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 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.