Investigation of the Effect of Pilates Exercises on Postural Stability and Fear of Birth in Pregnancy

Year 2023, Volume: 7 Issue: 3, 530 - 540, 30.09.2023

Halil İbrahim Bulguroğlu , Merve Bulguroğlu , Çağla Özkul , Arzu Güçlü Gündüz

https://doi.org/10.46237/amusbfd.1253720

Cited By: 1

Abstract

Objective: Physiological and psychological changes are observed in the female body during pregnancy. These changes can lead to some changes that can affect the pregnancy process in women. Our study aims to understand how pilates training affects core stability, balance, and fear of childbirth levels in pregnant women.
Method: In our randomized controlled study, fifty-eight volunteer pregnant women aged 18-35 years, who completed the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, 31 in the Pilates and 27 in the control group, were included. The Pilates group was given pilates exercises for eight weeks, two days a week, 1 hour a day, by a physiotherapist. An 8-week home program consisting of breathing exercises was given to the control group. Core stability, balance, and fear of birth were assessed before and after eight weeks of training.
Results: Statistically significant improvements were observed in the Sahrman Core stability test scores in the Pilates group (p<0.05), while a decrease was observed in the control group results (p < 0.05). Postural stability was preserved in the Pilates group even improved in the right foot test (p<0.05). No change was observed in the control group (p > 0.05). When the The Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire A measurement results were compared, a statistically significant difference was found in favor of the pilates group with a large effect size (F=27.693; p<0.001, ηp2=0.374).
Conclusion: The results showed that pilates exercises applied during pregnancy could improve women's core stability and balance levels and reduce their fear of childbirth.

Keywords

Pilates exercise, Postural balance, Birth

Pilates Egzersizlerinin Gebelikte Postüral Stabilite ve Doğum Korkusu Üzerine Etkisinin Araştırılması

Abstract

Amaç: Gebelik döneminde kadın vücudunda fizyolojik ve psikolojik değişiklikler gözlenmektedir. Bu değişiklikler kadınlarda gebelik sürecini etkileyebilecek bazı değişikliklere yol açabilmektedir. Çalışmamız pilates eğitiminin gebelerde core stabilite, denge ve doğum korkusu düzeylerini nasıl etkilediğini anlamayı amaçlamaktadır.
Yöntem: Randomize kontrollü çalışmamıza, gebeliğin ilk 12 haftasını tamamlamış 31'i pilates, 27'si kontrol grubu olmak üzere 18-35 yaş arası elli sekiz gönüllü gebe dahil edildi. Pilates grubuna sekiz hafta boyunca haftada iki gün, günde bir saat fizyoterapist tarafından pilates egzersizleri verildi. Kontrol grubuna ise 8 haftalık solunum egzersizlerinden oluşan ev programı verildi. Kor stabilite, denge ve doğum korkusu sekiz haftalık eğitimden önce ve sonra değerlendirildi.
Bulgular: Pilates grubunda Sahrman Core stabilite testi puanlarında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı iyileşme (p<0.05), kontrol grubu sonuçlarında ise azalma gözlendi (p<0.05). Pilates grubunda postural stabilite korunmuş hatta sağ ayak testinde iyileşme sağlanmıştır (p<0.05). Kontrol grubunda herhangi bir değişiklik gözlenmedi (p>0.05). Wijma doğum beklentisi/deneyimi ölçeği A versiyonu ölçüm sonuçları karşılaştırıldığında, etki büyüklüğü büyük (F=27.693; p<0.001, ηp2=0.374) ile pilates grubu lehine istatistiksel olarak anlamlı fark bulunmuştur.
Sonuç: Sonuçlar, gebelikte uygulanan pilates egzersizlerinin kadınların core stabilite ile denge düzeylerini iyileştirebileceğini ve doğum korkularını azaltabileceğini göstermiştir.

Keywords

Pilates eğitimi, Postural denge, Doğum

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