Pilates for Menopause

Pilates is a low-impact exercise method that emphasizes core stability, muscular endurance, and proper alignment, making it particularly suitable for postmenopausal women. By combining targeted strength work with controlled movements, Pilates may help address a variety of age-related concerns, including decreased functional capacity, poor sleep quality, low back pain, and psychological distress.

Protocols Studied in Research

Pilates for Cognitive and Functional Abilities in Postmenopausal Women [1]

• Protocol: In this randomized controlled trial, 110 Spanish women aged ≥60 were allocated to either a 12‑week Pilates exercise program (n = 55) or a control group (n = 55). Outcomes were assessed pre‑ and post‑intervention, including global cognitive function (Mini-Mental State Examination), verbal fluency (Isaacs test), executive function (Trail Making Test), functional flexibility (Back Scratch Test, Chair Sit‑and‑Reach Test), and lower‑body strength (30‑s Chair‑Stand Test).
• Outcome: Women in the Pilates group showed significant within‑group improvements across all functional measures (except global cognitive function). When compared with the control group, the Pilates group demonstrated significantly better performance in most measures, indicating that a 12‑week Pilates program can enhance both cognitive and physical functioning in older postmenopausal women.

Pilates Training for Sleep, Anxiety, Depression, and Fatigue in Postmenopausal Women [2]

• Protocol: In this randomized controlled trial, 110 community‑dwelling Spanish postmenopausal women (mean age 69.15 ± 8.94 years) were assigned to either a Pilates intervention group (n = 55) or a control group (n = 55) for 12 weeks. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), fatigue via the Fatigue Severity Scale, and anxiety/depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).
• Outcome: Pilates training led to significant improvements in all PSQI domains and the total PSQI score (with moderate effect sizes for sleep duration and disturbances), as well as significant reductions in both anxiety and depression scores and a decrease in self‑perceived fatigue. These findings suggest that a 12‑week Pilates intervention effectively enhances sleep quality and improves psychological well‑being in postmenopausal women.

Pilates for Pain, Endurance, Quality-of-Life, and Disability in Postmenopausal Women With Low Back Pain [3]

• Protocol: In this randomized controlled trial, 128 postmenopausal women with non‑specific low back pain were randomly assigned to either an experimental group receiving Pilates exercises or a control group undergoing conventional physical therapy. Outcomes assessed included pain intensity (numerical pain rating scale), endurance (Krause Weber test), disability (Oswestry Disability Scale), and quality of life (Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire).
• Outcome: Both groups improved over the intervention period; however, the Pilates group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in pain reduction, increased endurance, enhanced quality of life, and reduced disability compared to the conventional therapy group. These results indicate that Pilates training may be superior to standard physical therapy for managing low back pain in postmenopausal women.

Research Interpretation: Summary and Conclusion

In simple terms, recent randomized controlled trials suggest that a 12-week Pilates program can enhance physical function—such as flexibility, strength, and endurance—while also improving sleep quality and psychological well-being. Moreover, among postmenopausal women experiencing non-specific low back pain, Pilates training appears more effective than conventional physical therapy in reducing pain and disability and improving quality of life.

Overall, these findings highlight Pilates as a promising, low-risk exercise option that can support both physical and mental health during the postmenopausal stage.

Publications

[1] García-Garro PA, Hita-Contreras F, Martínez-Amat A, Achalandabaso-Ochoa A, Jiménez-García JD, Cruz-Díaz D, Aibar-Almazán A. Effectiveness of A Pilates Training Program on Cognitive and Functional Abilities in Postmenopausal Women. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 May 20;17(10):3580. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17103580. PMID: 32443744; PMCID: PMC7277224.

[2] Aibar-Almazán A, Hita-Contreras F, Cruz-Díaz D, de la Torre-Cruz M, Jiménez-García JD, Martínez-Amat A. Effects of Pilates training on sleep quality, anxiety, depression and fatigue in postmenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial. Maturitas. 2019 Jun;124:62-67. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2019.03.019. Epub 2019 Mar 28. PMID: 31097181.

[3] Nageswari C, Meena N, Gupta S, Thillaieaswaran B. Effect of Pilates Exercises on Pain, Endurance, Quality-of-Life, and Disability in Postmenopausal Women With Low Back Pain. Musculoskeletal Care. 2025 Mar;23(1):e70071. doi: 10.1002/msc.70071. PMID: 39956987.