Abstract
Objective
To determine the amplitude of the electromyographic activity of trunk muscles during
Pilates exercises in women with and without chronic low back pain (LBP).
Design
Case-control study.
Setting
University physical therapy clinic.
Participants
Women (N=60) divided into an LBP group and a control group.
Interventions
Not applicable.
Main Outcome Measures
Amplitude of the electromyographic activity (root mean square values) of the gluteus
maximus and external oblique muscles collected during 3 Pilates exercises: Shoulder
Bridge performed on the mat, and Hip Roll and Breathing performed in equipment. Pain
intensity was assessed in the LBP group.
Results
The amplitude of the electromyographic activity was similar between groups (P≥.05). For both groups, the amplitude of the gluteus maximus was higher in the Shoulder
Bridge exercise compared with the Hip Roll with 2 springs (control group: mean difference
[MD]=.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], .05–.41; LBP group: MD=.29; 95% CI, .16–.31)
and the Breathing exercise (control group: MD=−.40; 95% CI, −.55 to −.26; LBP group:
MD=−.36; 95% CI, −.52 to −.20). The amplitude of the external oblique muscle was higher
in the Shoulder Bridge compared with the Hip Roll with 2 springs (control group: MD=.13;
95% CI, .05–.21; LBP group: MD=.18; 95% CI, .03–.33). Pain intensity increased after
exercises, but this increase was lower for the mat exercises.
Conclusions
Similar muscle activation between groups was found. The findings suggest that mat
exercises caused less pain and a greater difference in the amplitude of muscle activation
compared with the equipment-based exercises.
Keywords
List of abbreviations:
LBP (low back pain)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: September 29, 2016
Footnotes
Disclosures: none.
Identification
Copyright
© 2016 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine
