Pilates With Diaphragmatic Breathing in Sedentary Women

NCT07650929 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: BANU-PILATES-DB-2025-76Other Identifier
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 24
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This randomized controlled trial evaluated whether adding diaphragmatic breathing exercises to an eight-week supervised Pilates program improves pulmonary function, resting heart rate, and core endurance in sedentary women aged 35 years and older. Participants were randomized to Pilates combined with diaphragmatic breathing or Pilates alone. Both groups trained three times per week for eight weeks.

Conditions

Sedentary Behavior Pulmonary Function Cardiopulmonary Fitness

Keywords

Pilates Diaphragmatic Breathing Pulmonary Function Sedentary Women Resting Heart Rate Core Endurance Peak Expiratory Flow

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Peak Expiratory Flow

  Peak expiratory flow was assessed by spirometry. The change from baseline to the end of the eight-week intervention was evaluated.

  Baseline and after 8 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Change in Forced Vital Capacity

  Baseline and after 8 weeks

• Change in Forced Expiratory Volume in One Second

  Baseline and after 8 weeks

• Change in FEV1/FVC Ratio

  Baseline and after 8 weeks

• Change in Resting Heart Rate

  Baseline and after 8 weeks

• Change in Plank Test Performance

  Baseline and after 8 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Pilates Exercise Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants completed an eight-week supervised Pilates program combined with structured diaphragmatic and abdominal breathing exercises. Sessions were performed three times per week and lasted approximately 60 minutes.

Behavioral: Pilates Exercise Program; Behavioral: Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise

Pilates Alone

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants completed the same eight-week supervised Pilates program without specific diaphragmatic breathing instruction. Sessions were performed three times per week and lasted approximately 60 minutes.

Behavioral: Pilates Exercise Program

Interventions

Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise BEHAVIORAL

Participants performed structured diaphragmatic and abdominal breathing exercises integrated into the Pilates sessions. The breathing protocol included slow nasal inhalation, controlled oral exhalation, abdominal expansion, segmental thoracic breathing, and guided breathing rhythm during selected Pilates exercises.

Pilates Exercise Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise

Pilates Exercise Program BEHAVIORAL

Participants completed a supervised mat-based Pilates exercise program three times per week for eight weeks. Each session lasted approximately 60 minutes and included a warm-up phase, a main Pilates exercise component targeting core stability, flexibility, postural alignment, and muscular endurance, and a cool-down phase.

Pilates Alone; Pilates Exercise Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 35 Years+
• Gender Eligibility Details: Only individuals who self-identify as women are eligible to participate.
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Female participants aged 35 years or older
• Sedentary status, defined as no regular structured exercise participation during the previous six months
• Non-smoker
• No diagnosed cardiovascular, pulmonary, or musculoskeletal disorder
• Not using medications known to influence cardiopulmonary function
• Provided written informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• Pregnancy
• Recent surgery or injury
• Participation in another structured exercise program during the study period
• Any cardiovascular, pulmonary, or musculoskeletal condition that could affect safe participation
• Use of medication known to influence cardiopulmonary function

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Bandırma Onyedi Eylül University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Bandirma Onyedi Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine

Balıkesir, Bandırma, 10010, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Study Officials

• DUYGU DURMAZ, PHD

  Bandirma Onyedi Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Outcome assessors were blinded to group allocation. Participants and exercise instructors could not be blinded because of the nature of the exercise intervention.
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Bandirma Onyedi Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine

Model Details: Participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to one of two parallel intervention groups. The experimental group completed a supervised Pilates program combined with structured diaphragmatic breathing exercises, whereas the active comparator group completed the same supervised Pilates program without specific diaphragmatic breathing instruction. Both groups trained three times per week for eight weeks. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and after the intervention by assessors blinded to group allocation.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 11, 2026
• First Posted: June 16, 2026
• Study Start: June 3, 2025
• Primary Completion: September 5, 2025
• Study Completion: October 7, 2025
• Last Updated: June 16, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL
• Time Frame: Beginning after publication and available for 5 years.
• Access Criteria: Data will be shared with researchers who submit a methodologically sound proposal and obtain approval from the corresponding author and, if required, the institutional ethics committee.

Locations

TU (1)