Electromyographic analysis of trunk and pelvis muscles during Leg Circle on the mat and with springs on the Cadillac

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate, through EMG, whether it is possible to change the requirement of the stabilizing muscles of the trunk and pelvis, performing the Leg Circle exercise on the mat and with different positions of springs on the Cadillac. Thirteen Pilates instructors practicing for at least six months and without pain performed 10 repetitions of the Leg Circle exercise in three situations: (1) Mat; (2) High springs (HS); (3) Medium springs (MS). EMG data were obtained from the abdominal internal oblique/transverse abdominal (IO/TVA), abdominal external oblique (EO), rectus abdominis (RA), and multifidus (MU) muscles, presented as a percentage of Maximum Voluntary Isometric Contraction (MVIC). Comparisons were carried out using repeated measures ANOVA (α=0.05). All muscles were influenced by the positioning of the spring. On the mat, the greatest activations occurred in the RA and EO muscles, while in the executions performed with springs, the most recruited muscles were IO/TVA (MS) and MU (HS). RA and OE muscles did not show differences between the HS and MS situations. The execution of the Leg Circle exercise on the mat and with springs generates changes in the recruitment of the evaluated muscles. We also observed that, when analyzing the exercise performed on the Cadillac between high and medium springs, there was a difference only for the IO/TVA and MU muscles.