The effectiveness of Pilates exercise training on selected post-menopausal Women with non-specific low back pain in improving pain, flexibility and endurance- A pilot study

Post-menopausal women, especially among the Indian population, are susceptible to experience nonspecific low back pain which refers to pain or discomfort in the lower back region without a clear underlying structural cause or specific pathology.Pilates can help with the low back pain through a combination of strengthening, flexibility, postural improvement, and body awareness.Pilates reduces the pain by core strengthening, improving spinal alignment, balanced muscle development, dynamic stretching and controlled movements, encouraging mindfulness and awareness of movement patterns, specific breathing techniques, mind-body connection approach.By gradual progression of exercises it can help in proper form to reduce the risk of exacerbating existing pain.A three weeks Pilates training program was given to the experimental group, which was composed of ten postmenopausal women with non-specific low back pain, following an assessment of their pain, flexibility, and endurance.The study was a quantitative true experiment.A statistical analysis was performed on the experimental and control groups' pretest and posttest results.The post-test and post-test scores of the experimental group showed a significant difference in pain reduction, improved flexibility, and increased endurance in postmenopausal women, while the control group showed no significant change in any of these parameters.