Efeitos da prática do método pilates na mobilidade funcional de idosos comunitários

Abstract

The aim of this literature review study was to evaluate scientific articles of clinical studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses that investigated the effects of Pilates practice on functional mobility in community-dwelling older adults. The search was conducted in the electronic databases PubMed, PEDro, and Cochrane Library. All article selection and evaluation processes were conducted by independent peers, choosing articles that used instruments to measure Functional Mobility. Eight articles were included: five literature reviews (including systematic review and meta-analysis, randomized clinical trial, and narrative review) and three experimental studies including one randomized clinical trial. Pilates exercise interventions lasted 30 to 60 minutes between 1 to 3 times per week, with a minimum reported time of 4 weeks. The results indicated a significant difference in gait speed measured by TUG of 0.96 seconds (p < 0.001), indicating improved Functional Mobility after 6 weeks; there was also improvement in performance in the functional reach test (p < 0.001). There was a 2-second decrease in TUG post-Pilates intervention (p < 0.05) compared to the control group without intervention; there were also significant improvements in the Berg Balance Scale (50.63-53.22/56, p > 0.05) and the 10-meter walk test, which showed a significant statistical difference over time (p = 0.05), decreasing from 9.54 to 8.49 seconds. TUG, BBS, and 10MWT showed statistically significant interaction in favor of Pilates (p < 0.05, p = 0.05, and p = 0.05, respectively). It was possible to conclude that Pilates exercise practice can improve functional mobility, muscle strength, gait patterns, balance, and reduce fall risk factors, also improving cognitive factors and quality of life, contributing significantly to active aging with greater functional independence.