EFFECT OF PILATES ON TRUNK FLEXIBILITY AND ULTRASOUND MEASURES OF ABDOMINAL MUSCLES

Introduction: Pilates is a method of physical and mental training that works on flexibility and muscle strength. This method prioritizes strengthening the set of muscles responsible for trunk control, called Powerhouse, and thereby increase the trophysm of the abdominal muscles (rectus abdominis, internal and external oblique, transversus abdominis), gluteus, perineal and lumbar paraspinal muscles. Objective: to evaluate the effect of the Pilates method on the trophysm of abdominal and trunk flexibility compared to the application of a traditional technique to strengthen the abdominal muscles and static stretching in healthy women. Methods: thirteen healthy sedentary women, aged between 18 and 25 years underwent 10 sessions of Pilates (Pilates group, n=6) and 10 sessions of traditional stretching and strengthening (control group, n=7). Before and after the intervention, the trophysm of the abdominal muscles of the volunteers was assessed using ultrasound, and trunk flexibility was evaluated through the fleximeter. Results: after the intervention, there was a significant increase in ultrasound measures of the rectus abdominis muscle, the range of the rotation to right and left, and tilt of the spine to the left in the Pilates group. In the control group, improvement was observed only in the rotation to the left. Conclusion: the number of sessions may have been insufficient for the increase in the trophysm of all muscles tested and the flexibility of the trunk to occur. It is important to invest in research on Pilates, especially with the use of more accurate imaging methods.