Kansas City Chiefs players embrace Pilates for injury recovery, prevention

By Peyton Headlee

Click here for updates on this story

    OVERLAND PARK, Kansas (KMBC) — Some Chiefs players are using Pilates to avoid or recover from injury.

Kahley Schiller, a local Pilates instructor, has been using her firsthand knowledge of recovery to help. She’s been sharing her passion for Pilates at her studio in Overland Park for the last 18 years.

“I love it. Passion of helping others. Passion of being a teacher and being able to give others what I feel like they need,” Schiller said. “When you learn the Pilates method, it doesn’t just teach you how to become physically stronger. It’s also mentally stronger.”

Schiller credits the strength she gained through Pilates with her life.

Four years ago, she was diagnosed with acute end-stage liver failure. Without a liver transplant, doctors told Schiller she had no more than 90 days to live.

“I was also told that during the time of waiting, when you’re in liver failure, that I was going to lose a lot of my strength, my physical strength and my muscles would atrophy, which they did,” she said. “It’s hard, but I know I was supposed to go through it for a reason. I feel like we’re all supposed to go through things for a reason.”

Just a few weeks after being diagnosed, Schiller got a transplant that saved her life.

“Knowing that I would live because somebody else would die, that was a really hard aspect to grasp. And when I did finally receive my transplant, the first thing I did was cry,” she said. “Even though there is a tragedy or darkness, there is still light at the end of it.”

Schiller said she still has a great relationship with the parents of her donor, Jason Sherfick.

After the surgery, Schiller said Pilates brought her back to health.

“I rehabilitated myself through the Pilates method and the core work that we do,” she said. “If we just do little baby steps along the way, then that will eventually lead to big results and giant steps.”

Now, she uses those same methods to help other people recover – people like Chiefs defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton.

Wharton has been working with Schiller since his rookie year in 2020.

“She’s going to push you and motivate you,” Wharton said. “She works those little muscles that like really we don’t really get to as football players because we’re kind of working everything together. She isolates those little muscles.”

After he tore his ACL last season, Wharton said sessions with Schiller helped him get back on the field faster.

“She’s like a coach to me, like another football coach,” he said.

That appreciation is hung up on the wall in the studio. Wharton gave Schiller his jersey from the Superbowl.

“Yeah, I gave her the jersey. Somebody in Kansas City that I really care about that helped me along the way of my path,” he said.

“We’re both helping each other. He’s helping me become a better trainer. And hopefully in some ways, I’m helping enhance his football ability,” Schiller said. “I feel like we’re all supposed to go through things for a reason. Like pain is supposed to push us beyond our insecurities and help us, especially help others.”

Schiller said she is glad she has been able to use her passion to help.

Schiller has also worked with George Karlaftis, Trent Green, Malik Herring, Jordan Willis, Mike Danna, and Charles Omenihu.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.