Pilates exercise found to improve motor control in middle-aged women

Age shouldn’t be an excuse for avoiding physical activity. In fact, it should serve as an even bigger reason to exercise. An inactive lifestyle can compromise a person’s body composition, especially as they grow older. This can consequently lead to reduced motor control, which can incapacitate the individual. To avoid these consequences, it’s best that older people continue participating in physical activities, such as Pilates. In a study, researchers from the University of Birjand and Imam Khomeini International University found that Pilates can improve the motor control of middle-aged women.

Changes in body composition are major problems that middle-aged people often experience. These include an increase in body fat mass and muscle weakness. These alterations are associated with various health conditions, including loss of physical function, reduced motor control, as well as back pain. Most of the time, the body fats tend to accumulate in the abdominal region. This causes the spine to curve and the center of gravity to shift forward, resulting in back pain, poor posture, and an increased risk of falling. The fats can also reduce mobility by interfering with motor control, which involves a complex network of nerves and neurons that facilitate the movement of information from the brain to the spinal cord and then to the skeletal muscles.

By participating in physical exercises, middle-aged people can improve their physical and mental health. Unfortunately, many old people are discouraged from working out because of pre-existing health conditions or lack of experience. Pilates, in particular, is a good exercise to start with since anyone can do it regardless of age, gender, or experience level. It can also easily be modified to fit what each person needs. This exercise also doesn’t require special facilities and equipment, so it can be done al