Effects of a Pilates programme in spinal curvatures and hamstring extensibility in adolescents with thoracic hyperkyphosis: a randomised controlled trial

Effects of Pilates on Body Posture: A Systematic Review

Objective

To perform a systematic review of the effects of Pilates on common body postures.

Data sources

Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Springer Link, and CNKI. The search year is set from January 1, 2019, to November 15, 2023.

Study Selection

Quasi-experimental studies, randomized controlled trials, randomized clinical trials, and nonrandomized controlled trials investigating the effects of Pilates on body posture.

Data Extraction

The Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale was used to evaluate the quality of studies that met the inclusion requirements. Studies were independently assessed by 2 reviewers who read through the full text and labeled as "low quality," "moderate quality," "good quality," and "excellence quality." Disagreements were resolved by the third reviewer. The Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB 2.0) tool was used to assess the risk of bias for each study.

Data Synthesis

Of the 492 studies screened, 13 met the inclusion criteria involving a total of 783 trial participants. Six studies (46%) were of high quality or above, with main limitation related to the internal validity of the study design. The research outcomes focused primarily on effects of Pilates on body posture; cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine; and followed by quality of life and pain.

Conclusions

The findings of this systematic review provided valuable evidence for the role of Pilates in improving body posture problems. Pilates is a boon to patients suffering from postural disorders, and it is suggested that Pilates can be widely used as a complementary therapy. Nonetheless, more detailed studies are necessary in the future.

The Effectiveness of Exercise Programs in Adolescents with Thoracic Kyphosis: A Narrative Review

Thoracic kyphosis is a common postural problem affecting over 20% of adolescents. This condition can contribute to various spinal problems, leading to a decreased ability to perform daily activities, reduced quality of life, and impaired pulmonary function. This review aimed to investigate the effectiveness of exercise programs in adolescents with thoracic kyphosis. We systematically searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases for articles relevant to adolescents with thoracic kyphosis that had been published up to 14 May 2024. Our inclusion criteria focused on studies investigating the effects of exercise on improving thoracic kyphosis. A total of 1883 articles was identified using the search terms. After the titles and abstracts had been screened, 1868 articles were found not to meet our inclusion criteria and were excluded. The remaining 15 articles were then assessed for eligibility. Finally, only seven studies were included in this systematic review. Exercises targeting the entire spinal curvature demonstrated efficacy in enhancing the strength and function of the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and pelvic muscles, resulting in a corrective effect on thoracic kyphosis in adolescents. Consequently, exercise programs have emerged as potentially beneficial treatment approaches to improve poor posture and reduce adolescent thoracic kyphosis.

Effects of Pilates exercises on spine deformities and posture: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Pilates is becoming increasingly popular amongst a wide range of people and is gaining more attention. It is also an effective means of physical rehabilitation. The aim of this systematic review is to explore the effects of Pilates on spinal deformity and posture.

METHOD

This systematic review was conducted using four recognised academic and scientific databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed and Cochrane) to identify articles that met the inclusion criteria. The secondary search used the Google Scholar and the Science Direct search engines. The search for articles for this review began in July 06, 2023 and was concluded on February 01, 2024. The search process for this study was documented using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020). The PEDro scale was used to assess the internal validity and data statistics of the studies included in this systematic review and to evaluate the quality of the studies.

RESULTS

The systematic review included nine studies that met the inclusion criteria from the 651 studies retrieved, involving a total of 643 participants. The PEDro scale scores of the studies included in this systematic review ranged from 3 to 8. The intervention was in the form of Pilates or Pilates combined exercises. The studies included in this review used outcome measures of Cobb angle, angle of trunk rotation (ATR), range of motion (ROM), chest expansion, Scoliosis Research Society Questionnaire (SRS-22r) and postural assessment. Research has shown that Pilates is effective in correcting spinal deformities and posture, as well as improving quality of life, pain relief, function and fitness.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review provide substantial evidence that Pilates has a positive impact on improving spinal deformity and posture. However, more research is needed to validate whether Pilates can be used effectively as a physical therapy for spinal deformity rehabilitation. Pilates has considerable potential for public health interventions.