Effects of 20 sessions of Pilates method on postural alignment and flexibility of young women: pilot study

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of Mat Pilates in the postural alignment and joint flexibility of healthy young females. Thirty-three healthy women aged between 18 and 30 years (56.8±8.5 kg, 1.60±0.06 m and 22.1±2.7 kg/m²) and without prior knowledge of Pilates participated of the study. They were randomly allocated into two groups: control group (CG; without intervention) and Pilates group (PG; Mat Pilates, 20 sessions, 2 times a week). Pre- and post-program evaluation procedures were performed by a blinded investigator and were characterized by photogrammetric postural analysis (PAS software) and assessment of joint flexibility (sit and reach test). A 2X2 repeated measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to verify differences between pre- and post-measurements for both CG e PG. No significant differences were found between groups, for all variables. The PG presented no differences in postural alignment after the program (p>;0.05). However, the PG demonstrated a significant increase of 19.1% in flexibility (p=0.036). The study demonstrated that a program of Mat Pilates generates significant effects on joint flexibility. However, twenty sessions were not sufficient to cause postural adaptations in healthy young women.