Six weeks of Pilates improved functional mobility, postural balance and spatiotemporal parameters of gait to decrease the risk of falls in healthy older adults.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effectiveness of Pilates exercises on falls risk factors.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort, pre-test post-test study. Participants were selected using convenience and snowballing sampling. Pilates classes were held twice weekly for six weeks (1-h sessions) with a supplementary home programme.

METHODS

A test of cognitive function, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA), was employed to determine eligibility for inclusion. The following fall-predictor variable measures were employed: the 16 item Falls Efficacy Scale (FES), the short International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the Functional Reach Test (FRT), the Timed Up and Go (TUG), the GAITRite® system, Platform FOOTWORKpro. Multivariate analysis ANOVA with time as within subject factor was used to test for differences between pre and post-test scores adjusted for the factor Pilates.

RESULTS

twenty-seven participants completed the study, mean age = 70.4 (SD = 4.5). After adjusting for the effect of the factor Pilates "previous experience or no previous experience of Pilates", statistically significant differences were identified in the following domains: The TUG (p < 0.001), FRT (p < 0.001), velocity, swing and stance time and the Mediolateral sway (p < 0.05). A significant difference was found between pre and post-test for anteroposterior sway in those with experience of Pilates (p < 0.05) and interaction between time and Pilates experience in Physical Activity (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Findings suggest that functional mobility, mobility, spatiotemporal parameters of gait, postural balance and physical activity improved in healthy older adults after 6 weeks of Pilates with a supplementary home programme.