Effectiveness of Pilates exercise: A quality evaluation and summary of systematic reviews based on randomized controlled trials

- This is the first systematic review (SR) of systematic reviews of the effectiveness of treatment and health enhancement based on Pilates exercise (PE) in studies with randomized controlled trial (RCT) designs.
- Our study is unique because it summarized the evidence for each target disease according to the International Classification of Diseases-10.
- We propose the future research agenda for studies on the effect of PE.

ObjectiveThe objective of this review were to summarize evidence for the effectiveness of Pilates exercise (PE) and to assess the quality of systematic review (SRs) based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs).Study designA systematic review of SRs based on RCTs.MethodsStudies were eligible if they were RCTs. Studies included those with one treatment group in which PE was applied. We searched the following databases from 1995 up to August 20, 2014: MEDLINE via PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Global Health Library, and Ichushi-Web. We also searched All Cochrane Database and Campbell Systematic Reviews up to August 20, 2014. Based on the International Classification of Diseases-10 (ICD-10), we identified a disease targeted for each article.ResultsNine studies met all inclusion criteria. As a whole, the quality of the articles was good. Seven studies were about “Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M5456)”. There were two studies in “Factors influencing health status and contact with health services (Z723)”. The traits of participants were for females and the comparatively young- and middle-aged. Five SRs for chronic low back pain (CLBP) concluded that there was pain-relief and functional improvement of the intervention in the short term, but two SRs were inconclusive about the effectiveness of PE. There were no adverse events described in any of the studies.ConclusionAlthough no SR reported any adverse effect or harm by PE, there was pain-relief and functional improvement attributed to PE in the short term in participants with CLBP. There was also evidence of improved flexibility and dynamic balance, and of enhanced muscular endurance in healthy people in the short term. In addition, there may have been an effect on body composition in the short term.