Effects of modified Pilates on variability of inter-joint coordination during walking in the elderly.
[Purpose] This study aimed to examine the effects of an 8-week modified Pilates program on the variability of inter-joint coordination in the elderly during walking. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty elderly participants with no recent history of orthopedic abnormalities (age, 67.9 ± 2.7 years; height, 163.7 ± 8.9 cm; weight, 67.1 ± 11.6 kg) were recruited for this study and randomly allocated to a modified Pilates exercise group or a control group. Three-dimensional motion analysis was performed on both groups to evaluate the effects of the Pilates exercise. [Results] There was no significant difference in the joint variability of the ankle, knee, and hip joints between the groups, both before training and after training. However, there was a significant increase in the hip-knee deviation phase value in the exercise group after the program was completed, and this increase was also significant when compared with that in the control group. [Conclusion] This study has demonstrated that an 8-week modified Pilates exercise program can have a positive impact on the gait of elderly participants, potentially by enhancing neuromuscular adjustment, which may have positive implications for reducing their fall risk.
Department of Community Sport, Korea National Sport University, Republic of Korea.
Sukhoon
S
Yoon
Department of Physical Education, Korea National Sport University, Republic of Korea.
Joo Nyeon
JN
Kim
Department of Physical Education, Korea National Sport University, Republic of Korea.
Hee Sung
HS
Lim
Elderly gait; Inter-joint coordinate variability; Pilates exercise