5 Benefits of Pilates for Your Health (KM Creator)

Pilates has been linked to a number of benefits, including a lower risk of injury in athletes, fewer falls in older adults, and less low back pain in chronic pain patients.

 You might be familiar with Pilates as an exercise routine that builds a strong core and long, lean muscles. According to previous research, the program incorporates fifty distinct exercises to improve balance, flexibility, and posture as well as muscle strength and endurance.

According to Vedant Vaksha, MD, a spine surgeon at Complete Orthopedics in Long Island, New York, "Pilates has a positive effect on the health of most of the voluntary muscles [skeletal muscles you control] of the body, predominantly the larger muscles."It aids in the stretching and strengthening of the forearm, arm, neck, back, hips, thighs, and leg muscles.

However, it may also provide a few additional benefits that are less well known and that you may not be aware of until you look in the mirror. The seven health benefits of Pilates are as follows:

1. Greater Flexibility, Strength, and Balance for Older People

According to Dr. Vaksha, Pilates exercises can help improve body balance because they strongly emphasize core work.

But there's more: Pilates improved dynamic balance, lower limb strength, hip, and lower back flexibility, and cardio endurance among adults over 60, according to a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Also, the Pilates exercise doesn't have to be fancy. Pilates is safe and affordable, according to another systematic review and meta-analysis, because all you need is a mat on the floor.

2. Lower Probability of Falls

According to the National Institute on Aging, the increased physical function can also help prevent falls, which are a leading cause of emergency room visits for older adults each year.

According to Varsha, Pilates strengthens the arm, leg, and core muscles, which include the neck, lower back, and upper back. This improves our body's agility and strength, which aids in both our daily and leisure activities, he states. According to a systematic review and meta-analysis, older people can significantly lower their risk of falling due to improved balance, strength, flexibility, and functionality. In the end, that may extend the independence of the elderly.

While other workouts can accomplish the same thing, some research indicates that Pilates has an advantage in this regard. While any physical activity can improve balance and strength, lowering the risk of falling, a randomized controlled trial found that Pilates has a greater effect than a general fitness program.

3. Lower Risk of Injury

Heather Milton, a board-certified clinical exercise physiologist at NYU Langone Health in New York City, asserts that Pilates aids in the development of core muscles and body stabilization, both of which have the potential to lower the risk of injury.

This includes decreasing the possibility of injuries caused by excessive use in athletes, active adults, and children.

According to the findings of a study that was published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine in August 2017 and found that recreational runners who completed a six-week Pilates program saw improved functional movement (as measured by a deep squat, hurdle step, and lunge), which helps lower the risk of running-related injuries.

Eight adolescents completed an eight-week Pilates program in a smaller study that was published in the Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation in February 2020. The participants increased their trunk and shoulder strength as well as their muscle mass. The researchers came to the conclusion that this will not only enhance performance but also likely assist in preventing further injuries.

4. Reduced Back Pain

According to Varsha, patients who complain of back pain should regularly practice yoga and Pilates. Taking care of the core is one of the most important ways to help prevent back pain, according to Raksha. Pilates plays a role in this: Core strength and stability are essential components of a Pilates practice.

In patients with chronic lower back pain, a systematic review found that practicing Pilates for six to twelve weeks reduced pain in the short term. For the best results, the researchers suggested taking two or three one-hour Pilates classes each week.

5. Enhanced Intelligence

Additionally, it has been demonstrated that Pilates improves mental clarity. A three-month Pilates program that included timed motor and visual tasks was found to improve verbal fluency and executive function in 110 Spanish women over 60. Additionally, the researchers observed physical enhancements, such as enhanced functional flexibility and lower-body strength. However, it should be noted that they did not keep any improvements in any other measures of cognitive function among the study participants, such as language, attention, and calculation, recall, orientation, or registration.

The researchers of the study said that their research only looked at the short-term results and that future studies should look into how long-term Pilates practice affects the brain.