From:  Eight-week mat Pilates improves blood pressure, vascular, and autonomic function in adults with elevated blood pressure or stage 1 hypertension

 Changes in autonomic nervous system function before and after the 8-week intervention.

VariablesCON (n = 10)EXP (n = 10)p (ηp2) value
PrePostp-valuePrePostp-valueTimeGroupInter
SDNN
(ms)
29.67 ± 12.7827.63 ± 12.220.43229.98 ± 10.7237.76 ± 21.070.1130.274
(0.066)
0.403
(0.039)
0.069
(0.172)
RMSSD
(ms)
28.84 ± 14.8627.71 ± 14.810.72522.81 ± 7.7331.10 ± 15.780.0430.147
(0.113)
0.817
(0.003)
0.061
(0.182)
pNN50
(%)
11.72 ± 14.735.76 ± 7.580.2384.65 ± 4.1111.08 ± 10.170.041*0.932
(0.000)
0.806
(0.003)
0.035
(0.224)
LF
(ms2)
358.76 ± 217.35408.08 ± 207.530.039*438.57 ± 205.82393.96 ± 189.780.004*0.844
(0.002)
0.723
(0.007)
< 0.001
(0.469)
HF
(ms2)
279.63 ± 140.21269.39 ± 120.890.412266.92 ± 106.43313.97 ± 117.260.004*0.047
(0.202)
0.770
(0.005)
0.004
(0.380)
LF/HF1.45 ± 0.931.72 ± 1.120.021*1.75 ± 0.921.31 ± 0.620.004*0.270
(0.067)
0.882
(0.001)
< 0.001
(0.552)

Note. Values are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Statistical significance was determined by two-way repeated-measures ANOVA. SDNN: standard deviation of NN intervals; RMSSD: root mean square of successive differences; pNN50: percentage of NN intervals differing by > 50 ms; LF: low frequency; HF: high frequency; LF/HF: ratio of LF to HF; CON: control group; EXP: experimental group; Inter: interaction; ηp2: partial eta squared. * p < 0.05 significantly different between pre- and post-test; p < 0.05 significant main effect or interaction.