title: Effects of a mat pilates program on cardiometabolic parameters in elderly women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to determine the effects of mat Pilates on resting heart rate, resting blood pressure and fasting blood glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides in elderly women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty sedentary, apparently healthy females aged 60 and older were randomly assigned into a control (CG, n = 25) or an intervention (IG, n = 25) group. The IG took part in an eight-week progressive mat Pilates exercise program, three times weekly while the CG did not take part in any structured exercises throughout the eight-week period. All subjects underwent pre- and post-tests in which cardiometabolic parameters were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the eight-week mat Pilates program, the IG only demonstrated a significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease in systolic BP (p = 0.040) from 135.84 ± 14.66mmHg to 128.80 ± 16.36mmHg and a significant increase in blood glucose (p = 0.000) from 5.07 ± 0.46mmol.L(-1) to 5.83 ± 0.57mmol.L(-1), whereas resting HR (p = 0.148) (from 68.80 ± 12.58beats.min(-1) to 73.20 ± 11.46beats.min(-1)), resting diastolic BP (p = 0.342) (from 75.64 ± 10.10mmHg to 77.44 ± 9.32mmHg), blood TC (p = 0.073) (from 5.37 ± 0.99mmol.L(-1) to 5.67 ± 1.04mmol.L(-1)) and blood TG (p = 0.384) (from 1.77 ± 0.88mmol.L(-1) to 1.92 ± 0.87mmol.L(-1)) did not produce any significant changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to the contradictory nature of the cardiometabolic variables (except systolic BP) with the findings of previous studies, it is difficult to establish a case for using Pilates as a substitute for more conventional forms of exercising when exclusively attempting to favourably alter cardiometabolic parameters at least among the elderly women in our sample.
authors.affiliation: Fourie Marinda, Department of Sport, Rehabilitation and Dental Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, Gauteng, 0001, Republic of South Africa.
authors.forename: Fourie
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marinda
authors.affiliation: Gildenhuys Magda, Department of Sport, Rehabilitation and Dental Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, Gauteng, 0001, Republic of South Africa.
authors.forename: Gildenhuys
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Magda
authors.affiliation: Shaw Ina, Office of the Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor: Research, Monash South Africa, P.O. Box X60, Ruimsig, 1725, Republic of South Africa.
authors.forename: Shaw
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ina
authors.affiliation: Shaw Brandon, Department of Sport, Rehabilitation and Dental Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, Gauteng, 0001, Republic of South Africa.
authors.forename: Shaw
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brandon
authors.affiliation: Toriola Abel, Department of Sport, Rehabilitation and Dental Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, Gauteng, 0001, Republic of South Africa.
authors.forename: Toriola
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abel
authors.affiliation: Daniel Ter Goon, Centre for Biokinetics, Recreation and Sports Science, University of Venda, X5050, Thohoyandou, Limpopo, 0590, South Africa.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ter Goon
keywords: Cholesterol; Elderly women; Fasting blood glucose; Pilates program; Resting blood pressure; Resting heart rate; Triglycerides