The Study
Effects of Pilates on inter-recti distance, thickness of rectus abdominis, waist circumference and abdominal muscle endurance in primiparous women
This study is like a fair test where one group did Pilates and another didn’t, and then they measured how their bellies changed. It shows Pilates probably helped, but we can’t say for sure it’s the only reason because not everyone was blind to which group they were in.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
After having a baby, some moms get a gap between their stomach muscles. This study tested if doing Pilates for 4 weeks helps close that gap and makes their abs stronger.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 547 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — smaller waist and stronger abs mean better core function and appearance, even without muscle growth, which is good news for postpartum recovery.
- 2Pilates closed the stomach gap by about 0.6 cm near the belly button and 0.65 cm below it, shrank waist size by 2.85 cm, and let moms do 8.5 more curl-ups in one minute.
- 3Their stomach muscles didn't get thicker.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
BMC Women's Health
Year
2023
Authors
Namee Lee, Young-Hyeon Bae, S. S. Fong, Wan-hee Lee
Related Content
Claims (8)
To see abdominal muscles, a person needs to have a low enough level of fat over the abdomen and enough muscle mass in the rectus abdominis.
After doing supervised Pilates five times a week for 50 minutes each session over four weeks, women who recently gave birth do not show a measurable increase in the thickness of their rectus abdominis muscles.
In women who have recently given birth, a structured Pilates program performed five times a week for 50 minutes over four weeks can reduce the separation between the abdominal muscles and increase core endurance compared to not doing any exercise.
In women who have recently given birth, participating in a structured Pilates program five times a week for 50 minutes over four weeks is associated with a measurable reduction in waist size compared to not exercising.
Women who have recently given birth and participate in a supervised Pilates program five times a week for four weeks show an increase of about 8.55 more repetitions in a 1-minute curl-up test compared to those who do not exercise.
After having a baby, doing Pilates for four weeks does not make the main abdominal muscle thicker, but it may still improve core function by changing how nerves activate the muscles or by strengthening the connective tissues between them.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.