Clinical Pilates for Fibromyalgia: One-to-One vs Group
Sam’s world view
Each month we hear from Sam Wood - she summarises the most recent articles published in the Pilates industry.
In a 2020 randomized controlled trial, Cağlayan and colleagues investigated the differential effects of one-to-one versus group-based clinical Pilates interventions for women with fibromyalgia. The study enrolled 42 participants who were randomly assigned to either individual or group Pilates sessions. Both formats followed identical protocols: twice-weekly 60-minute sessions over six weeks comprising a 10-minute warm-up, 40 minutes of mat-based clinical Pilates using stability balls and resistance bands for progressive challenge, and a 10-minute cool-down period. All sessions were conducted under qualified physiotherapist supervision.
Assessment was performed by a single physiotherapist at baseline and after the six-week intervention using validated measures: the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) for disease impact, Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) for functional status, Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) for anxiety levels, Short Form-36 (SF-36) for quality of life, and a biopsychosocial questionnaire (BETY-BQ) for holistic status evaluation.
The findings revealed complementary strengths between the two delivery methods. Individual Pilates sessions produced superior improvements in disease impact and quality-of-life measures, likely attributable to the personalized approach addressing specific physical limitations. Conversely, group sessions yielded greater enhancements in functional status and anxiety reduction. The researchers attributed these benefits to the positive psychological influence of peer support—observing others with similar conditions successfully performing exercises provided both motivation and anxiety relief. Interestingly, both approaches demonstrated comparable improvements in biopsychosocial status.
The researchers concluded that while clinical Pilates proves beneficial for fibromyalgia management regardless of delivery format, the optimal approach should be tailored to individual patient needs. Those experiencing severe disease impact and compromised quality of life may benefit most from one-to-one sessions, while patients with heightened anxiety may achieve better outcomes through group-based instruction.
Reference List
Çağlayan, B.C., A. Keskin, E.G. Kabul, B.B. Calik, U.B. Aslan, and U. Karasu. 2020. “Effects of Clinical Pilates Exercises in Individuals with Fibromyalgia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” European Journal of Rheumatology 8 (3): 150-155.