Investigation of the Effects of Pilates on Body Awareness, Posture, Flexibility, and Satisfaction
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 已完成
- 入组人数
- 38
- 试验地点
- 2
- 主要终点
- Body Awareness
研究概览
简要总结
This study aims to investigate the effects of an 8-week mat Pilates exercise program on body awareness, posture, flexibility, and life satisfaction in healthy women aged 30-50 years. A total of 38 sedentary women will be allocated into a Pilates exercise group or a control group. The intervention group will participate in supervised Pilates sessions twice weekly, while the control group will maintain their usual lifestyle without structured exercise. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and after the intervention using validated measures of body awareness, postural alignment, flexibility, and self-reported satisfaction. The findings of this study are expected to clarify the potential benefits of Pilates exercise in improving physical and psychosocial well-being in healthy adult women.
详细描述
Body awareness refers to an individual's ability to perceive bodily position, movement, and internal sensations, and it plays an essential role in motor control, posture regulation, and emotional self-regulation. Higher levels of body awareness are associated with improved coordination, breathing control, and adaptive responses to physical changes. Posture, defined as the balanced alignment of body segments, is critical for minimizing musculoskeletal strain, preventing fatigue, and maintaining efficient movement patterns. Flexibility, another key component of physical fitness, allows joints to move through their full range of motion and is associated with functional independence and reduced injury risk. In addition to these physical parameters, life satisfaction represents an important psychosocial outcome reflecting an individual's overall evaluation of well-being.
The Pilates method, originally developed by Joseph Pilates, is a mind-body exercise approach emphasizing controlled movement, breathing, core stability, and postural alignment. Previous studies have demonstrated that Pilates training may improve flexibility, posture, and psychological well-being in various populations. However, evidence specifically examining its combined effects on body awareness, posture, flexibility, and life satisfaction in healthy middle-aged women remains limited.
The present study is designed as a controlled clinical trial including sedentary women aged 30-50 years. Participants will be allocated to either a Pilates intervention group or a non-exercise control group. The intervention group will complete an 8-week supervised mat Pilates program conducted twice weekly, consisting of warm-up exercises, breathing training, Pilates-based strengthening and control exercises, and cool-down activities. The control group will continue their normal daily activities without structured exercise during the study period.
Outcome measures will be collected at baseline and after the 8-week period using validated assessment tools evaluating body awareness, postural alignment, flexibility, and self-reported satisfaction. The primary aim is to determine whether regular Pilates exercise improves physical and psychosocial parameters compared with a non-exercise condition. The results are expected to contribute to the evidence base regarding the role of structured mind-body exercise in promoting health and well-being among adult women.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Randomized
- 干预模型
- Parallel
- 主要目的
- Treatment
- 盲法
- Double (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 30 Years 至 50 Years（Adult）
- 性别
- Female
- 接受健康志愿者
- 是
入选标准
- •Female participants aged 30-50 years
- •Body mass index (BMI) below 30 kg/m²
- •No regular structured exercise participation within the past 2 years
- •Able to read and understand the questionnaires
- •Willing to participate and provide informed consent
排除标准
- •Presence of musculoskeletal pain or injury
- •History of regular exercise within the past 2 years
- •BMI ≥30 kg/m²
- •History of major surgery affecting mobility or posture
- •Pregnancy or menopause
- •Inability or unwillingness to complete questionnaires
- •Any medical or physical condition preventing safe participation in exercise
研究组 & 干预措施
Pilates Exercise Group
Participants in this group will attend a supervised mat Pilates exercise program for 8 weeks, conducted twice weekly for 60 minutes per session. Each session will include warm-up exercises, breathing training, Pilates-based strengthening and control exercises, and cool-down activities. All sessions will be led by a physiotherapist.
干预措施: Pilates Exercise (Other)
Control Group
Participants in this group will not receive any structured exercise intervention during the 8-week study period and will be instructed to maintain their usual daily routines.
结局指标
主要结局
Body Awareness
时间窗: Baseline (Week 0): All outcome measures will be assessed prior to the start of the intervention. Post-intervention (Week 8): All outcome measures will be reassessed immediately after completion of the 8-week program.
Body awareness will be assessed using the Body Awareness Questionnaire. The scale evaluates individuals' sensitivity to normal and abnormal bodily processes and awareness of physical sensations. Scores range across items rated on a Likert scale, with higher total scores indicating greater body awareness. Measurements will be collected at baseline and after the 8-week intervention period.
次要结局
- Postural Alignment(Baseline (Week 0): All outcome measures will be assessed prior to the start of the intervention. Post-intervention (Week 8): All outcome measures will be reassessed immediately after completion of the 8-week program.)
- Flexibility(Baseline (Week 0): All outcome measures will be assessed prior to the start of the intervention. Post-intervention (Week 8): All outcome measures will be reassessed immediately after completion of the 8-week program.)
- Life Satisfaction(Baseline (Week 0): All outcome measures will be assessed prior to the start of the intervention. Post-intervention (Week 8): All outcome measures will be reassessed immediately after completion of the 8-week program.)
研究者
Fatih Tekin
Assoc. Prof.
Pamukkale University