Helping athletes move better, faster, recover smarter & pain -free

A Physiotherapist, Balanced Body®️ Educator, and Founder of Flex Pilates, she has spent over two decades helping individuals move better, recover smarter, and live pain-free.

Hyderabad: In an era where sports injuries, chronic pain, and lifestyle-related movement disorders are increasingly common, Dr. Chandanna Mannedi has emerged as a leading voice in movement-based rehabilitation and Pilates-driven physiotherapy in India.

A Physiotherapist, Balanced Body®️ Educator, and Founder of Flex Pilates, she has spent over two decades helping individuals move better, recover smarter, and live pain-free.

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Over the years, Dr. Chandanna has also trained and worked with some of India’s leading sportspersons, including badminton champions Saina Nehwal, Parupalli Kashyap, and Guru Sai Dutt, as well as tennis player Sowjanya Bavisetti, helping them enhance movement efficiency, prevent injuries, and support performance through Pilates-based conditioning and rehabilitation. Her approach is rooted in detailed assessment and an understanding of biomechanics, muscle function, and functional movement patterns.

Dr Chandanna is a Master’s degree holder in Orthopaedic, Manual, and Sports Physiotherapy in Australia. It was during her postgraduate studies that she was first introduced to Pilates — a system of mindful movement that combines precision, control, alignment, and strength.

Recognising Pilates as a bridge between clinical rehabilitation and intelligent movement, Dr. Chandanna went on to pursue extensive international certifications and advanced training. Her qualifications include DMA Clinical Pilates (Australia), STOTT Pilates®️ Mat & Reformer (Canada), CranioSacral Therapy (Upledger, USA), Visceral Manipulation (Barral Institute, USA), and Selective Functional Movement Assessment (FMS).

After years of experience in orthopaedic and sports rehabilitation settings, she founded Flex Pilates in 2014 with a vision to create a more integrated and sustainable approach to pain management and movement health. Through her Pilates-based Physiotherapy method, she combines movement therapy, manual techniques, and somatic awareness to address the root cause of dysfunction rather than merely treating symptoms.

Dr. Chandanna informed ‘Telangana Today’ that Pilates has become increasingly valuable in the world of sports because it develops body awareness, core stability, mobility, alignment, and movement efficiency — all essential elements for athletic performance and injury prevention.

“Many sports injuries are not simply caused by overuse, but by poor movement patterns, muscular imbalance, lack of control, or compensation strategies within the body,” Dr. Chandanna explains. “Pilates helps athletes understand how they move, improves neuromuscular coordination, and enhances the quality of movement.”

Unlike conventional fitness methods that often focus only on strength or endurance, Pilates trains the body as an integrated system. It improves posture, breathing mechanics, flexibility, balance, and spinal stability while promoting precision and control, she says.

Dr. Chandanna’s contributions to the field have also earned her several recognitions, including the Indian Achievers’ Award (2021) for Entrepreneurship in Health & Wellness and the WOT (Women on Top) Remarkable Women Achievers Award 2024.