Breaking Ground: Pilates Shows Promise for Fibromyalgia (FMS)
Sam’s world view
Each month we hear from Sam Wood - she summarises the most recent articles published in the Pilates industry.
As part of our continued focus on Pilates for chronic pain and neurological conditions, we explore how the method is showing meaningful promise for those living with Fibromyalgia.
In 2009, Altan and colleagues published the first randomized controlled trial investigating whether Pilates exercises could benefit women with FMS. The researchers enrolled 50 women aged 24-63 years who met American College of Rheumatology diagnostic criteria and randomly assigned them to either supervised Pilates training or a home-based control program. The Pilates group received one-hour sessions three times weekly for 12 weeks with a certified trainer, following a protocol comprising nine modules: postural education, neutral position awareness, sitting exercises, antalgic exercises, stretching, proprioceptive training, and breathing education, utilizing resistance bands and 26cm Pilates balls. The control group performed home-based relaxation and stretching exercises for the same duration, with monthly compliance monitoring.
Assessment was conducted by a blinded evaluator at baseline, immediately post-intervention (week 12), and at 12-week follow-up (week 24). Primary outcome measures included pain intensity via visual analog scale and overall disease impact through the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ). Secondary measures examined tender point count, pressure pain threshold, lower-extremity endurance, and quality of life.
The findings demonstrated significant benefits in both pain reduction and function for the Pilates group at 12 weeks. Quality of life measures and tender point counts also improved. When compared directly with the control group, Pilates proved significantly superior for both pain and function at week 12. The control group showed no significant improvements at any point during or after the study.
An interesting finding appeared at the 24-week follow-up: while functional improvements persisted in the Pilates group, pain reduction advantages diminished and between-group differences disappeared. This finding underscored an important clinical consideration—the benefits of Pilates for fibromyalgia appear to require ongoing practice rather than providing sustained effects after discontinuation, a crucial point for managing this chronic condition.
The researchers attributed Pilates' effectiveness to several mechanisms particularly relevant to fibromyalgia: the emphasis on isometric contractions rather than aerobic exercise reduces fatigue; the focus on core strengthening and postural control addresses the muscular imbalances and balance impairments common in FMS; and the mind-body component provides cognitive-behavioral benefits alongside physical training. Importantly, all participants completed the program without adverse events, establishing Pilates as a safe intervention for this population.
As the first clinical investigation of Pilates for fibromyalgia, this study provided foundational evidence that Pilates represents an effective and safe treatment option for FMS patients, though the researchers appropriately recommended larger studies with longer follow-up periods to further establish its therapeutic value.
Altan L, Korkmaz N, Bingol Ü, Gunay B. Effect of Pilates training on people with fibromyalgia syndrome: a pilot study. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2009;90(12):1983-1988.
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Samantha Wood, MPT, MBA, NPCT, RYT, is a licensed physical therapist, a National Pilates Certified Teacher (NPCT), and a Yoga Alliance–certified teacher. She created and teaches BASI’s Pilates for Injuries & Pathologies advanced education courses. Click here to view 2026 course dates and locations.
Her new book, Pilates For Rehabilitation, 2nd edition was released at the beginning of December and is available now from HumanKinetics.com and Amazon.com.