• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2021

Background: Chronic neck pain (CNP) is associated with weakness in the deep neck flexor muscles, a shortening of the neck extensors, and a reduction in endurance. In addition, muscle imbalance can lead to neck pain and musculoskeletal dysfunction. This study compared neck extensor muscle fatigue, muscle strength, and muscle endurance time between patients with CNP and healthy adults during isometric neck extension. Methods: Thirty participants (15 patients with CNP and 15 healthy adults) were recruited in this research. The outcome measures included splenius capitis (SC) muscle fatigue, isometric neck extensor strength, and muscle endurance. The independent T-test was used to compare the continuous dependent variables between the CNP group and the healthy group. Results: The independent T-test indicated that muscle fatigue in the left SC differed significantly between the CNP group and the healthy group. A significant difference was also noted in the isometric neck extensor and neck extensor strength between the groups. Conclusion: Our results provided promising clinical evidence that patients with CLP have reduced neck extensor strength and endurance and increased SC muscle fatigue, which results in neck pain.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.17 no.10
• /
• pp.628-634
• /
• 2016

Many pitchers suffer from various types of injury (distortion, sprain and so on). The rate of injury is increased if there are differences in strength between the extensor and flexor muscles when a joint movement is performed with maximum speed. However, there has been insufficient research into the injury caused by strength differences between the extensor and flexor muscles. Thus, the purpose of the study was to examine the effects of elbow ulnar collateral ligament injury on the maximal isometric strength in young baseball pitchers. The data collection was conducted for 2 weeks. The subjects (n=36) who participated in this study were placed into either the injury group (n = 18, IG) or normal group (n = 18, NG). The maximal isometric strength for the pectoralis major (PM), infraspintus (I), biceps brachii (BB), triceps brachii (TB), flexor carpi radialis (ECR) and extensor carpi radialis (FCR) muscles were determined by an isometric strength machine (K-DFX) and then the differences in strength were calculated by muscle group. All of the data were analyzed by SPSS 18.0 with the independent t-test. In the results, the maximal isometric strengths in the IG for the I (p=0.035), BB (p=0.031) and TB (p=0.041) were significantly lower than those in the NG, while that for the ECR (p=0.047) was significantly greater. In addition, the differences of the maximal isometric strength between the PM and I (p = 0.008), BB and TB (p = 0.002), and FCR and ECR (p = 0.032) in the IG were significantly greater than those in the NG. In conclusion, the differences in muscle strengths of the subjects in the IG were greater than those in the NG, which suggests that they might have a higher injury rate in the future. However, they might be able to recover from their injury and achieve better performance if the differences in strength were reduced by training.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.153-162
• /
• 2019

PURPOSE: This study compared ankle joint exercise and thigh exercise on the isometric strength of the lower limb and balance ability. METHODS: Twenty-seven subjects were divided into ankle joint exercise (AEG, n=9), tight exercise (TEG, n=9), and control group (CON, n=9). AEG and TEG performed ankle joint and tight exercises three times a week for four weeks. The following were measured before and four weeks after each exercise: isometric strength at knee flexion and extension of the lower limb; isometric strength at ankle plantar flexion and dorsiflexion of the lower limb; static balance of trace length and C90 area; and the dynamic forward, backward, leftward, and rightward balance for each region. RESULTS: The results showed that the isometric strength of plantar flexion (p<.05) was increased significantly in AEG compared to those in TEG and CON. The dynamic leftward (p<.05) and rightward balance (p<.05) were increased significantly in both AEG and TEG compared to that in CON. On the other hand, the static balance of the trace length and C90 area, isometric strength of ankle dorsiflexion, knee flexion and extension of the lower limb, and dynamic forward and backward balance did not show significant differences between the groups. CONCLUSION: Ankle joint exercise improves the isometric strength of plantar flexion compared to tight exercise.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.21-30
• /
• 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in mechanical properties of human tibialis anterior following eccentric exercise. Healthy subjects (n=12) performed 120 maximum eccentric contraction of ankle dorsiflexor. Before and 1- and 24- hour after the eccentric exercise, ankle dorsiflexion moment-angle relationships were obtained. Along with significant decrease in maximum isometric muscle strength, the shift of the optimum ankle joint angle toward the longer muscle length direction was observed, independent of the ranges of motion of the eccentric exercise. The results of this study demonstrated that eccentric exercise-induced micro muscle damage(Morgan & Allen, 1999) does rut seem to be a sole mechanism of eccentric contraction-induced muscle damage, suggesting further investigation for the better understandings of this phenomenon.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.21-27
• /
• 2007

The purpose of this study was to evaluate isometric trunk extension strength in hemiplegic patients, and to compare that with normal subjects to find a correlation between trunk extension strength and the functional independent degree in hemiplegic patients. Fifteen hemiplegic male patients (mean age $55.2{\pm}10.2$ years) and twenty-five healthy male subjects (mean age $54.6{\pm}10.3$ years) completed isometric trunk extension. Strength was measured at 0, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 degrees of trunk flexion. The functional independent degree was assessed by Functional Independence Measure (FIM). Mean isometric trunk extension strength was 91.2 ft-lbs, 120.7 ft-lbs, 142.3 ft-lbs, 156.4 ft-lbs, 173.5 ft-lbs, 184.1 ft-lbs, and 195.3 ft-lbs in the hemiplegic patients group, and 135.6 ft-lbs, 175.6 ft-lbs, 204.4 ft-lbs, 221.9 ft-lbs, 231.2 ft-lbs, 246.8 ft-lbs, and 259.7 ft-lbs in the normal subjects group. The values of isometric trunk extension strength had a descending linear correlation pattern from trunk flexion angle to extension angle. Trunk extension strength in hemiplegic patients was significantly lower than that of normal subjects (p<.05) but did not correlate with the FIM total score (p>.05). Therefore, the isometric trunk extension strength in hemiplegic patients was lower than that of normal subjects and did not correlate with the functional independent degree.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.19-26
• /
• 2017

Background: To improve lumbo-pelvic stability, passive support devices (i.e., a pelvic belt) are recommended clinically. Nevertheless, to understand the influence of passive support on lumbo-pelvic stability, it is necessary to examine the influence of a pelvic belt on the abdominal and hip abductor muscles. Objects: To examine the effects of a pelvic belt on the forces of the hip adductor and abductor muscles and activity of the abdominal muscles during isometric hip adduction and abduction. Methods: This study recruited 14 healthy men. All subjects performed isometric hip adduction and abduction with and without a pelvic belt in a neutral hip position. Load cells, wrapped with a non-elastic belt, were placed above the medial and lateral malleoli of the dominant leg to measure the muscle forces of the hip adductors and abductors, respectively. The forces of the hip adductors and abductors were measured using a load cell during isometric hip adduction and abduction, while the electromyographic activities of the bilateral rectus abdominis, internal oblique, and external oblique muscles were measured. Results: The forces generated by the hip adductors and abductors were significantly greater with the pelvic belt than without (p<.05). No significant differences in abdominal muscle activities between the two conditions were found (p>.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that use of a pelvic belt could lead to effective strengthening exercise of hip muscles in individuals with sacroiliac joint pain.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.61-68
• /
• 2007

When an active muscle is stretched, its steady-state isometric force following stretch is greater than that of a purely isometric contraction as the corresponding muscle length, referred to as force enhancement (FE). The purpose of this study was to investigate possible effects of muscle architecture on the FE. While subject performed maximal isometric dorsiflexion (REF) and isometric-stretch-isometric dorsiflexion (ECC) contractions, ankle joint angle and dorsiflexion torque using a dynamometer and electromyography of the tibialis anterior and the medical gastrocnemius muscles were measure. Simultaneously, real-time ultrasound images of the tibialis anterior were acquired. Regardless of the speed of stretch of the ECC contractions. the torques produced during the isometric phase following stretch ($37.3{\pm}1.5\;Nm$ ($10{\pm}3%$ FE) and $38.3{\pm}1.5$ ($12{\pm}3%$ FE) for the ECC contractions with $15^{\circ}$/s and $45^{\circ}$/s stretch speeds, respectively) were greater than those of the REF contractions ($34.5{\pm}2.5\;Nm$). Moreover, the amount of FE was found to be stretch speed dependent. Angles of pennation ($\alpha$) during the isometric phase following stretch were the same for the REF ($15{\pm}1^{\circ}$) and the ECC ($14{\pm}1^{\circ}$(LS), $15{\pm}1^{\circ}$(LF)). During the same phase, muscle thicknesses were the same ($14.9{\pm}0.6$, and $14.9{\pm}0.5\;mm$ for the REF and the ECC contractions, respectively). For a large limb muscle, the tibialis anterior muscle, a similar amount of force enhancement was observed as did for other human skeletal muscles. Architectural variables, pennation angle and thickness, were not systematically different between the REF and ECC contractions when FE occurred. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that muscle architecture may have little influence on the production of FE.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.19-29
• /
• 2021

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of pulsed-ultrasound intervention and continued-ultrasound on the MVIC (maximal voluntary isometric contraction) and active ROM (range of motion) recovery of before EIMD (exercise-induced muscle damage). Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Thirty subjects who are student in their 20s at a university participated in this study, these subjects were assigned into three groups, a control group (n=10), experiment group I (n=10) and experiment group II (n=10). The subjects in experimental group were intervened by pulsed-ultrasound and continued-ultrasound, while ones on control group weren't by any intervention after induced EIMD. Results: First, In comparison of the MVIC, in the among group comparison, the MVIC of continued-ultrasound group was significantly larger than those of other groups (p<.005). Second, In the among group comparison, the active extension angle of continued-ultrasound group was significantly smaller than those of other groups (p<.005). Third, In the among group comparison, the active flexion angle of continued-ultrasound group was significantly lager than those of other groups (p<.05). Conclusion: The above results revealed that the continued-ultrasound intervention before an exercise had a significantly improve of muscle function after EIMD. Therefore we can consider the continued ultrasound as a considerable intervention method to prevent or reduce an exercise injury.

• Archives of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.45-53
• /
• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of muscle activity and muscle strength according to verbal command volume during isokinetic and isometric quadricep exercises. Methods: To measure muscle activity and muscle strength, surface electrodes were attached to the participants, as they sat on a Biodex chair. The isometric exercise was performed three times, with maximum exercise at $30^{\circ}$ bending angle, based on a maximum extension state of the knee at $0^{\circ}$. The average holding time was unified to three seconds. In addition, the isokinetic exercise was performed three times, at $60^{\circ}/sec$. The verbal command ranged between 0∾60 dB and 0∾75 dB. Muscle activity was measured using surface electromyography (4D-MT, Relive, Gimhae, Korea). The Biodex System 4 was used to measure the isometric and isokinetic strength of the nodal line, and 4D-MT was used to measure muscle activity. Results: There were significant improvements in the maximal and relative muscle strengths, when the 0∾ 60 dB and 0∾75 dB verbal commands were applied with isokinetic extension/flexion (p<.05). The isokinetic exercise (0∾75 dB) group showed a significant difference in the vastus medialis oblique muscle activity change (p<.05), while the isometric exercise (0∾75 dB) group showed a significant difference in the rectus femoris muscle activity change (p<.05). Conclusions: Our results reveal that verbal commands effectively improve muscle activity and muscle strength during isokinetic and isometric quadricep exercises.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.43-52
• /
• 2016

The purpose of this study was to suggest the effective squat exercise position to strengthening vastus medialis oblique, and vastus lateralis in quadriceps. Subjects were twenty patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) volunteered to participate in this study. All subjects were applied to static squat convergence exercise with knee flexed $45^{\circ}$, $60^{\circ}$, and $90^{\circ}$ for 30 seconds total 5 times. Measurement variables were maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) of the quadriceps, Q angle and length of thigh. Those were measured before and after the squat exercise on knee joint angle, change rate of which were used for statistical analysis. As a result, squat exercise with knee flexed $90^{\circ}$ increase significantly among knee joint angle in the MVIC change rates of quadriceps (p<.05), however the rates of Q-angle and length change of thigh showed no significant difference. Therefore, this findings suggest that squat exercise with knee flexed $90^{\circ}$ strengthen quadriceps effectively in patients with PFPS.