title: Application of Pilates principles increases paraspinal muscle activation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the effect of Pilates principles on the EMG activity of abdominal and paraspinal muscles on stable and unstable surfaces.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surface EMG data about the rectus abdominis (RA), iliocostalis (IL) and lumbar multifidus (MU) of 19 participants were collected while performing three repetitions of a crunch exercise in the following conditions: 1) with no Pilates technique and stable surface (nP + S); 2) with no Pilates technique and unstable surface (nP + U); 3) with Pilates technique and stable surface (P + S); 4) with Pilates and unstable surface (P + U). The EMG Fanalysis was conducted using a custom-made Matlab(®) 10.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no condition effect in the RA iEMG with stable and unstable surfaces (F(1,290) = 0 p = 0.98) and with and without principles (F(1,290) = 1.2 p = 0.27). IL iEMG was higher for the stable surface condition (F(1,290) = 32.3 p < 0.001) with Pilates principles (F(1,290) = 21.9 p < 0.001). The MU iEMG was higher for the stable surface condition with and without Pilates principles (F(1,290) = 84.9 p < 0.001).
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Catholic University of Brasilia, Brazil. Electronic address: lefisioucb@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Letícia Souza
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.affiliation: School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mochizuki
authors.affiliation: School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flávio Oliveira
authors.initials: FO
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education, Catholic University of Brasilia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renato André Sousa
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Catholic University of Brasilia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Yomara Lima
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Mota
mesh_terms: D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D004576:Electromyography; D026241:Exercise Movement Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008161:Lumbosacral Region; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D064170:Paraspinal Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D017568:Rectus Abdominis / Q000502:physiology