Pilates for Sedentary Individuals

NCT07666919 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: MU-CIRB 2026/290.0705
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 34
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

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.

Conditions

Sedentary Behaviors; Core Muscle Weakness

Keywords

core muscle; core stability; physical inactivity; pilates; sedentary behaviors

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (6)

• Muscle thickness

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

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

• Muscle strength

  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.

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

• Muscle flexibility

  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.

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

• Muscle endurance

  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.

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

• Proprioception

  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.

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

• Balance

  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.

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

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Posture

  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 level

  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

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

Study Arms (2)

Experimental group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in the experimental group participated in a Pilates exercise program.

Other: Pilates exercise

Control group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants in the control group participated in a walking exercise program.

Other: Walking exercise

Interventions

Pilates exercise OTHER

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

Experimental group

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.

Control group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 59 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• 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.

You may not qualify if:

• 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.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Mahidol University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Faculty of Physical Therapy, Mahidol University

Salaya, Changwat Nakhon Pathom, 73170, Thailand

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Sedentary Behavior

Interventions

Exercise Movement Techniques

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Physical Therapy Modalities; Therapeutics

Central Study Contacts

Rommanee Rojasavastera, M.Sc.

CONTACT

+66837830777; rommanee.roj@mahidol.ac.th

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: The assessor was blinded to the participant groups and operated independently from the intervention provider.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Model Details: The study was a single-blind randomized controlled trial with a 1:1 parallel-group design.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 18, 2026
• First Posted: June 24, 2026
• Study Start: August 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2027
• Last Updated: June 26, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: CSR

Locations

TH (1)