EFFECT OF PILATES ON INDIVIDUALS WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS

Abstract

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common disease characterized as progressive and chronic, which affects the joints through an inflammatory process. As it is a chronic and disabling disease, it causes physical impairments that reduce the patient's functional capacity and interfere with daily activities. Therefore, the Pilates method can become an important ally in the treatment of OA, as it has beneficial effects in relieving chronic pain, improving physical fitness, stretching and postural alignment, always following the basic principles of the technique and efficient execution of the activity. Objective: To evaluate the effect of the Pilates method in individuals with knee osteoarthritis. Methodology: This study is an integrative review of the literature. A literature search was performed in the MEDLINE, SciELO, PEDro, Web of Science and Scopus databases based on the combination of the descriptors and keywords “knee osteoarthritis”, “exercise”, “exercise movement techniques”, “exercise”, “pain”, “physical functional performance”. Results and discussion: Regarding functionality and physical capacity, the studies analyzed confirm that Pilates also promoted significant improvements. The Pilates group showed greater improvement in terms of pain and physical function compared to the conventional therapeutic exercise (CTE) group. Conclusion: The research carried out presented robust evidence on the benefits of Pilates as a therapeutic intervention for individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA), highlighting its effectiveness in reducing pain, improving physical functionality and quality of life.