Effect of Pilates Training on Lung Function and Balance in Inactive Elderly Women

Decreased balance and the ability to contract muscle are associated with the contractile strength of the respiratory muscles, discussed in the elderly. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Pilates training on pulmonary function and balance in inactive elderly women.

This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 34 inactive elderly women with a mean age of 62 ± 2.5 years, height of 160.6 4 4.51 and weight of 67.70 4 4.60 kg. Participants were randomly divided into experimental (n=17) and control (n=17) groups. The experimental group practiced 3 sessions per week for 8 weeks. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to ensure that the data were normal, and paired t-test and analysis of variance were applied to analyze intra-and inter-group findings, respectively. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22 at a significant level of P≤0.05.

The results of the present study showed that static and dynamic balance in the post-test compared to the pre-test was significantly reduced in the experimental group (P = 0.001). Moreover, the findings indicated that Pilates exercises on static (P = 0.04) and dynamic balance (P = 0.00) had a significant effect on the post-test of the experimental group compared to the control group. However, no significant change was observed in the indices of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) (P ≥0.05).

It seems that Pilates can improve static and dynamic balance in elderly women and as an adjunct therapy can be effective as well as a suitable and low-cost alternative in improving balance and reducing falls.