Korean Journal of Sports Science · Jun 30, 2026
The effects of 12 weeks of mat pilates exercise using elastic bands on body composition, physical strength, and menopausal syndrome in middle-aged Postmenopausal women
By Noh HY, Kim JW, Nam SS
This study aimed to investigate the effects of 12 weeks of mat Pilates exercise using elastic bands on body composition, physical fitness, and menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal middle-aged women. Twenty-two postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to an experimental group(n=10) or a control group(n=12). The exercise was performed three times a week for 12 weeks. Repeated two-way analysis of variance was applied. Results showed significant increases in skeletal muscle mass, but no significant differences in body weight or body fat percentage. Regarding physical fitness, left-sided grip strength, relative grip strength, and left-sided balance significantly improved, while flexibility and muscular endurance also increased. Menopausal symptom scores decreased. These results suggest that 12 weeks of mat Pilates using elastic bands is an effective exercise method for improving muscle strength and balance and reducing menopausal symptom scores in postmenopausal middle-aged women.