The Effect of Pilates on Balance and Falls

Melissa Gaudreau, STOTT Pilates Instructor and founder of Pilates Vitality and Wellness
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As we age, our physical strength, bone density, and cognitive abilities decline.  This in turn deteriorates our sense of balance and we take longer to recover from falls. With age and inactivity, the unconscious processes in your brain that are responsible for balance may not integrate as well or as quickly as they used to, resulting in a fall.

To reduce the risk of falling, you can slow the process of deteriorating balance with Pilates exercise. Pilates focuses primarily on strengthening deep internal muscles of the abdomen, lower back, and hips, often referred to as the “powerhouse”.

The largest benefit of Pilates is developing a strong core; the most important thing aiding in mobility and balance. Whether you are practicing Pilates on the mat or with equipment, your balance will be challenged on a scale from moderate to high based on your current ability to perform the exercise. 

​A recent systematic review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine aimed to investigate this very topic – What is the effect of Pilates on balance and falls in older adults?  In this review, six studies were included that investigated a Pilates exercise intervention and also reported a measure of balance or falls.  The Pilates interventions in the included studies compared a group that participated in Pilates for at least 2 hours per week over a period of 5-24 weeks to a control group that did not participate in Pilates.  Based on the combined results from these studies, this review indicates that there is a significant improvement in balance among older adults who participate in Pilates.  Only one of the six studies reported data on falls, but they also found a significant reduction in the number of falls among older adults who participated in the Pilates intervention.

Although these results look promising, there were some study limitations.  More higher quality research is needed in this area to provide stronger evidence on the effect of Pilates on balance and falls. 

To bring a real-life perspective to this research, I would like to share a common statement that I often hear from my elderly clients:

“I just realized how good my balance is in comparison to the majority of my friends who cannot put their shoes on while standing.”

This is just one of the many real life examples that show the benefits of Pilates – there are many more ways to improve the quality of your daily life through Pilates exercise.

Pilates doesn't just improve balance in the elderly, it can increase balance in everyone, including younger individuals and athletes, and therefore, Pilates is recommended for everyone.

Pilates truly is a life-changing movement.