Background The Pilates method has been used to improve function and reduce pain in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain, although there is little scientific evidence that describes its efficacy. Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the addition of modified Pilates exercises to minimal intervention in patients with chronic low back pain. Design A randomized controlled trial was conducted. Setting The study was done in an outpatient physical therapy department in Brazil. Patients Eighty-six patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain participated in the study. Intervention All participants received an education booklet containing information about low back pain and were randomly allocated to receive 12 sessions, over 6 weeks, of exercises based upon Pilates principles (n=43) or of education alone (n=43). Measurements Primary outcomes were pain intensity and disability measured at 6 weeks and 6 months. Secondary outcomes were patient-specific functional disability, global impression of recovery, and kinesiophobia measured at 6 weeks and 6 months. All outcomes were measured by a blinded assessor in all time points. Results There was no loss to follow-up at any of the time points. Improvements were observed in pain (mean difference=2.2 points, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.1 to 3.2), disability (mean difference=2.7 points, 95% CI=1.0 to 4.4), and global impression of recovery (mean difference=−1.5 points, 95% CI=−2.6 to −0.4) in favor of the Pilates group after intervention, but these differences were no longer statistically significant at 6 months. Limitations Treatment provider and participants could not be blinded to the interventions. Conclusions The addition of modified Pilates exercises to an educational booklet provides small benefits compared with education alone in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain; however, these effects were not sustained over time.

Objective: There is little high-quality evidence on the efficacy of the Pilates-based exercises for the treatment of chronic nonspecific low back pain. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to present a study protocol to investigate the efficacy of adding Pilates-based exercises to a minimum intervention in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain. Methods: This randomized controlled trial will recruit 86 patients of both sexes, aged between 18 and 60 years, with chronic non-specific low back pain. The participants will be randomly allocated into 2 treatment groups: the Booklet Group, which will receive a booklet with postural orientations, and the Pilates Group, which will receive the same booklet in addition to a Pilates-based exercises program. The general and specific functional capacities of the patient, kinesiophobia, pain intensity, and the global perceived effect will be evaluated by a blinded assessor before randomization and at 6 weeks and 6 months after randomization. In addition, the expectations of the participants and their confidence in the treatment will be evaluated before the randomization and after the first treatment session, respectively. Conclusions: It is hoped that the results of this study will provide high-quality evidence on the usefulness of Pilates-based exercises in the treatment of chronic non-specific low back pain.

Introdução: Considerando a prática difundida do voleibol, poucos estudos avaliam a atividade eletromiográfica e proprioceptiva de jogadores desse esporte. Objetivo: Comparar a atividade eletromiográfica dos músculos deltoide, porção clavicular e espinal, e o desempenho muscular e proprioceptivo em jogadoras de voleibol e mulheres não atletas. Métodos: Foram incluídas 40 mulheres, sendo 20 atletas de voleibol, no Grupo Experimental; e 20 não atletas, no grupo Controle. As seguintes variáveis foram coletadas: sensação de posição articular, detecção de movimento, torque concêntrico dos músculos rotadores mediais e laterais na velocidade de 60º/s e 180º/s e atividade eletromiográfica dos músculos durante o movimento de ataque. Resultados: O Grupo Controle apresentou maior pico de torque dos rotadores laterais (p=0,026) a 180°/s e maior ativação muscular do deltoide porção clavicular (p=0,028) e espinal (p=0,025). Conclusão: Assim, neste estudo, o Grupo Controle apresentou maiores diferenças musculares, considerando torque e ativação, do que o Experimental.