24 weeks of Pilates-aerobic and educative training to improve body fat mass in elderly Serbian women

Effectiveness of Pilates and Yoga to improve bone density in adult women: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The ageing population brings about the appearance of age-related health disorders, such as osteoporosis or osteopenia. These disorders are associated with fragility fractures. The impact is greater among postmenopausal women due to an acceleration of bone mineral density (BMD) loss.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the effectiveness of Pilates or Yoga on BMD in adult women.

METHODS

Five electronics databases were searched up to April 2021. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), non-RCTs and pre-post studies were included. The main outcome was BMD. Risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. A random effects model was used to pool data from primary studies. Subgroup analyses based on the type of exercise were conducted.

RESULTS

Eleven studies including 591 participants aged between 45 and 78 years were included. The mean length of the interventions ranged from 12 to 32 weeks, and two studies were performed for a period of at least one year. The pooled effect size for the effect of the intervention (Pilates/Yoga) vs the control group was 0.07 (95% Confidence interval [CI]: -0.05 to 0.19; I2 = 0.0%), and 0.10 (95% CI: 0.01 to 0.18; I2 = 18.4%) for the secondary analysis of the pre-post intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite of the non-significant results, the BMD maintenance in the postmenopausal population, when BMD detrimental is expected, could be understood as a positive result added to the beneficial impact of Pilates-Yoga in multiple fracture risk factors, including but not limited to, strength and balance.

EFFECTS OF A 20-WEEK PILATES METHOD PROGRAM ON BODY COMPOSITION

ABSTRACT Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether there were changes in body composition after a 20-week (twice weekly) Pilates Method (PM) program when compared to a control group. Methods: This was a controlled quasi-experimental study in which 41 subjects (83.3% females, 16.7% males) aged between 28 and 58 years (mean age = 42.37±7.86 years) were divided into two groups (intervention or control group) and later evaluated. Body composition was measured with anthropometric techniques utilizing the following variables: weight, height, and 6 skinfold measurements. The PM intervention consisted of two weekly sessions, over a 20-week period. The minimal attendance for the program was 85%. Results: Significant differences were observed between the two groups for the sum of six skinfold measurements (p=0.01) and body fat percentage (p=0.004). Conclusion: Practicing the PM for 20 weeks seems to be an activity that can positively influence changes in body composition. Level of evidence III, non-randomized controlled cohort study.