‘Pilates’ in 2024 : Useful clinical tool or commercial catchphrase?

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Lewitt, Moira and McPherson, Lesley (2024) ‘Pilates’ in 2024 : Useful clinical tool or commercial catchphrase? Journal of Alternative Medicine and Complementary Therapies, 10 (5). 497. (https://doi.org/10.24966/ACIM-7562/100497)

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Abstract

The system of exercise created by Joseph Pilates is practiced as Comprehensive Pilates today. The original method involved specifi cally designed exercises, most of which required access to a range of apparatus. Today, practices that are unrecognisable as Pilates’ original method now dominate the fitness industry, with substantially modified exercises and an emphasis on matwork. While the number of health publications reporting the use of Pilates is increasing ex ponentially, there is lack of clarity as to which exercises and pieces of apparatus are used in each study. The changing landscape of Pilates, that includes the introduction of Reformer-only classes, adds complexity. In this article, we describe the spectrum of Pilates-re lated practice and describe an approach to more clearly define the terms for professionals, practitioners and researchers, and for the public. We recommend that, in addition to the term Comprehensive Pilates, Pilates-based matwork is reserved for programmes that do not use apparatus but employ a variety of mat exercises, based on those originally developed by Joseph Pilates. If the exercises are not close to those originally described Pilates, whether or not apparatus is used, the term Pilates should not be used as a label, particularly in the context of alternative, complementary and integrative medicine.

ORCID iDs

Lewitt, Moira and McPherson, Lesley ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8927-8013;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)