The Benefits of Pilates for Patients With Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review
Sam’s world view
Each month we hear from Sam Wood - she summarises the most recent articles published in the Pilates industry.
In 2022, The Journal of Clinical Medicine published a systematic review examining the therapeutic effects of Pilates for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The review analyzed 20 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) including 999 patients with MS. Ten studies were of good quality (according to PEDro scale), and seven had low risk of bias. Most of the intervention programs in these studies consisted of 45- to 60-minute mat-based sessions two or three times weekly for 8 to 12 weeks.
The findings revealed that Pilates significantly improves both static and dynamic balance, gait, and physical-functional conditions (muscle strength, core stability, physical performance, aerobic capacity, and body composition) and has positive effects on cognitive abilities in patients with MS. While evidence for improvements in fatigue, quality of life, and psychological function was less consistent, the cumulative data suggests Pilates is a safe and effective rehabilitation tool for MS management. Furthermore, there are high adherence rates (>80 percent) and few adverse effects.
The authors concluded that Pilates appears to be a safe, effective rehabilitation tool for MS patients with high adherence rates, though more high-quality research is needed to develop optimal protocols and confirm long-term benefits. Some of the limitations noted in the studies analyzed were varying methodological quality, limited long-term follow-up to determine whether benefits persisted, lack of details about MS type and disability level, and lack of consistency in assessment tools between studies.
Rodríguez-Fuentes, G., L. Silveira-Pereira, P. Ferradáns-Rodríguez, and P. Campo-Prieto. 2022. “Therapeutic Effects of the Pilates Method in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review.” Journal of Clinical Medicine 11: 683.