Muscle Activation During Pilates Exercises in Participants With Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain: A Cross-Sectional
Naiane Teixeira Bastos de Oliveira1, Sandra Maria Sbeghen Ferreira Freitas1, Fernanda Ferreira Fuhro1
1Master's and Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy, Universidade Cidade de São Paulo, São Paulo SP, Brazil.
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
|October 4, 2016
Summary
Pilates exercises showed similar trunk muscle activation in women with and without chronic low back pain (LBP). Mat-based exercises resulted in less pain increase compared to equipment-based routines.
Area of Science:
- Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation
- Biomechanics
- Exercise Science
Background:
- Chronic low back pain (LBP) affects a significant portion of the adult population.
- Pilates is a popular exercise modality often recommended for LBP management.
- Understanding trunk muscle activation during Pilates is crucial for optimizing exercise prescription.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare electromyographic (EMG) activity amplitude of trunk muscles in women with and without chronic LBP during specific Pilates exercises.
- To investigate differences in muscle activation between mat and equipment-based Pilates exercises.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 60 women, divided into LBP and control groups.
- EMG activity (root mean square values) of gluteus maximus and external oblique muscles was recorded during Shoulder Bridge (mat), Hip Roll, and Breathing (equipment) exercises.
- Pain intensity was assessed in the LBP group post-exercise.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in EMG amplitude were observed between the LBP and control groups for any exercise.
- The Shoulder Bridge exercise demonstrated higher gluteus maximus activation compared to Hip Roll and Breathing exercises in both groups.
- External oblique activation was higher during Shoulder Bridge compared to Hip Roll with 2 springs in both groups.
- Pain intensity increased post-exercise, with a lower increase noted for mat exercises.
Conclusions:
- Trunk muscle activation patterns during these Pilates exercises are similar in women with and without chronic LBP.
- Mat-based Pilates exercises may be preferable due to lower post-exercise pain increase and potentially greater modulation of muscle activation compared to equipment-based exercises.
