Comparative study The influence of surface angle on muscle activity during Pilates based exercises Asia V. Yates, MS * , Ayla A. Donlin, EdD, George J. Beneck, PhD, PT, OCS, KEMG, Evan E. Schick, PhD, CSCS California State University, Long Beach, Department of Kinesiology, College of Health and Human Services, United States article info Article history: Received 10 June 2017 Received in revised form 10 October 2017 Accepted 17 October 2017 1. Introduction Pilates is a body conditioning format that consists of stretching and strengthening exercises developed to improve muscular con- trol and postural stabilization (Brown, 1999). The exercises can be performed on a mat placed on a flat surface or on Pilates apparatus with the most common surfaces being the Cadillac, reformer and variations of the barrel and chair. In comparison to training on the floor, such apparatus are used to reduce the demands placed on the body (Latey, 2001). In the past two decades, Pilates has transcended recreational use to the clinical setting, highlighting its potential as a supplement to traditional treatment (Pata et al., 2013; Bryan and Hawson, 2003). Due to its ability to enhance the strength and endurance of trunk musculature, Pilates based exercises are often used to help treat musculoskeletal afflictions, such as chronic low back pain, and preliminary reports indicate benefits of Pilates during rehabilitation following a total knee or hip arthroplasty (Anderson and Spector, 2000; Gladwell et al., 2006; Lee et al., 2014, Levine et al., 2009; Mostagi et al., 2015). Although each of the aforementioned studies differed in the Pilates and trunk exercises they examined, a common thread throughout their results was increased strength of the abdominal muscles. Trunk musculature consists of the deep and superficial muscles that attach along the spine and the muscles within the abdominal wall and pelvic floor; proper activation of these muscles has been found to assist with spinal stabilization (Barr et al., 2005; Bliss and Teeple, 2005). Consequently, dysfunction within these muscles may promote the onset of musculoskeletal afflictions/postural in- juries (Cholewicki et al., 2005). Electromyography (EMG) provides a useful tool in assessing differences in trunk muscle activation pat- terns between healthy versus injured populations during trunk ex- ercises (Ng et al., 2002). Additionally, studies have demonstrated that Pilates based movements effectively target the muscles of abdominal wall and the spinal extensor muscles (Moon et al., 2015; Muscolino and Cipriani, 2004). Improved spinal stabilization, gained through the emphasis Pilates places on the trunk musculature to maintain posture and alignment, has been linked to training enhancements such as improved performance, decreased injury risk and reduced risk of injury reoccurrence (Sherry and Best, 2003; Phrompaet et al 2011; Butcher et al., 2007). Studies investigating back pain and common lower limb injuries have found evidence supporting the benefits of training to improve trunk strength and stability as a method of rehabilitation either in addition to or instead of only strengthening the muscles in the injured region (Sherry and Best, 2003; Zazulak et al., 2007; Gladwell et al., 2006). Recent developments in the fitness and clinical industries have led to the introduction of new apparatus purporting to be useful for modifying the physiological demand and enhance training benefits if used while doing exercises. One such apparatus is an incline board which allows the individual flexibility to perform move- ments traditionally done on a flat surface at either an incline or decline angle; the retailer suggests that the board is ideal for a range of exercise formats including Pilates. Modifying surface angle is common practice in weightlifting and recent studies using traditional weightlifting movements, such as the bench press, have shown that altering surface angle from flat to incline or decline can modify muscle activation of the active muscles during the exercise (Lauver et al., 2015). The implication being that altering surface angle, and hence, muscular demand, for a particular lift may allow for a more complete and balanced muscular development. Though surface angle modification is commonly practiced in weightlifting, it remains novel within Pilates. Herein we aim to examine how surface angle modification influences trunk muscle activity in Pilates by evaluating the effect of three different surface angles on trunk muscle activation during two common Pilates exercises. * Corresponding author. E-mail address: asia.yates@csulb.edu (A.V. Yates). Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/jbmt https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2017.10.007 1360-8592/© 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies xxx (2017) 1e7 Please cite this article in press as: Yates, A.V., et al., The influence of surface angle on muscle activity during Pilates based exercises, Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies (2017), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2017.10.007