title: Pilates vs. Balance Training in Health Community-Dwelling Seniors: a 3-arm, Randomized Controlled Trial.
abstract: The study examined effects of traditional balance vs. mat-based Pilates training on balance and trunk strength in healthy community dwellers. Forty-eight seniors were either stratified to a balance training group (BAL, n=16, 69.1 (SD 5.8) y), Pilates training group (PIL, n=17, 70.8 (6.5) y) or control group (CON, n=15, 69.2 (6.1) y). BAL performed traditional balance training, while PIL conducted mat-based Pilates-exercises (8 weeks, 2 sessions/week 66 min each). Balance performance (single limb stance and perturbed kneeling, Y-Balance test), dynamic and isometric trunk flexion and extension were assessed during pre- and post-testing. According to the magnitude-based inference approach, substantial positive effects in favor of BAL compared to CON were found for the Y-balance score (right leg, effect size (d)=0.68; left leg, d=0.56), trunk extension (d=0.68) and single leg stance (right leg, d=0.61; left leg, d=0.38). Dynamic (d=0.32) and isometric (d=0.15) trunk flexion revealed unclear effects. For the Y-balance score (right leg, d=0.48, left leg, d=0.75) and single leg stance (right leg, +d=0.61%; left leg, d=0.67), interestingly, BAL substantially exceeded PIL. PIL vs. CON revealed unclear effects for most parameters (0.05<d<0.36). Mat-based Pilates training did not cause relevant adaptations in trunk strength and balance performance, whereas balance training substantially improved balance and trunk strength.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Donath
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hürlimann
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zahner
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Faude
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D004856:Postural Balance; D060726:Torso / Q000502:physiology*