The Effects of 8 Weeks Pilates, Walking, and Combined Pilates and Walking on Heart Arrhythmia

Heart is one of the essential body organs whose deviation from its normal function leads to abnormal heart rate, including bradycardia and tachycardia and may cause cardiac Arrhythmia.

The purpose of the present study is to examine the effects of 8 weeks Pilates, walking, and combined Pilates and walking exercise on heart Arrhythmia.

In this quasi-experimental study, 30 female patients with tachycardia aging 24 to 59 years old in Zahedan were selected and categorized into three distinct Pilates, walking, and combined Pilates and walking groups (10 people per group). The training program was eight weeks, three sessions per week, with a 60% to 70% maximal heart rate. Resting heart rate (RHR) was measured with electrocardiography (ECG). Resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure was measured using a digital gauge in three different steps, the first step of the measurement was performed 24 hours before doing exercise, the second one at the end of the fourth week, and the last one at the end of the eighth week. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), repeated measure ANOVA, Bonferroni post hoc test by the statistical package in social science (SPSS) software version 20.

The results demonstrated that RHR decreased at the end of the eighth week of Pilates (P < 0.01), walking (P < 0.05), and combined Pilates and walking (P < 0.001). Resting systolic blood pressure decreased at the end of the eighth week of the Pilates, walking, and combined walking and Pilates. Resting diastolic blood pressure also reduced after walking, and combined Pilates and walking exercise.

The results showed that RHR, systolic, and diastolic blood pressure significantly decreased after eight weeks of training in Pilates, walking, and combined training groups. Therefore, it seems that all three physical activity models can substantially decrease the resting blood pressure and are not superior to each other. Pilates training is likely to be more effective in reducing the heart rate of patients with cardiac tachycardia compared to the walking and combined training groups.