When chiropractors who treat professional athletes open a Pilates studio, it’s bound to be a little different. Tracey and Victor St. John—team chiropractors for the Maine Celtics and the Maine Mariners—have launched Mend Sculpt Pilates at their practice on Route 1 near Dunstan Corner. It’s a welcome addition to the neighborhood.
This studio blends traditional Pilates techniques with clinical knowledge of injury prevention, and draws on the St. Johns’ decades of experience working with both everyday patients and elite athletes. Pilates, with its focus on core strength, flexibility, and controlled movement, offers a natural extension of that work.
Tracey first encountered Pilates years ago while practicing in Los Angeles. A Pilates studio owner proposed an arrangement: Tracey could attend classes in exchange for treating the Pilates instructors.
What started as a friendly trade eventually turned into a serious pursuit. After relocating to Scarborough and opening a chiropractic studio, Mend Health & Wellness, Tracey and Victor trained with a mentor in California, completed certification, and studied how Pilates techniques could complement their understanding of biomechanics.
That background helped shape the philosophy behind Mend Sculpt. Unlike many Pilates studios, classes here are taught by a team of health professionals. Alongside the St. Johns, this includes physical therapist Nicole Guite and dietitian Meghan Field. “If someone comes in with something like bursitis or scoliosis, we know what to do—and what not to do,” Tracey said.
The studio focuses on reformer Pilates, using specialized machines with springs and pulleys that provide resistance while supporting the body. This allows participants to strengthen their muscles through controlled, low-impact movements. Beginners and experienced participants can take the same class, with instructors modifying exercises so each person works at the right level.
Even in the studio’s early days, the results have been encouraging. One client with a spinal fusion—an operation that permanently joins two vertebrae—had been frustrated by how limited her movement had become. After beginning Pilates, she has gained flexibility and noticed a decrease in pain. “She can stretch more than she ever could before,” Tracey said.
For the St. Johns, Mend Sculpt Pilates is a natural way to share the movement expertise they use every day in their chiropractic practice. By combining Pilates with clinical knowledge, they hope to help people build strength, improve mobility, and move through daily life with less pain. The techniques that help keep Celtics and Mariners players performing at their best can help anyone feel stronger and move better—even if their biggest lift of the day is a bag of groceries or a pickleball racket.
