Immediate effect of a Pilates method exercise session on the co-contraction pattern of the trunk stabilizing muscles in individuals with and without nonspecific chronic low back pain

ABSTRACT This study aimed to analyze the immediate effect of a Pilates method exercise session on the co-contraction pattern (agonist/antagonist) of the superficial (iliocostalis lumborum and rectus abdominis) and deep (internal oblique and multifidus) muscles of the trunk in individuals with and without low back pain during local muscle endurance test. Participated in the study adult subjects of both gender, aged between 19 and 59 years, separated into two groups: the group with low back pain (n=9) and the group without low back pain (n=9). Electromyographic signals of the following muscles were collected: internal oblique (IO), multifidus lumborum (MU), iliocostalis lumborum (IL) and rectus abdominis (RA), during maximal voluntary isometric contractions and Biering-Sorensen test, before and after the exercise protocol performance of the Pilates method. The co-contractions between IO/MU right and left (IO/MUr, IO/MUl) and RA/IL right and left (RA/ILr and RA/ILl) were calculated. The co-contraction between IO/MUr, IO/MUl, RA/ILr and RA/ILl was respectively 41.4, 32.4, 56 and 31.2% higher in the group with low back pain (p<0.001 and p=0.003, p=0.004 and p=0.01). The initial condition presented antagonist co-contraction 26.3 and 43.4% higher between IO/MUr (p=0.023, p=0.03). A training session with Pilates method exercises was able to reduce co-contraction between the trunk muscles (in individuals with and without nonspecific low back pain).

摘要：本研究旨在分析单次普拉提（Pilates）训练课程，针对伴有与不伴有非特异性下腰痛（low back pain, LBP）的个体，在局部肌肉耐力测试过程中，躯干浅层（腰背髂肋肌（iliocostalis lumborum）与腹直肌（rectus abdominis））及深层（腹内斜肌（internal oblique, IO）与多裂肌（multifidus lumborum, MU））肌肉的共激活模式（主动肌/拮抗肌）的即时影响。本研究纳入19至59岁的成年男女受试者，分为两组：下腰痛组（n=9）与无下腰痛组（n=9）。在实施普拉提训练方案前后，于最大自主等长收缩（maximal voluntary isometric contractions）与Biering-Sorensen测试过程中，采集腹内斜肌（IO）、腰多裂肌（MU）、腰背髂肋肌（IL）及腹直肌（RA）的肌电信号。计算左右侧腹内斜肌/腰多裂肌（IO/MUr、IO/MUl）以及左右侧腹直肌/腰背髂肋肌（RA/ILr、RA/ILl）之间的共激活水平。结果显示，下腰痛组的IO/MUr、IO/MUl、RA/ILr及RA/ILl共激活水平分别较对照组高出41.4%、32.4%、56%及31.2%（p<0.001、p=0.003、p=0.004及p=0.01）；初始状态下，IO/MUr组间拮抗肌共激活水平分别高出26.3%与43.4%（p=0.023、p=0.03）。单次普拉提训练课程可降低躯干肌肉的共激活水平，该效果在伴有与不伴有非特异性下腰痛的个体中均有效。