BehaviorNCT07872592
Acute Effects of Mat Pilates on Blood Pressure Response to Mental Stress in Higher Education Teachers
A study testing Acute Exercise in people with Behavior, run by Federal University of Mato Grosso at 1 site in Brazil.
Trial summary
This study will investigate the acute effects of a moderate-intensity Mat Pilates session on blood pressure responses to mental stress in higher education teachers. Participants will complete two experimental sessions: a control session without exercise and a Mat Pilates session. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Behavior
- What is being tested?
- Acute Exercise
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 25 participants
- Where
- 1 siteBrazil
- Study dates
- 1 Oct 2026to May 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Participants must meet all of the following criteria:
- Age between 18 and 65 years;
- Body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 39.9 kg/m²;
- Currently employed as a higher education teacher;
- At least 2 years of experience as a higher education teacher;
- Able to perform the proposed physical exercise interventions.
Who cannot join
- Participants will be excluded if they:
- Have color vision deficiency (color blindness);
- Have a psychiatric disorder that could interfere with participation in the study;
- Have a diagnosed cardiac arrhythmia;
- Have musculoskeletal or osteoarticular conditions that prevent or contraindicate physical exercise;
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding;
- Are on leave of absence or vacation during the study period.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Brazil1 site
Federal University of Mato Grosso
Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, 78.060-581
Lucieli Cambri, PhD, 65996727989, lucieli.cambri@gmail.com
About this study
Official title: Acute Effects of Moderate-Intensity Mat Pilates on Blood Pressure Response to Mental Stress in Higher Education Teachers
This study will investigate the acute effects of a moderate-intensity Mat Pilates session on blood pressure responses to mental stress in higher education teachers. Participants will complete two experimental sessions: a control session without exercise and a Mat Pilates session. The intensity of the Mat Pilates session will be controlled using the Rating of Perceived Exertion scale, targeting 12-14 points on the Borg scale. The order of the experimental sessions will be randomized. We will assess blood pressure and heart rate at rest and during a mental stress test performed before and 30 minutes after each session. The two sessions will be separated by 48-72 hours.
Read the detailed description
This study will investigate the acute effects of a moderate-intensity Mat Pilates session on blood pressure responses to mental stress in higher education teachers. Participants will complete two experimental sessions: a control session without exercise and a 40-minute moderate-intensity Mat Pilates session. The intensity of the Mat Pilates session will be controlled using the Rating of Perceived Exertion scale, targeting 12-14 points on the Borg scale. The order of the experimental sessions will be randomized. We will assess blood pressure and heart rate at rest and during a mental stress test performed before and 30 minutes after each session. The two sessions will be separated by 48-72 hours.
The mental stress test will consist of a computerized Stroop Color Test involving the colors green, red, blue, and yellow. Participants will be instructed to identify the color of the word rather than read the word itself. For example, if the word "green" is displayed in red, the correct response is "red." Each word will be displayed for one second. An auditory stimulus consisting of words that differ from both the written word and the displayed color will also be presented. The total duration of the mental stress test will be 4 minutes (Probst et al., 1997; Cavalcante, 2023).
Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and HR will be assessed at baseline and during the mental stress test (at 2 and 4 minutes) performed before and 30 minutes after each session.
Mental stress reactivity (Δ) will be calculated at 2 and 4 minutes as the value measured at each time point minus the corresponding pre-test baseline value (Δ2 = value at 2 minutes - baseline value; Δ4 = value at 4 minutes - baseline value). Peak Δ will be defined as the highest response observed at either 2 or 4 minutes (the maximum of Δ2 and Δ4). The change in blood pressure reactivity from before to 30 minutes after each experimental session will be compared between the Pilates and control conditions.
- Conditions
- Behavior
- Being tested
- Acute Exercise, Control
- Keywords
- MatPilates, Pilates exercise, Systolic blood pressure, Mental stress, Cardiovascular response, Higher education teachers, Acute exercise, Stroop Color Test
- Medical subject headings
- Behavior, Stress, Psychological
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Acute ExerciseOther
Participants will perform a 40-minute Mat Pilates session at moderate intensity. Exercise intensity will be controlled using the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale, targeting 12-14 points. Blood pressure and heart rate will be assessed at rest and during the Stroop Color Test, performed before and 30 minutes after the exercise session.
ControlOther
Participants will undergo a control session without physical exercise. Blood pressure and heart rate will be assessed at rest and during the Stroop Color Test, performed before and 30 minutes after the control session.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Pilates exercise | Experimental | xercise Receives: Other: Acute Exercise |
| Control | Sham comparator | Not described Receives: Other: Control |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Systolic blood pressure reactivity to mental stress
Systolic blood pressure will be measured at rest and during the Stroop Color Test before and 30 minutes after each experimental session. Systolic blood pressure reactivity to mental stress will be calculated as the change (Δ) in systolic blood pressure between the resting measurement and the measurement obtained during the Stroop Color Test. The change in systolic blood pressure reactivity from before to 30 minutes after each experimental session will be compared between the Pilates and control conditions.
Measured: During the mental stress test (0, 2 and 4 minutes), before and 30 minutes after each experimental session.
Post-exercise hypotension
Post-exercise hypotension will be assessed by comparing systolic and diastolic blood pressure measured 30 minutes after each experimental session with the corresponding pre-exercise resting measurements.
Measured: At rest before and 30 minutes after each experimental session.
Secondary outcomes (2)
Diastolic blood pressure reactivity to mental stress
Diastolic blood pressure reactivity to mental stress will be calculated as the change (Δ) in diastolic blood pressure between the resting measurement and the measurement obtained during the Stroop Color Test. The change in diastolic blood pressure reactivity from before to 30 minutes after each experimental session will be compared between the Pilates and control conditions.
Measured: During the mental stress test (0, 2 and 4 minutes), before and 30 minutes after each experimental session.
Heart rate reactivity to mental stress
Heart rate reactivity to mental stress will be calculated as the change (Δ) in heart rate between the resting measurement and the measurement obtained during the Stroop Color Test. The change in heart rate reactivity from before to 30 minutes after each experimental session will be compared between the Pilates and control conditions.
Measured: During the mental stress test (0, 2 and 4 minutes), before and 30 minutes after each experimental session.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted13 Oct 2026
- Study start1 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionMay 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionMay 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for BehaviorStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Model description
- Control Session: Participants will undergo a control session without physical exercise. Blood pressure and heart rate will be assessed at rest and during the Stroop Color Test, performed before and 30 minutes after the control session. Moderate-Intensity Mat Pilates: Participants will perform a 40-minute Mat Pilates session at moderate intensity. Exercise intensity will be controlled using the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale, targeting 12-14 points. Blood pressure and heart rate will be assessed at rest and during the Stroop Color Test, performed before and 30 minutes after the exercise session.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 25 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Federal University of Mato Grosso
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Lucieli Teresa Cambri, Federal University of Mato Grosso
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07872592
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- CAAE: 97330026.5.0000.8124
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 2 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 13 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No