Pilates as therapeutic approach in breast cancer

Abstract

Introducción: Breast cancer stands out as the most widespread malignancy affecting women globally and within Spain. The objective of this review is to appraise the effectiveness of Pilates in addressing pain and enhancing quality of life among this population. Metodología This systematic review was conducted between January and March 2023, analyzing randomized clinical trials obtained from PUBmed, PEDro, MEDLINE Complete, Cochrane, and SciELO databases. Studies published between 2015 and 2023 were selected, adhering to predefined eligibility criteria. Only studies with a PEDro Methodological Quality Assessment Scale score of 5 or higher were definitively included in this systematic review. Resultados After meticulous exploration through the consulted databases, a total of 370 articles were identified. Following rigorous scrutiny based on predefined eligibility criteria and PEDro Scale assessment, only six studies were deemed suitable for inclusion in this systematic review. The findings from these selected studies revealed notable insights: Firstly, Pilates demonstrates a discernible efficacy in alleviating pain among women in the early stages of breast cancer survivorship. However, despite this positive trend, there persists some variance in outcomes observed at the 4-month mark following intervention, warranting further investigation. Additionally, the implementation of Pilates regimens appears to foster improvements in the overall quality of life for women undergoing breast cancer treatment, both immediately post-program completion and persisting up to 1 year post-intervention. These findings underscore the potential therapeutic benefits of Pilates in addressing pain management and enhancing quality of life among breast cancer survivors. Nevertheless, to establish more robust conclusions, additional research endeavors with expanded sample sizes and prolonged follow-up periods are warranted. Discusión - Conclusión After evaluating the diverse findings extracted from this systematic review, it is deduced that Pilates might serve as an effective therapeutic modality in alleviating pain and enhancing the quality of life among women in the early survivorship stage of breast cancer. Nevertheless, additional studies with larger sample sizes and extended observation periods are warranted to fortify these conclusions.