Westover Hills Rehabilitation & Health Centre / Balanced Body

Powered by world-class Balanced Body equipment, Westover Hills Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center is a skilled nursing facility (SNF) providing inpatient, outpatient and long-term care services in San Antonio, USA and is uniquely distinguished by its on-site, full-service Pilates studio, redefining what therapy looks like for skilled nursing, long-term care and outpatient populations.

By integrating a full suite of Balanced Body Pilates equipment into its rehabilitation model, the facility is delivering measurable improvements in mobility, posture, balance and overall confidence among patients, including those with complex or chronic conditions.

The Pilates initiative began when Executive Director, Jerry Holyer, experienced the benefits of Pilates first-hand and envisioned the impact it could have on residents. After evaluating equipment and education partners, the clinical team selected Balanced Body for its combined strengths in engineering, clinical functionality and comprehensive Pilates education. Seven therapists including Westover’s inpatient and outpatient Directors of Rehab completed 80 hours of Balanced Body Education, laying the foundation for a fully integrated programme.

“We wanted a solution that would not only improve mobility and reduce fall risk, but also restore confidence and independence in our patients,” explains Brady Donner, director of outpatient services at Westover Hills Rehab. “Pilates has exceeded every expectation. We’ve seen residents improve posture, walk with greater stability and in one remarkable case, a patient who had not walked in three years stood up and walked after just six weeks. Balanced Body has been an essential partner in making this possible.” 

Westover Hills recently completed a six-week case study comparing three groups: traditional therapy, Pilates combined with traditional therapy, and a control group. While the Functional Reach Test, a brief measure of forward-reach balance, showed similar improvements between the Pilates and traditional therapy groups, the Timed Up & Go (TUG) test, a quick gauge of mobility and fall risk, revealed striking differences. The Pilates group improved by an average of 10.64 seconds, compared to just 0.68 seconds in the traditional therapy group. These outcomes highlight meaningful reductions in fall risk and superior gains in functional mobility.

Therapists also reported gains in spinal mobility, balance, gait mechanics, core engagement, posture and quality of life measures, including self-esteem and confidence.

Westover Hills’ original gym, equipped with three Balanced Body Clinical Reformers with Towers, five Combo Chairs, Pilates Springboards, a Pilates Arc and other accessories, quickly reached capacity as patient demand grew. To accommodate increased utilisation from both residents and privately paying family members, the facility has commissioned a new dedicated studio space. The expansion will house two additional Clinical Reformers with Towers, a CoreAlign and additional Balanced Body equipment.

“Westover Hills is pioneering what the future of rehabilitation can look like,” says Ken Endelman, founder & CEO of Balanced Body. “Their clinical commitment, paired with evidence-based Pilates programming, is producing life-changing results for patients who often have limited mobility or chronic conditions. We are proud that our equipment and education are integral to the incredible outcomes this team is achieving.”

With the upcoming expansion and continued partnership with Balanced Body, Westover Hills aims to broaden access to therapeutic Pilates, offering enhanced programming for long-term care residents, skilled nursing patients and outpatient clients seeking movement-based recovery.

“This is just the beginning,” adds Donner. “Pilates is not only improving physical outcomes, it’s restoring hope, confidence and independence. That’s what rehabilitation should be.”

For more information about Balanced Body visit pilates.com, and to learn more about Westover Hills Physical Therapy visit www.sportsmedsa.com/westover-hills-physical-therapy

Balanced Body®, Balanced Body Education®,  Pilates Arc®, Balanced Body Clinical Reformers® and CoreAlign® are all registered trademarks.

Pilates Springboards™ is a trademark