Assessment of the strength of the pelvic floor musculature in women who practice Mat Pilates.

Abstract

Introduction: The Pilates Method is a program of physical and mental training that works the body as a whole, aiming
to gain muscle strength, mainly at the central region formed by the abdominal muscles, spine and pelvic floor, and to
promote stretching and flexibility. Objective: To investigate the effects of this technique in the pelvic floor muscle activity, noting the type of fiber was more work during the practice of this activity in soil (Mat Pilates). Methodology: It
was a character study of interventional, observational, descriptive, conducted during the months from March to May
2011, in which six women aged between 35 and 65 years, who underwent Mat Pilates classes twice a week, was rated
the strength of pelvic floor, by Perina® perineometer pressure before and after eight classes. Results: It was observed that all the volunteers had increased the muscle strength in both types of muscle fibers, and 84% (p < 0.05) had
greater gain in Type 2 fibers. Conclusion: The Mat Pilates influences in the increase of the pelvic floor muscle strength it and can be used to prevent dysfunction of these muscles.