Pilates method in the community: effect on the body posture of elderly women

ABSTRACT This study aimed to verify the effect of the Pilates method (PM) on the body posture of elderly women in a community. A non-randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in 40 elderly women aged between 60 and 80 years, divided equally into Intervention Group (IG) and Control Group (CG). The groups answered a sociodemographic questionnaire and were evaluated, in pre- and post-intervention moments, using biophotogrammetry, through the software SAPO. The IG performed a program of 12 Pilates exercises, twice a week, with duration of 50 minutes, for 12 weeks. A nonparametric statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney test with significance value of p<0.05. The results showed before the intervention the distance between the acromions, epicondyles and styloid process were lower in the CG, in relation to the IG; however, after the intervention, no significant difference was observed between the groups. After the intervention, a statistically significant difference was observed in the variables: distance from the superior (p=0.01) and inferior angle of scapula (p=0.02) of the IG in relation to the CG. The conclusion was that Pilates promoted a positive effect on some variables of the postural profile of the elderly women, being suitable for community groups for practice of physical activities.

摘要
本研究旨在验证普拉提训练法（Pilates Method, PM）对社区老年女性身体姿态的影响。本研究招募40名年龄介于60至80岁的老年女性，采用非随机对照临床试验设计，将受试者均分为干预组（Intervention Group, IG）与对照组（Control Group, CG）。两组受试者均填写社会人口学问卷，并分别于干预前、干预后借助SAPO软件通过生物摄影测量法（biophotogrammetry）完成姿态评估。干预组每周开展2次、每次50分钟的普拉提训练课程，包含12个普拉提动作，训练周期为12周。本研究采用曼-惠特尼U检验进行非参数统计分析，设定显著性水平为p<0.05。研究结果显示，干预前对照组的肩峰、髁突与茎突间距均小于干预组；但干预后，两组间未观察到显著差异。干预后，两组间的肩胛上角间距（p=0.01）与肩胛下角间距（p=0.02）两项指标存在统计学显著差异。研究结论表明，普拉提训练法对老年女性姿态相关的部分指标存在积极影响，适合在社区群体中推广开展体育锻炼活动。