The effect of the Contemporary Pilates method on physical fitness, cognition and promotion of quality of life among the elderly

Remote and in-person Pilates impact on the quality of life of older adults: A controlled and randomized clinical trial

INTRODUCTION

Sedentary behavior and physical inactivity pose significant concerns for the elderly population due to their detrimental effects on physical autonomy and quality of life. The Pilates method practiced remotely on the ground may be a promising option to enhance the quality of life for older adults.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effects of remote and in-person Pilates solo training on older adults' quality of life (QOL) through a controlled and randomized clinical trial.

METHODOLOGY

Elderly individuals aged 60 to 70 were assigned to three groups: remote training (RT), in-person training (IT), and a control group (CG). The effect size was calculated, and comparisons were conducted using Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) with a Bonferroni complementary test (α = 0.05).

RESULTS

All groups showed improvement in most QOL domains. However, the IT group exhibited a more significant effect size in the physical, psychological, social relationships, autonomy, death, and dying domains, as well as total scores compared to the RT group.

CONCLUSION

Pilates practiced solo, whether in-person or remotely, enhances various aspects of older adults' quality of life. Nevertheless, in-person training demonstrates superiority for these outcomes.

Benefits of Pilates in the Elderly Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The aim of this systematic review is to collect and summarize the benefits of Pilates in the elderly population (>60 years old), within the current scientific production, assessing its contribution to Healthy Ageing (HA). We used PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis) to select, collect, and analyse this thematic. The methodological procedures were registered in the PROSPERO database. The main results of the studies analysed (n = 30) point to significant differences between the intervention and the control groups in dynamic balance, strength, mobility, functional capacity, risk of falling reduction, and mental and psychological health. Thus, the results showed that Pilates may be beneficial for the health of the elderly. The meta-analysis found statistical differences between means on the dynamic balance (mean difference (MD) = −0.0, 95% CI [−0.71, −0.50]; I2: 0%) and the aerobic capacity and aerobic resistance [(MD) = 38.29, 95% CI [6.82, 69.77]; I2: 0%). Thus, it is concluded that the efficacy of Pilates has been shown in various areas of HA and has proven to be affordable and safe for the majority of people, using just a mat on the floor. Future studies should focus on the analysis of the relationship between the cost and the benefit of a Pilates intervention in the elderly population, to better understand how health costs can be minimized and to contribute to a multidisciplinary and generalized HA. Pilates has practical application for the clinicians, therapists, and health professionals that work with the elderly population.

Effects of Physical Exercise on Autophagy and Apoptosis in Aged Brain: Human and Animal Studies

The aging process is characterized by a series of molecular and cellular changes over the years that could culminate in the deterioration of physiological parameters important to keeping an organism alive and healthy. Physical exercise, defined as planned, structured and repetitive physical activity, has been an important force to alter physiology and brain development during the process of human beings' evolution. Among several aspects of aging, the aim of this review is to discuss the balance between two vital cellular processes such as autophagy and apoptosis, based on the fact that physical exercise as a non-pharmacological strategy seems to rescue the imbalance between autophagy and apoptosis during aging. Therefore, the effects of different types or modalities of physical exercise in humans and animals, and the benefits of each of them on aging, will be discussed as a possible preventive strategy against neuronal death.