PNF and Movement 2024; 22(2): 275-288
https://doi.org/10.21598/JKPNFA.2024.22.2.275
The Effects of Pilates Breathing on Trunk Muscle Activity and Balance in Adult Females
Moon-Jung Lee, P.T., M.Sc.1⋅Su -Kyong Lee, P.T., Ph.D.2†⋅Byeong-Jo Kim, P.T., Ph.D.2⋅Su-Hong Ahn, P.T., Ph.D.3
1Department of Biomedical Health Science, Graduate School, Dong-Eui University
2Department of Physical Therapy, College of Nersing and Healthcare Sciences, Dong-Eui University
3Inmotion Rehabilitation Training Center
Correspondence to: †Su -Kyong Lee (ptlsk@deu.ac.kr)
Received: July 28, 2024; Revised: August 16, 2024; Accepted: August 19, 2024; Published online: August 31, 2024.
© Korea Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Association. All rights reserved.

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of breathing techniques on trunk muscle activity and balance during Pilates reformer footwork exercises, comparing results both within and between groups before and after the intervention.
Methods: Thirty-one adult women over the age of 20 were selected as subjects for this study. They were divided into a Pilates breathing group (n = 15) and a general breathing group (n = 16) using a randomized control group study design. A surface electromyogram was used to measure muscle activity within and between the groups before and after the reformer footwork exercise. Static balance measurements were taken while standing on two legs, and dynamic balance measurements were taken while standing on one leg. All measurements were taken three times, and the average values were used for analysis.
Results: The results of the study showed that muscle activity increased with significant differences in the external oblique and transverse abdominal muscles after exercise in the pre–post comparison within the Pilates breathing group (p < 0.05). In the between-group comparison, there was a significant difference in the increase in muscle activity of the external oblique and transverse abdominal muscles in the Pilates breathing group (p < 0.05).
In the pre–post comparison of static and dynamic balance within the Pilates breathing group, there was a significant increase (p < 0.05) after exercise. The Pilates breathing group also showed a significant increase even in the between-group comparison (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: This study confirmed that reformer footwork exercise accompanied by Pilates breathing has positive effects on muscle activity and static balance ability of trunk muscles in adult women. Therefore, reformer footwork exercise accompanied by Pilates breathing can be presented as an effective exercise method to increase trunk stability and balance ability through the simultaneous activity of the trunk muscles.
Keywords: Pilates breathing, Reformer, Trunk muscle activity, Static balance, Dynamic balance

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