The Effect of Pilates on Biopsychosocial Characteristics in the Covid-19 Pandemic
Condition: COVID-19; Healthy; Sedentary; Exercise; Pilates
MeSH terms: COVID-19
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The aim of this study is to investigation of biopsychosocial characteristics of individuals
      who do pilates and sedentary individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was carried
      out with 2 groups: individuals ages 20-50,participating in a pilates program for 8 weeks
      (n:27) and sedentary individuals (n:27). Before starting this study, the groups were assessed
      for biopsychosocial status with the Cognitive Exercise Therapy Approach- Biopsychosocial
      Questionnaire (CETA-BQ) , for depression levels with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), for
      covid-19 fear levels with the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale, for their sleep quality with the
      Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), quality of life was assessed with the Nottingham Health
      Profile (NHP). After the first evaluation, an informative presentation emphasizing the
      importance of physical activity during the pandemic process was given to all participants.
      Individuals in the exercise group also participated in pilates sessions that lasted 50
      minutes, 2 days a week for 8 weeks. At the end of 8 weeks, all questionnaires were repeated
      for both groups.
    

Detailed description: 
      Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19); It is an infection that emerged in China in December
      2019 and then turned into a pandemic, and it still continues to be seen all over the world.
      After the first case was seen in our country, the government took measures to slow down the
      coronavirus epidemic and protect the health of the society. While these measures physically
      affect people's lives, they limited people's range of motion and reduced their physical
      activity levels. In early March 2020, researchers predicted that social distancing, along
      with school closures and restrictions, could result in less physical activity, prolonged
      sedentary behavior, and poor sleep quality. In a study comparing physical activity behaviors
      before and during isolation as a result of COVID-19, it was shown that COVID-19 isolations
      cause a negative effect on all physical activity levels and cause more than 28% increase in
      daily sitting times.

      In addition to the physical effects of the coronavirus, there are also psychological effects.
      Its psychological effects are not limited to individuals infected with the virus, but are
      also seen in individuals who are not infected. The COVID-19 epidemic, which is accepted as a
      stress factor, is associated with the concept of death in most individuals due to the
      disease, the fear of being infected with the virus and the tendency to take extra
      precautions, the anxiety of transmitting the virus to others, the fear of death, the state of
      irritability, attention and concentration disorder. Reactions such as fatigue, sleep
      disturbance, conflict with family members and social withdrawal are also observed.
      Deterioration of sleep quality facilitates the spread of infectious diseases and negatively
      affects the mental health and quality of life of individuals. In addition, the frequent
      pronunciation of the words social distance, isolation and contact in the society has led to
      the emergence of a new fear, which is expressed in different terms such as "coronaphobia" or
      "fear of COVID-19".

      Physically active individuals generally experience less stress, depression, and anxiety.
      Studies show that physical activity strengthens the immune system by increasing the number of
      immune cells in our body. Exercises that can be applied everywhere, such as walking at home,
      walking to the market by taking protective measures against the disease, sitting on a chair,
      climbing stairs, pilates and yoga can be counted as examples of the types of exercises that
      can be done during quarantine periods.

      The Pilates exercise method was created by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s and its original name
      is "Contrology". Pilates method; It is an exercise system that has the principles of
      concentration, centering, control, precision in movements, movement flow and breathing
      dynamics (11). Exercises; It is made on a mat or with special equipment with adjustable
      spring resistance (12). During the First World War, Joseph Pilates began experimenting with
      spring mattresses to help treat the war-wounded and attached springs to the ends of
      mattresses to allow patients to exercise against resistance while tied to the bed. He noticed
      that exercises with resistance improved muscle tone in patients faster than exercises without
      resistance. As a result, Joseph Pilates developed the Universal Reformer, a sliding platform
      with springs on which one can sit, lean or stand, and the Cadillac, a mattress with springs
      on all four sides (13).

      No study has been found in the literature examining the biopsychosocial characteristics of
      pilates and sedentary individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, in our
      study; The biopsychosocial characteristics of individuals doing pilates and sedentary
      individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic were examined.
    

Intervention name(s): Sedantary; Exercise therapy
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): An informative presentation; Pilates exercise therapy
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: Controlled study
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment