Context: The interest and popularity of Pilates is increasing worldwide. In addition to being used in fitness programs, it is being used in some rehabilitation programs.
Evidence Acquisition: This review summarizes level III evidence from 1995 to 2009 obtained from PubMed (MEDLINE), CINAHL, and the Internet. Meta-analyses, systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, and controlled trials published in peer-reviewed journals were retrieved for appraisal. The keywords searched were Pilates and core stabilization.
Results: Ninety articles were identified in MEDLINE and CINAHL; 9 articles satisfied the inclusion criteria for level III evidence.
Conclusion: There is a scientific basis for the effectiveness of Pilates exercise, with limited evidence to support it as a rehabilitative intervention.
Allison GT,Morris SL,Lay B.Feedforward responses of transversus abdominis are directionally specific and act asymmetrically: implications for core stability theories.J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2008;38:228-237
2.
Akuthota V,Nadler SF.Core strengthening.Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2004;85 (3): S86-S92
3.
Arokoski JP,Valta T,Airaksinen O, et al.Back and abdominal muscle function during stabilization exercises.Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2001;82:1089-1098
4.
Barnett F,Gilleard W.The use of lumbar stabilization techniques during the performance of abdominal strengthening exercise variations.J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2005;45:193-201
5.
Bergmark A.Stability of the lumbar spine: a study in mechanical engineering.Acta Orthop Scand. 1989;230:20-24
6.
Behm DG,Leonard AM,Young WB,Bonsey WA,MacKinnon SN.Trunk muscle electromyographic activity with unstable and unilateral exercises.J Strength Cond Res. 2005;19:193-201
7.
Bernardo LM.The effectiveness of Pilates training in healthy adults: an appraisal of the research literature.J Body Mov Ther. 2007;11:106-110
8.
Bernardo LM,Nagle EF.Does Pilates training benefit dancers? An appraisal of Pilates research literature.J Dance Med Sci. 2006;10:46-50
9.
Bullock-Saxton JE,Janda V,Bullock MI.The influence of ankle sprain injury on muscle activation during hip extension.Int J Sports Med. 1994;15 (6): 330-334
10.
Caldwell K,Harrison M,Adams M,Triplett NT.Effect of Pilates and taiji quan training on self-efficacy, sleep, quality, mood, and physical performance of college students.J Body Mov Ther. 2009;13:155-163
Carter JM,Beam WC,McMahan SG, et al.The effect of stability ball training on spinal stability in sedentary individuals.J Strength Cond Res. 2006;20:429-435
13.
Cech DJ,Martin SFunctional Development Across Life Span. 2nd ed.Philadelphia, PA: Saunders; 2002:
14.
Chang Y.Grace under pressure.Newsweek. 2000;:
15.
Cholewicki J,Van Vliet JJT.Relative contribution of trunk muscles to the stability of the lumbar spine during isometric exertions.Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). 2002;17:99-105
16.
Coles K,Tomporowski PD.Effects of acute exercise on executive processing, short-term and long-term memory.J Sports Sci. 2008;26:333-344
17.
Curnow D,Cobbin D,Wyndham J,Boris Choy ST.Altered motor control, posture and the Pilates method of exercise prescription.J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2009;13:104-111
18.
da Fonseca JL,Magini M,de Freitas TH.Laboratory gait analysis in patients with low back pain before and after a Pilates intervention.J Sport Rehabil. 2009;18:269-282
19.
Davies GJ,Ellenbecker TSTotal Arm Strength for Shoulder and Elbow Overuse Injuries. La Crosse, WI: Upper Extremity Orthopaedic Section; 1993:
20.
Donzelli S,Di Domenica E,Cova AM,Galletti R,Giunta N.Two different techniques in the rehabilitation treatment of low back pain: a randomized controlled trail.Eura Medicophys. 2006;42:205-210
21.
Drysdale CL,Earl JE,Hertel J.Surface Electromyographic Activity of the Abdominal Muscles During Pelvic-Tilt and Abdominal-Hollowing Exercises.J Athl Train. 2004;39 (1): 32-36
22.
Ellenbecker TS,Davies GJClosed kinetic chain exercise : a comprehensive guide to multiple joint exercise. Champaign, Ill.: Human Kinetics; 2001:
23.
Endleman I,Critchley DJ.Transversus abdominis and obliquus internus activity during Pilates exercises: measurement with ultrasound scanning.Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2008;89:2205-2212
24.
Faries MD,Greenwood M.Core training: stabilizing the confusion.Strength Cond J. 2007;29:10-25
25.
Fiasca PDiscovering Pure Classical Pilates. 2nd ed.Peter Fiasca; 2009:
26.
Friedman P,Eisen GThe Pilates Method of Physical and Mental Conditioning. New York, NY: Penguin Books; 2005:
27.
Gallagher SP,Kryzanowska RThe Joseph H. Pilates Archive Collection. Philadelphia, PA: Bain Bridge Books; 2000:
28.
Gladwell V,Head S,Haggar M, et al.Does a program of Pilates improve chronic non-specific low back pain?.J Sport Rehabil. 2006;15:338-350
29.
Gleim GW,Nicholas JA,Webb JW.Isokinetic evaluation following leg injuries.Phys Sportsmed. 1978;6:74-82
30.
Grenier SG,McGill SM.Quantification of lumbar stability by using 2 different abdominal activation strategies.Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2007;88 (1): 54-62
31.
Hagins M,Adler K,Cash M, et al.Effects of practice on the ability to perform lumbar stabilization exercises.J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1999;29:546-555
32.
Herrington L,Davies R.The influence of Pilates training on the ability to contract the transversus abdominis muscle in asymptomatic individuals.J Body Mov Ther. 2005;9:52-57
33.
Hides J,Wilson S,Stanton W, et al.An MRI investigation into the function of the transversus abdominis muscle during “drawing in” of the abdominal wall.Spine. 2006;31:175-178
34.
Hodges PW.Is there a role for transversus abdominis in lumbo-pelvic stability?.Man Ther. 1999;4:74-86
35.
Hodges PW,Cresswell AG,Daggfeldt K,Thorsensson A.In vivo measurement of the effect of intra-abdominal pressure on the human spine.J Biomech. 2001;34:347-353
36.
Hodges PW,Richardson CA.Inefficient muscular stabilization of the lumbar spine associated with low back pain: a motor control evaluation of transversus abdominis.Spine. 1996;21:2640-2650
37.
Hodges PW,Richardson CA.Transversus abdominis and the superficial abdominal muscles are controlled independently in a postural task.Neurosci Lett. 1999;265:91-94
38.
IDEA Fitness Journal. 2008;5(4). http://www.ideafit.com.
39.
Jago R,Jonker ML,Missaghian M,Baranowski T.Effect of 4 weeks of Pilates on the body composition of young girls.Prev Med. 2006;42:177-180
40.
Janda VMuscle function testing. London; Boston: Butterworths; 1983:
41.
Jull GA,Richardson CA.Motor control problems in patients with spinal pain: a new direction for therapeutic exercise.J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2000;23:115-117
42.
Kendall HOPosture and pain. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins; 1952:
43.
Kibler WB,Press J,Sciascia A.The role of core stability in athletic function.Sports Med. 2006;36:189-198
Lange C,Unnithan V,Larkam E,Latta PM.Maximizing the benefits of Pilates-inspired exercise for learning functional motor skills.J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2000;4:99-108
46.
Latey P.The Pilates method: history and philosophy.J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2001;5:275-282
47.
Liekens BThe Pilates Studio Teacher Training Manual: Part I—Basic/Intermediate. New York, NY: The Pilates Studio; 1997:
48.
Logan GA,McKinney WCKinesiology. Los Angeles, CA: Wm C Brown Company Publishers; 1970:
49.
Lynch JA,Chalmers GR,Knutzen KM,Martin LT.Effect on performance of learning a Pilates skill with or without a mirror.J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2009;13:283-290
50.
McDermottMJ. Wellness trend creates opportunities in health, nutrition, and fitness sectors. Business Opportunities. http://www.busop1.com/wellness.html. Accessed July 19, 2009.
51.
McGill SM.Electromyographic activity of the abdominal and low back musculature during the generation of isometric and dynamic axial trunk torque: implications for lumbar mechanics.Journal of orthopaedic research: official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society. 1991;9 (1): 91-103
52.
McGill SM.Low back stability: from formal description to issues for performance and rehabilitation.Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2001;29:26-31
53.
McGill SM,Grenier S,Kavcic N,Cholewicki J.Coordination of muscle activity to assure stability of the lumbar spine.J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2003;13:353-359
54.
Muscolino JE,Cipriani S.Pilates and the “powerhouse”: I.J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2004;8:15-24
55.
Muscolino JE,Cipriani S.Pilates and the “powerhouse”: II.J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2004;8:122-130
56.
Nicholas JA,Strizak AM,Vegas G.A study of thigh muscle weakness in different pathological states of the lower extremity.Am J Sports Med. 1976;4:241-248
57.
O’Sullivan PB,Twomey LT,Allison GT.Evaluation of specific stabilizing exercise in the treatment of chronic low back pain with radiologic diagnosis of spondylolysis or spondylolisthesis.Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1997;22 (24): 2959-2967
58.
Panjabi M,Yamamoto I,Oxland T,Crisco J.How does posture affect coupling in the lumbar spine?.Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1989;14 (9): 1002-1011
59.
Pilates JHYour Health. Incline Village, NV: Presentation Dynamics Inc; 1998:
60.
Pilates JH,Miller WJPilates’ Return to Life Through Contrology. New York, NY: JJ Augustin; 1945:
61.
Richardson CA,Snijders CJ,Hides JA,Damen L,Pas MS,Storm J.The relation between the transversus abdominis muscles, sacroiliac joint mechanics, and low back pain.Spine. 2002;27:399-405
62.
Rydeard R,Leger A,Smith D.Pilates-based therapeutic exercise: effect on subjects with nonspecific chronic low back pain and functional disability. A randomized controlled trail.J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2006;36:472-484
63.
Schexneider MA,Catlin PA,Davies GJ,Mattson PA.An isokinetic estimation of total arm strength.Isok Ex Sci. 1991;1:117-121
64.
Schmidt RAMotor Learning and Performance: From Principles to Practice. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Books; 1991:
65.
Shumway-Cook A,Woollacott MMotor Control: Theory and Practical Applications. 3rd ed.Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins; 2007:
66.
Stanton T,Kawchuk G.The effect of abdominal stabilization contractions on posteroanterior spinal stiffness.Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2008;33 (6): 694-701
67.
Strizak AM,Gleim GW,Sapega A,Nicholas JA.Hand and forearm strength and its relation to tennis.Am J Sports Med. 1983;11 (4): 234-239
68.
Strohl KP,Mead J,Banzett RB,Loring SH,Kosch PC.Regional differences in abdominal muscle activity during various maneuvers in humans.J Appl Physiol. 1981;51 (6): 1471-1476
69.
Thompson WR.Worldwide survey reveals fitness trends for 2009.ACSM Health Fitness J. 2009;12:1-8
70.
Tomporowski PD.Effects of acute bouts of exercise on cognition.Acta Psychol (Amst). 2003;112:297-324
71.
USA Today. Exercise builds strong brains, too. http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-10-29-exercise-brains_N.htm. Published October 29, 2007.
72.
Vera-Garca FJ,Grenier SG,McGill SM.Abdominal muscle response during curl-ups on both stable and labile surfaces.Phys Ther. 2000;80:564-569
73.
Wainner RS,Whitman JM,Cleland JA,Flynn TW.Regional interdependence: a musculoskeletal examination model whose time has come.J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2007;37 (11): 658-660
74.
Weinberg JLevel 2: Romana’s Pilates Senior Teacher Trainer, True Pilates New York. New York, NY: True Pilates; 2008:
75.
Winstein CJ.Designing practice for motor learning; clinical implications.
Contemporary Management of Motor Control Problems: Proceedings of the II Step Conference; 1991Alexandria, VA; 1991. .
76.
Wilke HJ,Wolf S,Claes LE,Arand M,Wiesend A.Stability increase of the lumbar spine with different muscle groups: a biomechanical in vitro study.Spine. 1995;20:192-198
77.
Willardson JM.A periodized approach to core training.ACSM Health Fitness J. 2008;12:7-13
78.
Zazulak BT,Hewett TE,Reeves NP, et al.Deficits in neuromuscular control of the trunk predicts knee injury risk: a prospective biomechanical-epidemiologic study.Am J Sports Med. 2007;35:1123-1130
