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NCT Number: NCT07666919

Pilates for Sedentary Individuals

The global rise in physical inactivity represents an escalating public health crisis, with the proportion of insufficiently active adults projected to reach 35% by 2030. Office workers are at the highest risk due to prolonged occupational sitting; a lifestyle factor heavily linked to various musculoskeletal disorders. While maintaining an upright posture relies on the synergistic coordination of deep core muscles, extended sitting disrupts this muscular balance, leading to chronic postural decay. Although Pilates is proven to improve core muscle thickness, enhance physical fitness, and alleviate low back pain, existing literature shows high variability in training durations (ranging from 6 to 16 weeks) and lacks definitive conclusions regarding its long-term, residual effects post-intervention. Consequently, it remains unclear whether the benefits of Pilates can be sustained once the structured training stops. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the efficacy of Pilates on core stability and physical fitness among sedentary individuals, providing insights into sustainable exercise interventions.

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Key information

Conditions

Sedentary Behaviors Behavior Core Muscle Weakness Sedentary Behavior

Age range

18 year–59 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Faculty of Physical Therapy, Mahidol University

Salaya, Changwat Nakhon Pathom, 73170, Thailand

Location contact

Rommanee Rojasavastera, M.Sc.

CONTACT

[email protected]

+66837830777

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Aged between 18 and 59 years.
  • Had a Body Mass Index (BMI) of ≥ 23 kg/m2.
  • Engaged in sedentary activities (sitting) for more than 7 hours per day.
  • Passed the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) assessment.
  • Did not currently participate in any other exercise programs or physical activities during the study period.

Exclusion criteria

  • Had visual impairments that could not be corrected with corrective lenses or glasses.
  • Had a medical history of spinal or lower extremity surgery.
  • Had medical conditions or received medications that affected balance and gait, such as neurological diseases or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).
  • Pregnant during the study period.
  • Had severe pain in any part of the body (pain score ≥ 7/10).
  • Inability to follow the research procedures.

Treatment and study plan

pilates exercise

Other

The 1-hour Pilates exercise program was supervised by an instructor.

Walking Exercise

Other

The 1-hour walking exercise program was supervised by a physical therapist. Participants walked on a treadmill, where the speed was gradually increased to achieve a moderate intensity level, maintaining their heart rates within 64% to 70% of their maximum heart rate.

Primary outcomes

  1. Muscle thickness

    Time frame: Baseline, at 4 weeks post-training, at 8 weeks post-training, at 2 weeks post-training cessation, and at 4 weeks post-training cessation.

    A handheld ultrasound device was used to measure trunk muscle thickness at rest and during contraction.

  2. Muscle strength

    Time frame: Baseline, at 4 weeks post-training, at 8 weeks post-training, at 2 weeks post-training cessation, and at 4 weeks post-training cessation.

    A handheld dynamometer was used to measure trunk muscle strength. Participants were instructed to maintain a maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) for 5 seconds per trial, with a 30-second rest period between trials to minimize fatigue.

  3. Muscle flexibility

    Time frame: Baseline, at 4 weeks post-training, at 8 weeks post-training, at 2 weeks post-training cessation, and at 4 weeks post-training cessation.

    The sit-and-reach test was used to measure lower back and hamstring flexibility. Participants completed static stretching for 5 minutes before assessment. During the assessment, participants sat with knees fully extended and feet hip-width apart against the sit-and-reach box. They then reached forward, using their fingertips to displace the sliding scale as far as possible in a single trial.

  4. Muscle endurance

    Time frame: Baseline, at 4 weeks post-training, at 8 weeks post-training, at 2 weeks post-training cessation, and at 4 weeks post-training cessation.

    The McGill Core Endurance Test was used to measure trunk muscle endurance. Each test was conducted once, with the duration recorded using a digital stopwatch. Timing commenced once the participant achieved the standardized starting position and ceased when they could no longer maintain the required posture.

  5. Proprioception

    Time frame: Baseline, at 4 weeks post-training, at 8 weeks post-training, at 2 weeks post-training cessation, and at 4 weeks post-training cessation.

    Joint Repositioning Error (JRE) was measured under both eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions to assess proprioception. Participants began the assessment seated with their hips and knees flexed at 90°, feet positioned shoulder-width apart, and arms resting naturally at their sides. From this baseline, they were guided into a neutral reference position-defined by full trunk extension and a flat spinal alignment-which they were instructed to memorize. To facilitate measurement, a marker was placed at the first sacral vertebra (S1), and a laser pointer was fixed 50 cm away from this landmark. The testing procedure required participants to perform three cycles of trunk flexion and extension before attempting to return to the neutral reference position as accurately as possible. The JRE represented the distance between the laser beam's initial and final positions.

  6. Balance

    Time frame: Baseline, at 4 weeks post-training, at 8 weeks post-training, at 2 weeks post-training cessation, and at 4 weeks post-training cessation.

    The Y-Balance Test (YBT) was used to measure dynamic balance. Participants were instructed to reach out and push the indicator as far as possible.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Posture

    Time frame: Baseline, at 4 weeks post-training, at 8 weeks post-training, at 2 weeks post-training cessation, and at 4 weeks post-training cessation.

    Posture was measured using the Posture-analyzing and Virtual Reconstructing (PAViR) system, which utilized an RGB-D camera for skeletal reconstruction.

  2. Pain level

    Time frame: Baseline, at 4 weeks post-training, at 8 weeks post-training, at 2 weeks post-training cessation, and at 4 weeks post-training cessation.

    Pain location was identified through participant interviews, while pain intensity was quantified using a 0-10 Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).

  3. Health-Related Quality of Life

    Time frame: Baseline, at 4 weeks post-training, at 8 weeks post-training, at 2 weeks post-training cessation, and at 4 weeks post-training cessation.

    Health-Related Quality of Life was measured using the Thai version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief (WHOQOL-BREF-THAI). This 26-item instrument assessed four core domains: physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment. Responses were scored on a Likert scale, with higher scores indicating better health status and overall QoL.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Rommanee Rojasavastera, M.Sc.

CONTACT

[email protected]

+66837830777

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Mahidol University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Efficacy of Pilates on Core Stability and Physical Fitness Among Sedentary Individuals

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Jun 24, 2026
Registry last updated
Jun 26, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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