Effect of Pilates Exercise on Cardio Metabolic Risk Factors in Women with Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract
Background: Diabetes mellitus represents a syndrome of complex metabolic diseases united by the occurrence of hyperglycemia which also exhibits diverse origins (insulin deficiency, insulin resistance, systemic consequences of pregnancy) and has variable accompanying physiological and metabolic disorders leading to increase incidence and frequency of chronic complications due to micro vascular (e.g., neph-ropathy and retinopathy) and macro vascular (stroke, macro vascular coronary and peripheral artery diseases) alterations, as well as the difficulties of controlling it.
Aim of Study: The current study intended to determine the effect of pilates exercises on cardio metabolic risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Patients and Methods: Forty women with type 2 diabetes, aging from 35 to 55 years with 5-7 years ago suffering from diabetes, they were assigned randomly into two groups of equal numbers, control and study. Women in controlled group received regular medical treatment with no change on their regular daily activities. Those in the study group received a designed pilates exercises three days/week for 12 weeks. Blood samples were collected and were subjected to laboratory investigations for glycosylated hemoglobin and lipid profile analysis, measure blood pressure, waist-hip ratio, before intervention, and were repeated after twelve weeks of treat-ment.
Results: Pre and post-treatment comparisons showed a statistically significant improvement of the measured variables in the two groups. Moreover, significant difference was recorded in the study group.
Conclusions: Designed pilates exercises contributed to improve cardio metabolic risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes.