Effect of Eight -Weeks Pilates Exercises on Non-Structural Scoliosis Deformity and Improve Balance in Female Students

Purpose & Scoliosis is a lateral deviation in spinal column with a vertebral rotation, and a three-dimensional deformity and the most important factor in trunk asymmetry. Postural changes are cause balance problems in scoliotic subjects. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Pilates corrective exercise to improve static alignment of spine and dynamic balance in female students with non-structural scoliosis.
This study was semi experimental with research design pre and post-test on 25 girls with non-structural scoliosis with average age of 27/4±3/65 yrs., height of 161/82±5/20 cm, and mass of 54/93±4/59 kg that were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. Pilates exercises program was the independent variable, the degree of scoliosis and score of dynamic balance test were dependent variables. Photogrammetry method was used to determine the degree of scoliosis and Y Balance Test to determine of balance improvement.
Results of paired t- test showed a significant difference between experimental and control groups in lateral deviation (degree of scoliosis) after an eight-week Pilates corrective exercises. The results of Y Balance Test showed a significant difference between pre-test and post-test (P≤0.05).
Based on the results of this study it could be said that Pilates exercises, with emphasis on symmetrical division of body weight and strengthen of the Core, significantly decreased lateral deviation of the spinal column in subjects with non-structural scoliosis and developed the balance. Therefore, Pilates corrective exercises as a method to correct non-structural scoliosis and improve the dynamic balance are suggested.