Effects of pilates on physical-functional performance, quality of life and mood in older adults: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Objective: To systematically review the effects of pilates on physical-functional aspects and quality of life of older adults.

Methods: We included randomized clinical trials whose participants were older adults, whose intervention was pilates exercises and that used a control group for comparison. The primary outcomes were balance, muscle strength, quality of life. Secondary outcomes were mood, autonomy, and flexibility. The searches were performed in the electronic databases Pubmed, Web of Science, LILACS, Cochrane Library and EMBASE, using terms from MeSH: Aged, elderly, Pilates-Based Exercises, Pilates Training, Pilates, Mat Pilates, Equipment-based Pilates, and synonyms, in May 2020. The meta-analysis, when possible, was performed using the mean and standard deviation values of the groups after the intervention period using the random effects model.

Results: The search rendered 1639 studies, of which 28 articles corresponding to 24 ECRs (897 individuals) were included, most of the studies involved a female population. A meta-analysis was performed only in the balance variable, through the Berg Scale (three RCTs), where there were no significant differences between the intervention and control groups (2.06-95% CI: 1.31, 5.44, I: 91%), and it was evaluated by the TUG (six RCTs), which showed a reduction of 0.92 seconds in the protocol execution (95% CI: 1.67, -0.17, I: 62%).

Conclusion: This review demonstrate that the practice of pilates by older adults may have positive effects on some of the outcomes evaluated, these results should be interpreted with caution (methodological heterogeneity and a part present high risk of bias).