Article

The Pilates method has been widely used to treat patients with
chronic low back pain. Pilates exercises can be performed in
2 ways: by using
specific equipment or without it (also known as mat Pilates). There are no
studies, however, that have compared the effectiveness of mat Pilates with that
of equipment-based Pilates.
The aim of this study was to compare the
effectiveness of mat Pilates and equipment-based Pilates in patients with chronic
nonspecific low back pain.
DESIGN: A 2-arm randomized controlled trial with a
blinded assessor was conducted. The study was conducted at a private
physical therapy clinic in Brazil. PATIENTS: Eighty-six patients with chronic
nonspecific low back pain participated. INTERVENTION:
The patients were randomly
allocated to 1 of 2 groups: a mat Pilates group (n=43) and an equipment-based
Pilates group (n=43). The participants in both groups attended 12 Pilates
sessions over a period of 6 weeks. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcomes were pain
intensity and disability. The secondary outcomes were global perceived effect,
patient's specific disability, and kinesiophobia. A blinded assessor evaluated
the outcomes at baseline and 6 weeks and 6 months after randomization. RESULTS:
After 6 months, there was a statistically significant difference for disability
(mean difference=3.0 points, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.6 to 5.4), specific
disability (mean difference=-1.1 points, 95% CI=-2.0 to -0.1),
and kinesiophobia
(mean difference=4.9 points, 95% CI=1.6 to 8.2) in favor of equipment-based
Pilates. No differences were found for the remaining outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Equipment-based Pilates was superior to mat Pilates in the 6-month follow-up for
the outcomes of disability and kinesiophobia. These benefits were not observed
for pain intensity and global perceived effect in patients with chronic
nonspecific low back pain.

Langue : ANGLAIS