The Effect of Pilates Training on Improving the Cognitive Performance of Sedentary Elderly Men in Kermanshah City

Cognitive performance such as prediction and reaction time changes along with aging. It seems that regular lifetime physical activity depends on the delay of these factors. This study aimed at investigating the effect of Pilates training on the improvement of motor performance of sedentary elderly men in Kermanshah city. 40 sedentary elderly men (mean age 72. 15 ± 6. 54 years) were selected from the senior citizen centers in Kermanshah and were divided into two groups of experimental and control randomly. The experimental group performed Pilates protocol for 8 weeks. Both groups participated in the pretest and posttest of cognitive performance. The data obtained from the pretest and posttest were analyzed by paired samples t test and independent t test was used to compare the posttests of both groups. The results showed that Pilates group outperformed the control group significantly in their cognitive status and reaction time in the posttest (P˂0. 05)، but there was no significant difference in prediction between these two groups. The patterns of these results suggested that Pilates exercises could improve the elderly''s cognitive performance.