Effect of a Pilates exercise program on flexibility, muscle performance and balance of elderly women.

• Register: REBEC
• Last refreshed on: 29 April 2013
• Main ID: RBR-969prp
• Date of registration: 07/03/2012
• Primary sponsor: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) - Brazil
• Public title: Effect of a Pilates exercise program on flexibility, muscle performance and balance of elderly women.
• Scientific title: Effect of an exercise program based on the principles of the Pilates method in flexibility, muscle performance and balance of elderly women: a randomized controlled clinical trial.
• Date of first enrolment: 31/03/2011
• Target sample size: 60
• Recruitment status: recruiting
• URL: http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-969prp/
• Study design: Clinical Trial, parallel, randomized, open with two arms.

Countries of recruitment

Brazil

Contacts

• Name: Ricardo Guerra
• Affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN)

• Name: Andréa Gomes
• Affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN)

Key inclusion & exclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: Female; aged 65 to 80 years; absence of neurological and muscle - skeletal disease that preventing the holding of the exercises, as well as the use of a wheelchair for mobility; cognitive status compatible with schooling assessed by the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE).
Exclusion criteria: Refusal to participate in the survey; pain complaints during the course of training; unexcused absence and without replacement in 10% of training provided.

Age minimum: 65Y
Age maximum: 80Y
Gender: F

Health Condition(s) or Problem(s) studied

Aging, Balance, Muscle Strength, Pilates Method
E01.370.600.425

Intervention(s)

33 elderly women aged 65 to 80 years were evaluated. The evaluation was conducted in two phases, the first comprising: identifying and socio-demographic data, Mini Mental State Examination; Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up and Go Test; Falls Efficacy Scale International (Brazil version) and history of falls. Then the elderly were randomly placed into two groups: 17 in the control group (CG) and 16 in the experimental (EG). After the formation of groups, was held on the second step of the evaluation consisted of three tests in the Balance Master ® System, for the evaluation of static and dynamic balance, and isokinetic dynamometry with the Biodex ® System to assess the hamstring passive stiffness, hamstring and quadriceps muscle strength. The CG received guidance through educational booklets and the GE, in addition to the guidelines, was submitted to a Mat Pilates exercises program. The program was conducted with subgroups with a maximum of three elderly for one hour, twice a week for three months. After three months of training, all elderly women were reevaluated in order to carry out a comparative study of the results. In addition, elderly women who participated in the CG performed the same training program three months after.

Primary Outcome(s)

improvement of balance through mean COG sway velocity, weight transfer, rising index, COG sway velocity, left/right weight symmetry, step width, speed, end sway ; improvement of muscle performance of quadriceps and hamstrings through the work normalized by body weight and average power.

Secondary Outcome(s)

Improvement of passive stiffness of the hamstrings through the peak passive measured by the isokinetic dynamometer.

Secondary ID(s)

040/2011

Source(s) of Monetary Support

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) - Brazil

Secondary Sponsor(s)

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) - Brazil