Effects of exercises based on the Pilates method practiced on portable equipment by elderly women with chronic low back pain: a randomized clinical trial

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of exercises based on the Pilates method in portable equipment, pain intensity, quality of life, and functional capacity of elderly women with chronic low back pain. This is a randomized clinical trial, lasting 12 weeks, with one group performing the exercises on portable equipment (G1) and the other on traditional equipment in Pilates studio (G2). The trial included elderly women, with complaints of pain in the lumbar region for more than three months. In the pre-and post-intervention moments, the intensity of low back pain, disability related to painful symptomatology of the lumbar region, quality of life and functional capacity. The main results were that the practice of exercises based on the method with portable equipment by elderly women allowed the reduction of pain intensity (G1: p<0.001), improved quality of life in terms of pain domains (p =0.01), and social aspects (p=0.01), as well as functional capacity, considering the forearm flexion strength test (p=0.00), the sit-and-reach the feet flexibility test (p=0.03), and back-reach flexibility test (p=0.02). When compared between groups, no significant differences were observed (p≥ 0.05). The results indicate that the practice of exercises based on the Pilates method with portable equipment has a positive impact, particularly on painful symptoms, and can promote the health of elderly women with low back pain and be used as another low-cost therapeutic resource.