Chronic low back pain and muscle activity in women during the sit-to-stand task: A cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: The ability to stand up and sit down is important. Due to the large number of repetitions of these activities during the day and the demand that the task requires, it is cited as painful in the presence of low back pain (LBP). Individuals with LBP present alterations in muscle activation, however, this statement needs to be verified during everyday situations like the sit-to-stand task (STST). Therefore, the objective was to evaluate the muscle recruitment of women with and without LBP during the STST. METHODS: 35 women were evaluated, and allocated into the control group (CG n = 15) and the low back pain group (LBPG n = 20). The protocol consisted of clinical evaluation and the sit-to-stand task (STST). Electromyographic signals of the lumbar multifidus (LM), internal oblique (IO) and external oblique (EO), rectus abdominis (RA), and lumbar iliocostalis (LI) were carried out concomitantly with the STST. To verify normality, the Shapiro-Wilk test was used. For the characterization of the sample, the MANOVA test was chosen and the MANCOVA test was also chosen to compare the characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Regarding the data analysis of the electromyographic signals, higher values were seen in the RA (moments 2 and 3) in the LBPG in the STST. CONCLUSION: The present study showed that women with chronic LBP present higher muscle activation of the rectus abdominis in the sit-to-stand task.

Efficacy of the Pilates versus general exercises versus educational workshops on neuromuscular parameters: A randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Muscle strength, flexibility and changes in muscle recruitment patterns are usually associated to low back pain (LBP). Physical exercises can reverse the adverse changes associated to LBP. OBJECTIVES: Compare Pilates, general exercises and educational workshop on muscle flexibility, strength and recruitment of the trunk extensor muscles in women with LBP. METHODS: Forty-six women were randomly divided into Pilates group (PG, n = 16), general exercise group (GEG, n = 15), and educational group (EG, n = 15). This study sought to determine flexibility, muscle strength, and muscle recruitment of right (RIL), left (LIL) iliocostalis lumbar; right (RMU) and left (LMU) lumbar multifidus muscles. Both PG and GEG performed 16 exercise sessions, while EG attended 4 workshops. Statistical analysis used data sample from Shapiro-Wilk test, Pearson's correlation, multivariate analysis, mixed variance analysis, and Cohen's index. RESULTS: Flexibility showed no differences (p > 0.05). Muscle strength increased in the intragroup analysis for PG (p = 0.003) and GEG (p = 0.002); however, the intergroup analysis presented no difference. Intergroup showed statistically significant differences for the recruitment of RMU in PG (p < 0.001). Intragroup analysis presented differences after interventions in PG for RIL (p = 0.001); in GEG for LIL (p = 0.005); and in EG for RIL (p = 0.007), LIL (p = 0.002) and RMU (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: None of the groups showed flexibility improvements. PG and GEG increased muscle strength through intragroup analysis. Intergroup analysis showed an increase in recruitment of the RMU muscle in PG and all groups demonstrated significant improvements in the intragroup analysis.