Barbosa Rodrigo Fernandes, Gomes Moisés Felipe Pereira, Ruider Daniele Tavares, Rodrigues Bruno, Barbosa Alan Carlos Brisola, Dourado Victor Zuniga, Medeiros Alessandra
Interdisciplinary Program in Health Sciences, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), Rua Quinze de Novembro, 195 - Centro, Santos, SP, 11010-908, Brazil.
Center for Applied Social Sciences and Health, Universidade Católica de Santos (UNISANTOS), Av. Conselheiro Nébias, 300 - Vila Matias, Santos, SP, 11015-002, Brazil.
Eur J Appl Physiol. 2025 May 29. doi: 10.1007/s00421-025-05826-x.
The escalating global cost of chronic diseases, linked to physical inactivity, underscores the need for effective interventions for conditions like hypertension, heart disease, and reduced lung function. This study evaluated the impact of a 15-week Pilates Method (PM) exercise program on lung function, cardiorespiratory capacity, and blood pressure in medicated hypertensive women.
This observational, longitudinal, before-and-after study involved 22 hypertensive women (median age 53 years) participating in 60-min PM sessions thrice weekly. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included anthropometry, respiratory muscle strength (measured throughout and one month post-intervention), spirometry, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, blood pressure, biochemical analysis, flexibility, and handgrip strength.
Significant improvements were observed in several anthropometric variables, with a large effect size on conicity index. Maximum inspiratory (MIP) and maximum expiratory pressure (MEP) increased post-PM, and no significant loss was observed one month after the end of the protocol. Almost all spirometric (except forced expiratory volume in the first second) and cardiopulmonary exercise variables increased post-PM, with maximal oxygen consumption (VOmax) showing a large effect size. Furthermore, PM promoted a significant improvement in the majority of biochemical variables (except HDL), a significant reduction in 24-h and daytime systolic blood pressure with a large effect size, and improved flexibility and handgrip strength.
The PM protocol elicited significant positive changes across a range of anthropometric, respiratory muscle strength, cardiopulmonary, and cardiovascular parameters in hypertensive women, highlighting its potential as an effective non-pharmacological management strategy for this population.
与身体活动不足相关的慢性病全球成本不断攀升，凸显了对高血压、心脏病和肺功能下降等病症采取有效干预措施的必要性。本研究评估了为期15周的普拉提方法（PM）锻炼计划对服用药物的高血压女性肺功能、心肺功能和血压的影响。
这项观察性、纵向、前后对照研究纳入了22名高血压女性（中位年龄53岁），她们每周参加三次60分钟的PM课程。干预前后的评估包括人体测量、呼吸肌力量（在干预期间及干预结束后一个月进行测量）、肺活量测定、心肺运动测试、血压、生化分析、柔韧性和握力。
在多个人体测量变量中观察到显著改善，对锥度指数的效应量较大。PM后最大吸气压力（MIP）和最大呼气压力（MEP）增加，在方案结束后一个月未观察到显著下降。几乎所有肺活量测定（除第一秒用力呼气量外）和心肺运动变量在PM后均增加，最大摄氧量（VOmax）显示出较大的效应量。此外，PM使大多数生化变量（除高密度脂蛋白外）显著改善，24小时和日间收缩压显著降低，效应量较大，并改善了柔韧性和握力。
PM方案在高血压女性的一系列人体测量、呼吸肌力量、心肺和心血管参数方面引发了显著的积极变化，凸显了其作为该人群有效非药物管理策略的潜力。
