Effects of Pilates training on sleep quality, anxiety, depression and fatigue in postmenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the effects that a Pilates-based exercise program has on sleep quality, anxiety, depression and fatigue in community-dwelling Spanish postmenopausal women aged 60 and over. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 110 women (69.15 ± 8.94 years) participated in this randomized controlled trial. They were randomly allocated to either a control (n = 55) or a Pilates (n = 55) group. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sleep quality and self-perceived fatigue were assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Fatigue Severity Scale, respectively. Anxiety and depression were evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). RESULTS: Significant improvements were observed after Pilates training in all PSQI domains as well as in the PSQI total score, with small to medium-size effects, while significant between-group differences in post-intervention measures were observed only for sleep duration (d = 0.69) and sleep disturbances (d = 0.78). Moreover, intra- and inter-group statistical differences were observed for depression (d = 0.39 and d = 0.86, respectively) and for anxiety (d = 0.43 and d = 1.27 respectively). Finally, participants in the Pilates group experienced a decrease in self-perceived fatigue after the intervention period (d = 0.32). CONCLUSIONS: For community-dwelling Spanish postmenopausal women aged 60 years and over, a twelve-week Pilates exercise intervention has beneficial effects on sleep quality, anxiety, depression and fatigue.

Effects of Pilates on fall risk factors in community-dwelling elderly women: A randomized, controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: the main objective was to analyze the effects that an exercise programme based on the Pilates method would have on balance confidence, fear of falling, and postural control among women ≥60 years old. METHODS: a total of 110 women (69.15 ± 8.94 years) participated in this randomized, controlled trial that took place in Jaén (Spain). The participants were randomly assigned to either a control group (n = 55), which received no intervention, or to a Pilates group (n = 55), which carried out an exercise programme based on the Pilates method in 60-minute sessions for 12 weeks. The Falls Efficacy Scale-International and the activity-specific balance confidence scale were respectively used to assess fear of falling and balance confidence in performing activities of daily living. Postural control was evaluated using a stabilometric platform. RESULTS: Regarding balance confidence, the Pilates group showed higher values compared to the control group (77.52 ± 18.27 vs 72.35 ± 16.39, Cohen's d = 0.030). Women in the Pilates group showed lower fear of falling, compared to those of the control group (22.07 ± 5.73 vs 27.9 ± 6.95, Cohen's d = 0.041). Finally, concerning static balance, participants of the Pilates group experienced statistically significant improvements on the velocity and anteroposterior movements of the centre of pressure with eyes open and closed respectively (Cohen's d = 0.44 and 0.35 respectively). CONCLUSION: A 12-week Pilates training programme has beneficial effects on balance confidence, fear of falling and postural stability, in elderly women.

Risk of Falls in Healthy Older Adults: Benefits of High-Intensity Interval Training Using Lower Body Suspension Exercises.

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity interval training (MIIT) programs, both with a suspension training system, on several fall risk factors in healthy older adults. A total of 82 participants (68.23 ± 2.97 years) were randomized to HIIT (n = 28), MIIT (n = 27), or control (n = 27) groups. Balance confidence (Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale), fear of falling (Falls Efficacy Scale-International), dynamic balance (Timed Up and Go test), and gait analysis (OptoGait optical detection system) were assessed. Statistical analysis showed improvements after the intervention in the HIIT group compared with the MIIT and control groups regarding the fear of falling (p < .05 and p < .01, respectively), gait (both ps < .05), and dynamic balance (p < .05 and p < .01, respectively), whereas both HIIT and MIIT groups improved balance confidence compared with the control group (p < .01 and p < .05, respectively). We can conclude that HIIT has significant beneficial effects of fall risk in older adults.

Exercise alone or combined with dietary supplements for sarcopenic obesity in community-dwelling older people: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Sarcopenic obesity (SO) represents a major public health concern. Physical activity has been recommended to minimize functional decline in the elderly and it may also be relevant to SO management. The purpose of this systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was to investigate the effects of different exercise modalities, alone or combined with nutritional supplementation, on body composition, muscle strength and physical function in healthy community-dwelling older adults with SO. A literature search was performed using the PubMed, SCOPUS, CINAHL and Cochrane Plus databases. The main inclusion criteria were that the papers were English-language reports of RCTs involving healthy community-dwelling adults aged ≥60 years with SO. The initial search identified 2073 publications from the 4 databases and 72 additional records; 42 full-text records were assessed for eligibility and 8 articles were finally included. The search was conducted from December 1, 2017 to January 8, 2018. The types of exercises were resistance and aerobic training, either alone or combined, and whole-body electromyostimulation. Protein supplementation was included in three studies. The diversity of the methodologies employed and of the results observed does not allow us to reach a clear conclusion. Whereas five of the studies reported improvements in obesity, results were contradictory concerning muscle mass. Increases in muscle strength appeared especially with resistance training and do not seem to be linked to protein supplementation. On the other hand, improvements in physical function were reported in programs combining aerobic and resistance training with nutritional supplementation. We believe that it is of the utmost importance that a certain degree of homogeneity is kept concerning the methods and criteria used in the diagnosis of SO, so that the effects of specific physical exercise programs, whether alone or combined with nutritional supplements, can be assessed with precision.

Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in Spanish community-dwelling middle-aged and older women: Association with balance confidence, fear of falling and fall risk.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the association of sarcopenia, obesity, and sarcopenic obesity (SO) with fear of falling (FoF) and balance confidence in a Spanish sample of middle-aged and older community-dwelling women. STUDY DESIGN AND OUTCOME MEASURES: A total of 235 women (69.21±7.56 years) participated in this study. Body composition (bioelectrical impedance analysis), hand-grip strength, and physical performance (gait speed) were evaluated for the diagnosis of sarcopenia, obesity, and SO. Anxiety and depression were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) and the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) were employed to assess FoF and balance confidence, respectively. Scores of >26 on the FES-I and <67% on the ABC were used to identify women at risk of falling. The independent associations of sarcopenia, obesity and SO with FoF, balance confidence, and fall risk were evaluated by multivariate linear and logistic regressions, adjusting for potential confounding variables. RESULTS: 27.23% and 18.72% of women presented with sarcopenia and SO, respectively. Gait speed, body mass index (BMI), and fall history were independently associated with ABC score (adjusted-R2=0.152) and fall risk (ABC) (adjusted-R2=0.115). FES-I score was independently associated (adjusted-R2=0.193) with fall history, gait speed, BMI, and depression, which, together with obesity (BMI) and SO, remained independent factors for fall risk measured as FES-I score (adjusted-R2=0.243). CONCLUSION: In community-dwelling middle-aged and older Spanish women, BMI, gait speed, and fall history were independently associated with FoF, balance confidence, and fall risk. Depression was related only to FoF, and, together with obesity (BMI) and SO, was an independent predictor of fall risk as assessed by the FES-I.