Can a pilates exercise program be effective on balance,?exibility and muscle endurance? A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background: This randomized controlled study aims to determine the effect of pilates mat exercises on dynamic and static balance, hamstring?exibility, abdominal muscle activity and endurance in healthy adults. MeThodS: female healthy volunteer university students randomly assigned into two groups. Group 1 followed a pilates program for an hour two times a week. Group 2 continued daily activities as control group. dynamic and static balance were evaluated by Sport Kinesthetic ability Trainer (KAT) 4000 device. Hamstring?exibility and abdominal endurance were determined by sit-and-reach test, curl-up test respectively. Pressure biofeedback unit (PBU) was used to measure transversus abdominis and lumbar muscle activity. The physical activity of the participants was followed by international physical activity Questionnaire-Short form. RESULTS: Twenty-three subjects in pilates group and 24 control subjects completed the study. In pilates group, statistical signifcant improvements were observed in curl-up, sit-and-reach test, PBU scores at sixth week (P<0.001), and KAT static and dynamic balance scores (P<0.001), waist circumference (P=0.007) at eighth week. In the comparison between two groups, there were signifcant improvements in pilates group for sit-and-reach test (P=0.01) and PBU scores (P<0.001) at sixth week, additionally curl-up and static KAT scores progressed in eighth week (P<0.001). No correlation was found between?exibility, endurance, trunk muscle activity and balance parameters. CONCLUSIONS: An eight-week pilates training program has been found to have benefcial effect on static balance,?exibility, abdominal muscle endurance, abdominal and lumbar muscle activity. These parameters have no effect on balance. © 2016 Edizioni Minerva Medica.