05/11/2025
A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis by Ju et al., published in Medicine, examined how Pilates affects depression and anxiety symptoms in women.
The researchers analysed 18 randomised controlled trials including 827 female participants who took part in Pilates programs ranging from several weeks to four months. These were compared to control groups such as usual care, health education, or non-specific exercise.
👉Key Findings
Pilates led to a moderate to large reduction in depressive symptoms and a moderate reduction in anxiety symptoms compared to control groups.
Women who practised Pilates for 12 weeks or longer tended to experience the greatest improvements.
Benefits were observed across a wide age range, with particularly strong effects in middle-aged and older women.
The findings suggest that Pilates may be an effective mind–body intervention to support emotional wellbeing and quality of life in women.
👉Study Limitations
The included studies varied in duration, frequency, and type of Pilates (mat, reformer, or mixed), making it hard to pinpoint the optimal approach.
Most trials involved small sample sizes and short-term interventions, so the long-term impact remains unclear.
Participants typically had mild to moderate depressive symptoms rather than diagnosed major depression, so results may not generalise to clinical populations.
👉Takeaway
The key takeaway for me is that Pilates (and exercise in general) has more benefits than just physical.
If you're a Pilates teacher remember, you're not "just" a Pilates teacher 💪
Movement is medicine
Tom
