Background: The ability to maintain balance directly affects an individual’s capacity to function independently or with confidence. Research shows that balance declines with aging based on many factors. Poor balance can lead to injury, which may further compromise independence, making balance not just an immediate safety concern, but a broader quality of life issue. Objective: To determine if performing the Standing Pilates repertoire would significantly improve balance compared with a standard exercise program as determined by the Timed Up an Go (TUG) and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) for women aged 65-85 years. Design: Single-blinded randomized controlled trial. Setting: Community senior facility. Participants: Fifty-two community dwelling healthy women. Intervention: Standing Pilates protocol versus standard exercise protocol, performed for three 45 minute exercise sessions each week for a 4-week time period. Measurements: Modified Falls Efficacy Scale, TUG, BBS, and abdominal circumference. Results: Forty-one women completed a minimum of 10 exercise sessions and partipated in the post-assessment. The MFES tool showed no difference pre- an post-assessment and no difference between groups. Statistical significance was found on the pre- and post-assessment for all participants independent of group assignment on the TUG and BBS. Statistical significance was found pre- and post-assessment as well as between groups on the abdominal circumference measurement. Limitations: Small sample size, unequal drop out rate between intervention and standard group, ceiling effect on balance measures used, and no interactive control comparison. Conclusions: The Standing Pilates repertoire was no more effective at improving balance scores than the standard exercise group.
