Abstract
With aging, the respiratory muscle strength decreases and the Pilates method is a technique that uses respiration as one of its principles. The present study has the aim of analyzing the influence of the Pilates method on respiratory muscle strength in older women. For the evaluation of respiratory muscle strength (inspiratory and expiratory), manovacuometer was used. Thirty-oneolder women were divided into two groups: 14 participated in the Pilates group and 17 in the control group. Participantsof the Pilates group performed 16 sessions of Pilates method with an hour of training, twice week for eight weeks. The control group participated in four educational lectures for eight weeks. For statistical analysis, Shapiro-Wilk, ANOVA for repeated measures (p <0.05) and Cohen’s D index were performed. The results showed significant difference and the mean effect for the Cohen’s D index expiratory muscle strength of the Pilates group when comparing before (69.71 ± 25.48) and after (85.23 ± 22.21) training (p<0.05) with an increase of 23%. The results of inspiratory muscle strength were not significant but presented an average effect for the Cohen’s D index for the Pilates group before (69.71 ± 35.46) and after (88.00 ± 34.87) training, with an increase of 27%. The control group did not present significant differences for the variables evaluated. It could be concluded that the Pilates method is effective in improving expiratory muscle strength and provides positive effects on the increase in inspiratory muscle strength.
Key words
Muscle strength; Physical therapy modalities; Respiratory function tests