and it costs $250 per session out-of-pocket after that.”

Meanwhile, what your hypermobile body really needs is:

• Repetition
• Consistency
• Daily feedback loops
• Movement that’s both gentle and progressive

This is why Pilates is such a game changer.
It’s the daily (or weekly) maintenance program your body’s been missing.
And in most cases, a month of unlimited online Pilates costs less than one PT visit.

📚 The Research Supports Both—But Pilates May Go Further

Here’s what the studies say:

• This 2016 study showed that Pilates led to greater improvements in core muscle activation and postural control than traditional PT for low back pain.
• This review found Pilates improved balance, proprioception, and trunk control.
• This study emphasized the role of proprioceptive training in managing hypermobility and pain.

🧘 Try This: 3-Minute Alignment Check-In

(Perfect for Desk Warriors!)

1. Sit with both feet flat on the floor
2. Untuck your pelvis (imagine your sit bones as mini tripod legs)
3. Grow tall through the crown of your head
4. Inhale gently into the sides of your ribs
5. Exhale slowly through pursed lips, softening your jaw
6. Repeat for 3–5 rounds, lengthening your spine with each breath

📌 Pro tip: Close your eyes for one round. That subtle shift in awareness? That’s proprioception at work.

🧭 What’s Next?

If you’ve plateaued in PT or felt frustrated by generic fitness classes that don’t “get” hypermobility—don’t give up.

🎁 We created a free guide + video just for you:
“Six Essentials” - only 12 minutes

It breaks down the foundational building blocks you need to feel more stable, aligned, and pain-free—every day.

👉 Click here to get instant access.

✅ TL;DR: What to Use and When

• Use PT when you're injured, inflamed, or need diagnosis + manual therapy
• Use Pilates to retrain coordination, breath-led strength, and long-term joint control
• PT is limited in scope—Pilates is your full-body strategy
• Get our free video: Six Essentials for a Stable Body