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Updated: May 29, 2026

A Novel Digital Platform for a Monitored Home-based Cardiac Rehabilitation Program
Published on: April 19, 2019
Pilates in heart failure patients: a randomized controlled pilot trial.
Guilherme Veiga Guimarães1, Vitor Oliveira Carvalho, Edimar Alcides Bocchi
1Heart Institute do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil, (InCor-HCFMUSP). gvguima@usp.br
Pilates training significantly improved exercise capacity in heart failure (HF) patients, enhancing ventilation and oxygen uptake compared to conventional cardiac rehabilitation. This suggests Pilates is a beneficial adjunctive therapy for improving functional capacity in HF.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Exercise Physiology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Conventional cardiac rehabilitation involves aerobic and calisthenics exercise.
- The therapeutic benefits of the Pilates method are recognized, but evidence for its use in heart failure (HF) patients is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of Pilates on exercise capacity in patients with heart failure (HF).
Main Methods:
- Sixteen HF patients (NYHA class I-II) were randomized into conventional cardiac rehabilitation (n=8) or mat Pilates (n=8) groups.
- Both groups underwent 16 weeks of training, including 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, followed by 20 minutes of their specific program.
Main Results:
- The Pilates group showed significant increases in exercise time, ventilation, peak VO2, and O2 pulse.
- Pilates group demonstrated a significantly greater increase in peak VO2 compared to the conventional group.
Conclusions:
- The Pilates method may serve as a beneficial adjunctive treatment for enhancing functional capacity in heart failure patients.
- Pilates improves key exercise capacity variables in HF patients beyond standard cardiac rehabilitation.
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