Pilates Benefits Older and College-Age Adults

Looking to improve your balance? Practicing equipment-based Pilates twice a week helps older women improve their balance and functional independence, according to a study published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies (2010; 14, 195-202). Because research has shown physical activity can slow functional loss associated with aging and improve quality of life among older adults, researchers wanted to determine if Pilates would provide sufficient physical activity to achieve those benefits.

University researchers from Brazil and Paraguay conducted a study with 52 healthy females, aged 60-78 who had been inactive for 6 months prior and had no previous Pilates training. Purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of Pilates exercise on personal autonomy, static balance and quality of life for women over 60.

The women were divided into two groups for the 8 week study. The control group did not practice any organized exercise, while the Pilates group engaged in equipment-related Pilates exercise for 1 hour twice per week. At the end of the study, there was a statistically significant improvement in the Pilates group relative to the control group for both balance and personal autonomy. (For quality of life, there was no meaningful change.) The authors recommended longer-term studies to determine more precisely the impact of Pilates on the quality of life.

Bothered by insomnia? In another study, researchers at Appalachian Statue University (ASU) in Boone, NC, wanted to determine if Pilates, tai chi, or Gyrokinesis would improve mindfulness, reduce stress, and improve sleep. They recruited 166 male and female students to enroll in Pilates, Gyrokinesis, or tai chi semester-long classes. At the beginning, middle and end of the semester, participants completed surveys measuring mindfulness, sleep quality, self-efficacy, mood and stress.

Lead study author Karen Caldwell, PhD, and her colleagues concluded their study provided encouraging preliminary data that a variety of movement courses can effectively increase mindfulness, mindfulness can be associated with significant improvements in mood and perceived stress, which in turn results in better sleep quality (the number of students reporting insomnia dropped 7% during the study). Results are published in the Journal of American College Health (2010; 58 [5], 433-42).