Acute Effect Of Pilates On Blood Pressure In Women

NCT07819058 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: 4170827
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 15
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The objective of this randomized crossover clinical trial was to evaluate the acute effect of a Pilates exercise session on blood pressure in women aged 50 years or older. The main questions investigated were:

• Did a single Pilates exercise session alter blood pressure in the 24 hours following the intervention?
• Did the effects of Pilates on blood pressure differ from those observed after a treadmill walking session? All participants initially underwent a control condition, which involved a health history assessment and the fitting of a blood pressure monitor for 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). Following this condition, participants were randomly assigned to one of two intervention sequences: Pilates followed by walking, or walking followed by Pilates. The two interventions were performed with a six-day interval between sessions. In the Pilates condition, participants performed a session lasting approximately 50 minutes, consisting of 10 exercises. In the walking condition, they performed approximately 50 minutes of treadmill walking at an intensity corresponding to 60-70% of their maximum heart rate. After each experimental condition, blood pressure was monitored for 24 hours using ABPM.

Conditions

Elevated Blood Pressure

Keywords

Blood Pressure; Hypertension; Pilates; Exercise; Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring; Acute Exercise

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure

  Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure was assessed after each experimental condition using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were recorded throughout the 24-hour monitoring period, including waking and sleeping periods, to evaluate the acute effects of Pilates and walking on blood pressure.

  24 hours after each experimental condition

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Systolic Blood Pressure

  24 hours after each condition

• Diastolic Blood Pressure

  24 hours after each condition

• Mean Arterial Pressure

  24 hours after each condition

• Pulse Pressure

  24 hours after each condition

• Affective Valence

  During each 50-minute exercise session

Study Arms (2)

Pilates → Walking

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants first completed a 50-minute Pilates exercise session. The session consisted of 10 exercises performed on a mat using body weight and a Metalife Magic Circle, with one set of 10 repetitions for each exercise and a 1-minute interval between exercises. After a 6-day washout period, participants completed a 50-minute walking session on a treadmill at 60-70% of heart rate reserve. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed for 24 hours after each exercise session.

Behavioral: Pilates Exercise; Behavioral: Walking Exercise

Walking → Pilates

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants first completed a 50-minute walking session on a treadmill at 60-70% of heart rate reserve. After a 6-day washout period, participants completed a 50-minute Pilates exercise session. The Pilates session consisted of 10 exercises performed on a mat using body weight and a Metalife Magic Circle, with one set of 10 repetitions for each exercise and a 1-minute interval between exercises. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed for 24 hours after each exercise session.

Behavioral: Pilates Exercise; Behavioral: Walking Exercise

Interventions

Pilates Exercise BEHAVIORAL

A single 50-minute Pilates exercise session was performed on a mat using body weight and a Metalife Magic Circle. The session consisted of 10 exercises, with one set of 10 repetitions for each exercise and a 1-minute interval between exercises. The exercises targeted mobility, flexibility, strengthening, and trunk and lower- and upper-limb movements. Participants were previously familiarized with the exercises and instructed on their proper execution.

Pilates → Walking; Walking → Pilates

Walking Exercise BEHAVIORAL

A single 50-minute walking session was performed on a treadmill. Exercise intensity was individually prescribed at 60-70% of heart rate reserve, with continuous heart rate monitoring throughout the session. Treadmill speed was progressively adjusted as needed to maintain the target heart rate range.

Pilates → Walking; Walking → Pilates

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 50 Years+
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Women aged 50 years or older.
• Elevated blood pressure or hypertension, regardless of antihypertensive medication use.
• No injury or health condition that prevented participation in the exercise protocols.
• Agreement not to engage in other physical exercise during the study period.
• Willingness to participate in all study procedures and provide informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• Failure to participate in or complete any of the study protocols or exercise sessions.
• Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring errors that compromised the analysis of the study outcomes.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universidade Estadual do Norte do Parana: lead

Study Sites (1)

State University of Northern Paraná

Jacarezinho, Paraná, 86400-000, Brazil

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Hypertension; Motor Activity

Interventions

Exercise Movement Techniques

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Vascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Physical Therapy Modalities; Therapeutics

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 8, 2026
• First Posted: September 14, 2026
• Study Start: August 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: December 31, 2024
• Study Completion: December 31, 2024
• Last Updated: September 14, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

BR (1)