The Effects of Apparatus-Based Pilates Exercise on Hip Abductor Strength, Static Balance, and Gait Ability in Patients with Chronic Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of apparatus-based Pilates hip abductor exercises and conventional hip abductor exercises on hip abductor strength, static balance, and gait ability in patients with chronic stroke.Methods: Eighteen patients with chronic stroke were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n=9), which performed apparatus-based Pilates hip abductor exercises, or the control group (n=9), which performed conventional bridge exercises.The intervention was conducted for 10 minutes per session, 3 times a week, for a total of 18 sessions over 6 weeks.Hip abductor strength, sway path of center of pressure, gait speed, and dynamic gait index were evaluated before and after the intervention.A Mann-Whitney U test was used for between-group comparisons, and a Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for within-group comparisons.In addition, effect sizes were calculated to evaluate the magnitude of the intervention effects.Results: The statistical analysis demonstrated significant differences between the groups in all variables following the intervention (p < 0.05).Moreover, within-group comparisons also demonstrated significant improvements from pre-to postintervention in both groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion:The results of this study suggest that apparatus-based Pilates hip abductor exercise is an effective intervention for improving hip abductor strength, static balance, and gait ability in patients with chronic stroke.