Untitled

Abstract

In a systematic review in 2011 of 16 randomised controlled trials including 727 participants overall, investigating the effects of pilates exercise in healthy individuals, strong evidence was found for improving flexibility and dynamic balance, while moderate evidence was found for improving muscular endurance [6]. It is worth noting, however, that control groups were inactive in 11 of these 16 randomised controlled trials and so placebo and hawthorne effects may have been relevant in the findings. The authors found contradictory results for strength, with pilates exercises improving hip, lower back and abdominal strength in 3 of the studies when compared with no exercise, but with no additional abdominal strength benefits found in one study when compared with a postural education group [7]. Differences in strength measurement, duration of intervention and level of supervision and instruction may account for these contradictory results between studies. In healthy children, a systematic review has shown that pilates appears to improve flexibility, strength and postural control [8] and in elderly populations, pilates has also been shown to have benefits with one systematic review of 10 studies demonstrating improvements in muscle strength, walking, activities of daily living, quality of life and dynamic balance [9]. Clinical pilatesIn clinical populations, the effects of pilates on low back pain has been examined in detail. A cochrane review of 10 trials, including 510 participants, showed low to moderate quality evidence that pilates reduces pain and disability in participants with non-specific low back pain when compared to minimal intervention. The authors, however, could not provide any