First Name:
Katlyn
Last Name:
Lipe
Major Department:
Psychology
Thesis Director:
Marianne Adams
Date of Thesis:
May 2013
Objective: The purpose of this honors thesis was to review multiple studies to investigate how integration of the Pilates method into physical therapy sessions will improve patient outcomes. Also, it relates the basic principles and philosophies of the Pilates method to the field of physical therapy today.
Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed of academic articles pertaining to Pilates and related physical and mental factors. Several works were reviewed to compile information on the philosophies of Pilates. Also, interviews were executed in order to obtain opinions of health care professionals utilizing Pilates in their practices today.
Results: Many of the studies reviewed show that a regular Pilates practice will have positive effects on both physical and mental factors. Weaknesses were found in each study reviewed, including failure to specify style of Pilates utilized, lack of random assignment, insufficient length of research, and established abilities of subjects. These limitations indicate the need for future research in order to validate incorporating Pilates-based therapies into a professional practice.
Conclusion: Since the research was unable to provide definitive data for Pilates as a comprehensive rehabilitative tool, it can be concluded that the results should be interpreted with caution before being utilized within a therapy setting. It was clear from the research, however, that the philosophies behind the Pilates method are beneficial to client satisfaction and the approach allows for a greater chance for full recovery.