A influência do método pilates na cognição, na resistência, na flexibilidade e no equilíbrio de idosos

Abstract

Studies have shown that the aging process affects, over the years, the cognition, resistance, flexibility and balance of the individual. Exercises bring benefits and improve the quality of life of the elderly. However, there are few studies that verify the relation between the Pilates Method and cognition. Considering this, this study aimed to investigate the influence of the Pilates Method on cognition, flexibility, muscular endurance and balance in a group of elderly people. To carry out this work, speech-language and physical assessments were carried out, focusing on the aspects addressed in this study (cognition, balance, flexibility and resistance). The physical activities based on the Pilates Method were performed in groups, twice a week, for 50 minutes each, totaling 16 sessions. As for the selection of participants, elderly people were invited through the publication of the research on social networks and invitations to social groups in the city of Santa Maria. The individuals had the following inclusion criteria: being between 60 and 75 years old, not practicing at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week; having Brazilian Portuguese as their first language; availability to attend pilates classes twice a week; never having done the Pilates Method; not having physical, orthopedic, respiratory, cardiovascular, psychological and/or neurological impairment (data collected by self-report from the anamnesis); not present sensory disturbances (visual and/or auditory). Individuals who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into two groups: Experimental Group 1 (G1), five elderly people who performed the Pilates sessions and Group 2 (G2) control, five elderly people who performed only the initial and final assessments, and remained two months without performing physical activities. The results were analyzed descriptively and quantitatively. For that, non-parametric analyzes were performed between and within groups using the Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon tests, respectively. The groups did not differ statistically. However, improvements and maintenance of language can be observed in the elderly in the EG and worsening in three participants in the CG. In the other cognitive domains, the performance between the groups was similar. Regarding flexibility, balance and abdominal resistance, maintenance or better performance was observed in all the elderly in the EG, the same was not observed in the CG group. It is concluded that the Pilates Method brings benefits to the elderly in terms of flexibility, resistance and balance. However, regarding the cognitive domains, language was the one that showed the most improvement, although not statistically significant. This fact may be related to the format of intervention, in a group, which provided the elderly with an environment of conviviality and communication.