Altered motor control, posture and the Pilates method of exercise prescription

Abstract

Aims• To determine whether a basic set of Pilates exercises improves the efficiency of load transfer through the pelvis • To compare the effects on chronic, mild low back pain (LBP) symptoms of three slightly different Pilates based regimes MethodsA between subjects equivalent group experimental design was used -Independent variable: type of exercise training (three groups) -Dependent variables: efficient load transfer through the pelvis as measured by the stork test in weight bearing; low back pain symptoms At entry, to establish baseline values, subjects completed an Oswestry DisabilityQuestionnaire and recorded the frequency, intensity and duration of their back pain in an average week. Also, a Stork test was recorded.Thirty-nine volunteers with mild chronic low back pain (CLBP) were taught four Pilates based exercises before being randomly allocated to one of three groups for the addition of other interventions.• Groups A received four basic exercises• Groups B and C received an additional relaxation posture using a specific spinal support • Group C received an additional postural training exercise Exercises were performed three times per week for six weeks and recording was done once per week for eight weeks. For each of the eight weeks, subjects recorded frequency, intensity and duration of back pain ii At the final assessment, subjects completed another Oswestry Disability Questionnaire, returned their recording sheets, had a stork test recorded and their exercises checked. Results Oswestry Disability QuestionnairePre and post comparison of answers showed only one statistically significant improvement among subject groups. This was for question one, 'Do you have back pain at present?' where Group B reported significantly less pain post program compared with pre program (Wilcoxon, z=-2.496, p=0.013). Number of days of painGroup B experienced a statistically significant reduction in the number of days of pain between Week 1 and Weeks 6 to 8 (F 7,84 =6.4, p=0.0001). Post hoc analysis using Scheffé showed significant differences between Week 1 and Weeks 6, 7 and 8 and between Week 2 and Week 8 (p<0.05). There were statistically significant differences by week within Group C (F 7,77 =3.29, p=0.0041), but they only show up with Fisher (p<0.05) and they were between Week 1 and Weeks 6, 7 and 8, Week 2 and Weeks 6, 7 and 8, Week 3 and Weeks 6 and 7 and between Week 4 and Week 7.Some of the improvements were lost once exercising ceased at the end of week 6 Duration of back pain episodesAll groups experienced a reduction in the mean length of the shortest, longest and average pain episodes. At week eight all groups had subjects who were pain free (Group A: 7.7%, Group B: 30.8%, Group C: 25%) and in Group B, no subjects reported pain episodes longer than six hours. However, differences were not statistically significant for the duration of this study.Some of the improvements were lost once exercising ceased at the end of week 6iii Intensity of pain across all lengths of pain episodes While, all groups exper...

The efficacy of the addition of the Pilates method over a minimal intervention in the treatment of chronic nonspecific low back pain: a study protocol of a randomized controlled trial

“…These studies recruited small sample sizes ranging from 28 to 53 participants and generally used scales and questionnaires that evaluated pain intensity and disability but did not address the specific functional capacity of the patient and global perceived effect. 1,2,5,9,18,19 This type of evaluation is representative of the improvement in nonspecific CLBP 35,36 and is proposed for this study.…”

“…One of these trials observed that, in patients with LBP, Pilates-based exercises can improve body weight unloading during the gait cycle and reduce LBP in comparison with those not participating in the intervention 1 ; and another observed that Pilates-based exercises improve LBP when combined with exercises for posture training, such as hip flexion and eccentric contraction of the psoas. 18 When core strength and back performance were evaluated, the results were also satisfactory. 19 Recently, a systematic review included 3 dissertations and 4 clinical trials and concluded that the Pilates-based exercises are superior to minimal intervention for pain but not for disability at postintervention time point in the treatment of LBP.…”

“…The level of difficulty of each exercise will be determined individually for each participant, and the exercises will progress in difficulty in response to reductions in the postural compensations presented by the participant. 2,18,25 After the 6-month follow-up period, treatment using Pilates-based exercises will also be offered to participants in the Booklet Group.…”

The effect of Pilates method on elderly flexibility

“…It unites posture control, the body stability, and an improved motor development to the strengthening of these muscles and improve flexibility (31).…”

Effects of Pilates Exercises on the Social Physical Concern of Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome: A Pilot Study

“…Although the Pilates method has been employed as part of fitness programs in the studios for a long time, it has only recently been shown to improve flexibility, abdominal muscular endurance, and static and dynamic balance in healthy people, and subsequently has become the subject of scientific research investigating its efficiency in patients with musculoskeletal diseases (35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40). Chronic low back pain patients were reported to benefit from Pilates exercises (41).…”