Efficacy of the Pilates ground method compared with active stretching exercises on the functionality of elderly people with chronic low back pain

Abstract

Introduction: Chronic low back pain is defined as persistent pain in the lower back for more than 12 weeks. Among the exercise modalities, Pilates has stood out due to its effectiveness in improving function, disability and pain. Objective: The effect of Mat Pilates when compared to active stretching exercises on the functionality of elderly people with chronic low back pain was analyzed. Methods: Controlled clinical trial, carried out with people between 60 and 79 years old, regardless of gender, divided into two groups: Pilates mat group (G1), with 6 participants, and active stretching group (G2), with 7 participants. Data collection for G1 began in February 2024 and for G2 in May of the same year. Both groups performed 11 exercises per session, which were repeated 10 times, with isometric holds of 15 seconds for G1 and three times sustained for 30 seconds in G2. Sessions lasted 50 minutes, twice a week, for six weeks, totaling 12 sessions. To assess pain intensity and perception of disability before and after interventions, the VAS Scale and the Oswestry Index 2.0 were used, respectively. Comparisons between groups were performed using the unpaired Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney test, and in intergroup analysis, the paired Student's t-test or Wilcoxon test were used, depending on the normality of the data, which was tested by the Shapiro-Wilk test. Analyses were performed using SPSS 22.0 software, and the significance level adopted was p<0.05. Results: Both interventions provided improvements in pain and functionality, but these improvements were more significant in the active stretching group. Conclusion: active stretching exercises may be effective for treating pain in participants with these characteristics. Studies on the same topic, but with more representative samples, are encouraged.