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Rehab-led Pilates · For desk-based work · Applied Pilates

Fine at nine. Aching by four.
It isn’t your chair. It’s your capacity.

It is not an injury and it is not every day, which is exactly why you have never done anything about it. But you know the pattern. The morning is fine. Somewhere after lunch it starts. By late afternoon you are changing position every few minutes, and a long meeting or the drive home is something you plan around. You have tried the chair, the cushion and possibly the standing desk, and they helped for a fortnight. Applied Pilates in St Albans treats desk job back pain as what it usually is — a capacity problem, not a furniture problem. Founded 2001. Ample free parking on site, 2 minutes from M25 J22.

Full STOTT Pilates apparatus suite Maximum 7 per session STOTT Pilates® certified Founded 2001 Free parking · M25 J22 Beginners welcome
7:30–8:30
Monday to ThursdayFriday to 5:30pm · before work, lunchtime or evening
7
Maximum per sessionTeejay knows every client personally — every session
£85
1-to-1 Movement Assessment60 min · 1-to-1 · beginners welcome · no obligation
Sat AM
Saturday morningsSessions to 1:30pm
Reformers, Cadillac and Stability Chair on the studio floor at Applied Pilates, London Colney, St Albans

The Sogunro Practice · London Colney, St Albans · Founded 2001

Full STOTT Pilates apparatus studio — Reformers, Cadillac, Stability Chair & Barrels.
Not a Reformer-only boutique studio.

Reformer Pilates Cadillac · Trapeze Table Stability Chair Ladder & Arc Barrels

The pattern nobody explains

Sitting isn’t the villain.
Not changing position is.

The common advice is that sitting is bad for your back. It is more accurate to say that staying in one position is, whatever that position happens to be — which is why people who switch to a standing desk often find the ache simply relocates rather than disappears.

What is actually happening by mid-afternoon is straightforward. Tissues held at a constant low load for hours become uncomfortable, and the muscles that should be quietly sharing that load have gradually stopped contributing. The pain arrives late in the day because it takes hours to accumulate, not because anything is damaged. That is also why it clears overnight and starts again the next afternoon. It is a capacity pattern, and capacity is trainable.

"Most Reformer Pilates studios focus on fitness. We focus on how your body actually moves — and why it moves the way it does."

Teejay's full story and credentials
Teejay Sogunro — credentials
✓STOTT Pilates® Full Comprehensive Certified
✓STOTT Pilates® Rehabilitation Certified
✓Qualified Sports Therapist
✓Studied osteopathy — Middlesex University
✓Watford FC Rehab Pilates Sports Therapist, 2015–2018
✓England Over-60s International Squash Rep · Top 32 World Ranked 2024
✓Trigger Point Dry Needling
✓25 years professional clinical practice · Founded 2001
Full credentials and background →
Anatomical model of the cervical spine and skull used to explain desk-related neck and back pain at Applied Pilates, St Albans
Held positions load the same tissues hour after hour. The problem is not the posture itself — it is that nothing else is asked of the spine all day.

The apparatus suite

The only fully equipped STOTT Pilates apparatus
studio in London Colney, St Albans.

Most Pilates studios have reformers. Applied Pilates has the full STOTT Pilates suite. That range is what lets us load the muscles that have gone quiet, in a controlled range, and build the endurance a working day actually asks for.

Core
Reformer
Spring-resistance carriage. Develops strength, flexibility and control simultaneously. The foundation of STOTT Pilates.
Advanced
Cadillac · Trapeze Table
Full rehabilitation range of motion. Post-surgical, hypermobility, and spinal conditions. The most versatile apparatus available.
Strength
Stability Chair
Functional leg and core strength. Stability training for everyday movement. Highly effective for knee and hip rehabilitation.
Spinal
Spine Corrector
Spinal articulation and extension. Particularly effective for back pain, postural correction and scoliosis management.
Flexibility
Ladder Barrel
Extended range of motion work. Addresses stiffness, restricted movement and thoracic spine mobility.
Precision
Small Props
Arc barrel, foam roller, resistance bands. Technique refinement and proprioceptive training alongside the main apparatus.
Why does the full apparatus suite matter? Most reformer instructors hold a reformer-only qualification. Teejay's STOTT Pilates® Full Comprehensive Certification covers all six apparatus and took over four years to complete. This means every piece of apparatus is used correctly and with clinical precision — not just available as a prop. View full credentials →

What you have probably tried

The equipment helps a little.
It doesn’t build anything.

All of these are worth doing. None of them changes how long your back can tolerate being held in one position, which is the thing that actually decides how your afternoon goes.

01
The ergonomic chair
Changes the position you are held in. It does not change how long you can tolerate being held in one. Useful, but not sufficient on its own.
Posture correction →
02
The standing desk
Swaps one static position for another. Most people find the ache moves rather than goes, often into the hips or mid-back.
Back pain rehab →
03
Stretching at your desk
Feels good and gives short-term relief, which is why people keep doing it. Relief and change are not the same thing.
Shoulder & neck →
04
Walking more
Genuinely useful and worth doing. But walking does not load the muscles that have stopped sharing the work, so it rarely resolves the afternoon pattern alone.
How we assess →
What mattersStandard Reformer studioApplied Pilates St Albans
ApparatusReformer onlyFull STOTT Pilates suite — 6+ apparatus ✓
Group size10–13 clientsMaximum 7 clients ✓
ProgrammeFixed class — same for everyoneBuilt on your Movement Assessment ✓
Instructor trainingReformer-only qualificationSTOTT Pilates full comprehensive — 4+ years ✓
ApproachFitness and wellnessRehabilitation-informed clinical ✓
Osteolates TherapyNot available ✕Integrated hands-on treatment ✓
Suitable for chronic painNot designed for it ✕Specifically designed for back pain, sciatica ✓
ParkingVaries ✕Free parking on site ✓
Side plank held on the Reformer, building trunk capacity, at Applied Pilates, London Colney, St Albans
Capacity is what changes the four o’clock ache — the back becomes able to tolerate the day, rather than the day being made easier.

Who we help

Who this is for.

Most people with this pattern have never had it looked at, because it has never been bad enough. These are the situations we see most often.

Chronic Lower Back Pain
The most common reason clients come to The Sogunro Practice. We address the cause — not just the symptom.
Back Pain Pilates St Albans →
Sciatica & Nerve Pain
Sciatica responds well to targeted movement. The wrong exercises make it worse. Every programme is built around your specific presentation.
Sciatica Treatment St Albans →
Facet Joint Syndrome
Repeated flare-ups of severe back pain often trace back to facet joint dysfunction. Requires a specific long-term approach.
Facet Joint Syndrome St Albans →
Hip & Knee Pain
Joint pain is frequently caused by muscle imbalance and pelvic alignment. The Stability Chair and Reformer address both.
Hip & Knee Pain Pilates St Albans →
Shoulder & Neck Pain
Desk-driven postural dysfunction corrected at the root — not managed with massage and stretching alone.
Shoulder & Neck Pain St Albans →
Osteoarthritis & Osteoporosis
Safe, controlled, progressive loading using adjustable spring resistance. Works with your body, not against it.
Osteoarthritis Pilates St Albans →
Sports Injury Rehabilitation
Golf, tennis, padel, squash, CrossFit and HYROX — Premier League-level clinical reasoning applied to every sport.
Sports Injury Rehab St Albans →
Post-Surgery Rehabilitation
Returning to strength after spinal or orthopaedic surgery. Precision-loaded rehabilitation alongside your clinical team.
Post-Surgery Rehab St Albans →
Pilates for Over 60s
Strength and balance don't have an age limit. Clients in their sixties, seventies and beyond build genuine strength safely.
Pilates for Over 60s St Albans →
Posture Correction
Posture is a strength issue, not a habit issue. We retrain the muscles that hold good alignment.
Posture Correction St Albans →
Hypermobility & Joint Instability
Hypermobile clients need strength and control — not more flexibility. We build joint stability where it's actually needed.
Hypermobility Pilates St Albans →
Men's Applied Pilates
Most men who attend are not there for fitness. They come because they're in pain, post-surgery, or injured in sport.
Men's Pilates St Albans →

Age 8 to 88. Applied Pilates is adaptable to every age, fitness level, and condition.

View all conditions & treatments

Client results

What St Albans clients say when
movement is treated as medicine.

★★★★★ 4.9 ★ on Google · 123 reviews · London Colney, St Albans
★★★★★
Chronic lower back pain
"I have regularly attended Pilates classes with Teejay for over 20 years, after he was recommended to me by my physiotherapist. I had been suffering lower back pain on a daily basis and felt an instant improvement. The atmosphere in class is relaxed, friendly and inclusive which makes going along enjoyable rather than a chore. The booking system is very easy to use. My personalised exercise plan together with Teejay's expert knowledge has kept me moving pain free. Highly recommended."

— Gillian C.

"My husband & I have been attending weekly pilates group classes run by Teejay for over 12 years.Despite both of us having health issues, we have greatly benefitted from the variety of exercises and support which Teejay has given to us, and would not hesitate in recommending Teejay to future clients."

— Liz M.

"Teejay’s experience and methods means he knows how to get people back too or in shape better than anyone in this space. I’ve been going to Applied and Teejay for years and will continue to do so for many years to come."

— Glenn O.

★★★★★
Sciatica
★★★★★
Post-surgery rehabilitation
★★★★★
Back pain · Pro golfer

Your journey

Three steps to lasting relief.

Every client begins the same way — with an honest assessment of what's actually happening. Everything else follows naturally from there.

01
1-to-1 Movement Assessment
£85
60 min 1-to-1. Full movement analysis. Honest recommendation. No obligation to continue. Beginners welcome — no prior Pilates experience needed.
Book assessment
02
Foundation Programme
£269
Personalised programme built on your assessment. Three 1-to-1 sessions and four small group sessions for £269, or a 6-session 1-to-1 course for £479.
View 1-to-1 prices
03
Small Group Membership
From £129/mo
Monthly rolling. Max 7 clients. Essential membership 5 sessions (£129/month) or Premium 10 sessions (£219/month). No long-term lock-in. Cancel 30 days notice.
View membership options

Everything you need before you book

Book nowContact & DirectionsEnquire to book → PricingPrices & MembershipFrom £85 — view all → ScheduleTimetable & BookingsView timetable → Also availableOsteolates TherapyFrom £65 → Reviews4.9 ★ on Google · 123 reviewsRead all reviews → AboutTeejay SogunroCredentials & story → Back painBack Pain St AlbansBack Pain Pilates St Albans → SciaticaSciatica St AlbansSciatica Treatment St Albans → SportsSports Injury RehabSports Injury Rehab St Albans → Men'sMen's Applied PilatesMen's Pilates St Albans → Over 60sPilates for Over 60sPilates for Over 60s St Albans → HomeApplied Pilates St AlbansVisit homepage →

Common questions

Questions about back pain
and desk work

  • At The Sogunro Practice in London Colney: Movement Assessment £85, 1-to-1 sessions £95 each, or from about £79 per session on the 6-session course, small group PAYG £32, and monthly membership from £129/month. Osteolates Therapy from £65. Every session uses the full STOTT Pilates apparatus with a maximum of 7 clients and a programme built around your Movement Assessment. Full pricing →
  • Related, but not the same. Posture work addresses how you hold yourself. This addresses how long you can tolerate holding yourself at all. Most people with an afternoon pattern need tolerance more than they need alignment.
  • It might help a little and it will not hurt. Just do not expect it to resolve the pattern on its own — swapping one static position for another usually relocates the ache rather than removing it.
  • No. Most clients with this pattern have never had it investigated because it has never been bad enough. The £85 assessment tells you what is happening. If we think you need a medical opinion first, we will say so.
  • Some, and few. Long home programmes get abandoned by week three. We would rather give you two or three things you will actually do.
  • Unit 5, Hertfordshire Business Centre, Alexander Road, London Colney, St Albans, AL2 1JG. Ample free parking on site. 2 minutes from M25 junction 22. Approximately 10 minutes from St Albans, Radlett, Hatfield, Bricket Wood, Shenley and Colney Heath — around 15 minutes from Barnet and Edgware, and within a 10-mile drive of Harpenden, Watford, Borehamwood, Wheathampstead, Redbourn and Welwyn Garden City. Map and full directions →
  • Most people start with the Foundation Programme and then move to small group membership. Sessions run before work, at lunchtime, in the evening to 7:30pm, and on Saturday mornings.
  • Osteolates Therapy is a system Teejay developed himself — combining hands-on soft tissue treatment with targeted rehabilitation movement. It is available as a standalone service or alongside Pilates sessions. It is not physiotherapy or osteopathy. Clients who join a monthly membership within 7 days of completing the Foundation Programme or a 1-to-1 course receive a complimentary Osteolates session as a one-off welcome bonus. Learn more about Osteolates →
  • Sessions run Monday to Thursday from 7:30am to 7:30pm, Friday from 7:30am to 5:30pm, and Saturday from 7:30am to 1:30pm. View the full timetable →
Ready to find out what's really going on?

Start with the
£85 Movement Assessment.

60 minutes. 1-to-1 with Teejay. A clear, honest picture of what's driving your pain — and a plan that actually addresses it. Beginners welcome. Ample free parking on site.

Enquire About Your £85 Assessment
Or call Teejay directly 07734 578959

info@thesogunropractice.co.uk

The Sogunro Practice · Applied Pilates & Osteolates Therapy
Unit 5, Hertfordshire Business Centre, Alexander Road
London Colney · St Albans · Hertfordshire · AL2 1JG · Free parking on site