Pilates is a type of mind-body exercise developed in the early 20th
century by German physical trainer Joseph Pilates, after whom it was
named. Pilates called his method "Contrology". Pilates uses a
combination of around 50 repetitive exercises to spur muscle exertion.
Each exercise flows from the "five essentials": breath, cervical
alignment, rib and scapular stabilization, pelvic mobility, and
utilization of the transversus abdominis. Each exercise is typically
repeated three to five times. As of 2023, over 12 million people
practice Pilates. Pilates developed in the aftermath of the late
nineteenth century physical culture of exercising to alleviate ill
health. There is, however, only limited evidence to support the use of
Pilates to alleviate problems such as lower back pain. While studies
have found that regular sessions improve balance, and can help muscle
conditioning in healthy adults (compared to doing no exercise), it has
not been shown to be an effective treatment for any medical condition
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