• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.1791-1796
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• 2019

Background: Vibration exercise after ankle surgery improves proprioception and ankle muscle strength through vibration stimulation. Objective: To examine the effects of vibration exercise on the ankle stability. Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial (single blind) Methods: Twenty soccer players were randomly divided into experimental group and control group. The Vibration exercise program was conducted 12 weeks and 3 times a week. Ankle joint proprioceptive sensory test and Isokinetic muscle strength test were performed using Biodex system pro III to measure plantar flexion / dorsiflexion and eversion / inversion motion. Results: The result of isokinetic test of ankle joint is showed significant improvement in all measurement items, such as leg flexion, lateral flexion, external and internal muscle forces, compared to previous ones by performing vibration movements for 12 weeks. However, in the comparison group, plantar flexor ($30^{\circ}$), eversion muscle ($120^{\circ}$), inversion ($30^{\circ}$) of limb muscle strength were significantly improved compared with the previous phase; was no significant difference in dorsi-flexion. There was no significant difference between groups in all the items. Conclusions: In this study, we analyzed the effects of rehabilitation exercise on soccer players who had reconstructed with an ankle joint ligament injury through vibration exercise device. As a result, we could propose an effective exercise method to improve the ability, and confirmed the applicability as an appropriate exercise program to prevent ankle injuries and help quick return.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.53-57
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the changes in the muscle activation of the quadriceps muscle (rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis) during the stand-to-sit (StandTS) movement according to the plantar flexion angle of the ankle joint. Methods: A total of 22 healthy young females participated in this study. During the StandTS under the three conditions (plantarflexion angle 0°, 20°, and 45° of the ankle), electromyography (EMG) data (% maximum voluntary iso¬metric contraction) of the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, and vastus medialis were recorded using a wireless surface EMG system. Results: There was a significant difference in the muscle activation of rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, and vastus medialis according to the plantar flexion angle (0°, 20°, and 45°) of the ankle. The muscle activation of the quadriceps was the highest at a 45° angle of plantarflexion and the lowest at 0°. One-way repeated ANOVA was used to analyze the muscle activation data of the lower extremity muscles according to the angle of the ankle joint. Conclusion: Based on the results of our study, it was confirmed that the muscle activity of the quadriceps can be increased even in the StandTS movement, which involves the eccentric contraction of the quadriceps muscle. This suggests that maintaining a plantar flexion posture for a long time, say by wearing high-heeled shoes, can quickly cause muscle fatigue in the lower-limb muscles, which can cause a decrease in balance ability leading to falls.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.43-47
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• 2023

Purpose: This study compared the movement control ability of the ankle joint according to the type of muscle contraction, namely, eccentric or concentric contractions. Methods: Thirty-four healthy adult subjects participated in this study. As a single group, before the experiment, the subjects were trained on achieving the required position of the ankle around the target point by manually controlling the ankle dorsiflexion by 10°. Concentric contraction starts at 0° and continues until the target point of 10° is reached. During an eccentric contraction, the ankle joint starts at 20° ankle dorsiflexion and continues till the target point is reached. Movements using eccentric contraction and concentric contraction were randomly performed 3 times each. Results: The results of comparing the difference in the movement control ability of each type of muscle contraction of ankle dorsiflexion showed that the measurement-remeasurement error was significant in eccentric contraction. Conclusion: In this study, we found a difference in the ability to control movement according to whether the contraction is eccentric or concentric. Therefore, we propose that the ability to control movement is affected by the type of muscle contraction.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.48-54
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• 2010

Ankle-foot orthosis with a pneumatic rubber actuator, which is intended for the assistance and the enhancement of ankle muscular activities was developed. In this study, the effectiveness of the system was investigated during plantarflexion motion of ankle joint. To find a effectiveness of the system, the subjects performed maximal voluntary isokinetic plantarflexion contraction on a Biodex-dynamometer. Plantarfexion torque of the ankle joint is assisted by subject's soleus muscle that is generated when ankle joint do plantarflexion motion. We used the muscular stiffness signal of a soleus muscle for feedback control of ankle-foot orthosis as physiological signal. For measurement of this signal, we made the muscular stiffness force sensor. We compared a muscular stiffness force of a soleus muscle between with feedback control and without it and a maximal plantarflexion torque between not wearing a ankle-foot orthosis, without feedback control wearing it and with feedback control wearing it in each ten elderly adults. The experimental result showed that a muscular stiffness force of a soleus muscle with feedback control was reduced and plantarflexion torque of an ankle joint only wearing ankle-foot orthosis was reduced but a plantarflexion torque with feedback control was increased. The amount of a increasing with feedback control is more higher than the amount of a decreasing only wearing it. Therefore, we confirmed the effectiveness of the developed ankle-foot orthosis with feedback control.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.557-561
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• 2013

The purpose of this study to identified the effect of muscle strengthening of ankle joints on postural sway. The subjects of this study were 29 healthy adults aged between 20 and 30 years(male 18, female 11). All subjects received ankle muscle strengthening exercise for 3 times, 3 sessions, 30 minutes per week over 4weeks period. The measured item of muscle strength, postural sway. Data collected from all subjects the result were as follows. The ankle strength showed significant increase(p<.05). One leg stand test with eye close increase in static balance(p<.05), left-right sway distance and anterior-posterior sway distance with eye open and close in static balance(p<.05). The result findings show that strength of the ankle joint muscles is a factor which affects postural sway and the ankle joints are important in static balance.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2018

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to confirm changes in the muscle activity of the quadriceps femoris with changes in the ankle and hip joint angles during the transition from sitting to standing. Method : Twenty-five healthy 20-30-year-old women participated in the study. The subjects performed standing-up movements in four positions: standard posture (hip = $90^{\circ}$/ankle = $0^{\circ}$); posture on a decline board (hip > $90^{\circ}$/ankle < $0^{\circ}$), posture on a footboard (hip > $90^{\circ}$/ankle = $0^{\circ}$); and posture on a decline board with a higher chair (hip = $90^{\circ}$/ankle < $0^{\circ}$). Then, the muscle activities of the rectus femoris, vastus medialis and vastus lateralis were measured using surface electromyography. Result : The muscle activities of the rectus femoris, vastus medialis and vastus lateralis in the footboard application were statistically significantly higher than in the application of the decline board with a higher chair. Conclusion : This study confirms that the flexion of the hip joint has a greater effect than the plantar flexion of the ankle joint on the muscle activity of the quadriceps during a sit-to-stand movement.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.41-51
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• 2019

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of combined Joint Mobilization and Functional Electrical Stimulation on Muscle Activation and Mobility of ankle joints in stroke patients and their Modified Functional Reach Test (MFRT) results. METHODS: A total of 26 patients with stroke were randomly selected for enrollment in this study. (1) Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) (2) combined Joint Mobilization and FES. An EMG system was used to measure tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius activities. Range Of Motion (ROM) of Ankle Joint and MFRT for Dynamic Balance. Pre and post intervention results were compared by paired-t-tests and differences in changes after intervention between groups were identified by the independent t-test. RESULTS: The muscle activation, ROM, and MFRT differed significantly in the experimental group (p<.05). The ROM was significantly different for the active dorsiflexion pre and post intervention in the group that received FES alone (p<.05). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest use of a systematic program of proactive posture control to prevent dysfunction when planning interventions for ankle joints can help stroke patients walk efficiently.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.249-253
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• 2014

PURPOSE: This study intends to examine the effects of change of anatomical position of the ankle joint in open kinematic chain, an appropriate position for selective muscle training, on vastus lateralis obliques, rectus femoris, vastus medilais obliques, and rectus abdominalis muscle activation and to present an effective method of muscle training for patients and normal people. METHODS: The participants of this study were Korean healthy adult in their 20s. The 8 channel surface electromyography was used to measure muscle activation while the subjects raised their legs under each condition. Under each condition, while the subjects raised the leg to hip joint flexion at $60^{\circ}$ along the arch. RESULTS: The analysis result of muscle activation by each section and position during leg rising. There were significant differences. CONCLUSION: For independent strengthening of each muscle, muscle activation was measured according to leg raising angles and the result differed according to each section and position. If this study result is applied to muscle training for patients who need selective muscle training, more effective muscle strengthening will be made possible.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.293-299
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• 2014

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of functional training using a sliding rehabilitation machine (SRM) on the mobility of the ankle joint and balance in children with cerebral palsy (CP). METHODS: The subjects consisted of 11 children who were diagnosed with spastic CP. They carried out the functional training using the SRM for 30 minutes, three times a week, for 8 weeks. Before and after all of the training sessions, the subjects were tested using the Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) and Gross Motor Function Measurement (GMFM), range of motion (ROM) in the ankle joint, the pennation angle of the gastrocnemius muscle and the fascicle length of gastrocnemius muscle were measured to determine the mobility of the ankle joint and balance ability. RESULTS: There were significant differences between the pre-test and post-test in the PBS and GMFM. The ROM of the ankle joint was significantly increased after the functional training using the SRM. Moreover, the fascicle length was increased and the pennation angle was decreased after the functional training using the SRM, but the difference was not significant. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that functional training using the SRM may have some effect on the mobility of ankle joint and balance in children with CP. According to the results, this study could present an approach to the rehabilitation or treatment of children with CP.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.127-133
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of foam roller (FR) stretching, kinesiotaping (KT), and dynamic stretching (DS) on gait parameters after inducing muscle fatigue in the ankle joint. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: The subjects were thirty healthy young adults between the ages of 20 and 31 years at Baekseok University who voluntarily participated in this study. The participants were randomly assigned to either the FR group, KT group, or the DS group after inducing muscle fatigue of the ankle joint. Fatigue induction of the ankle joint muscles was performed by alternating a heel up and down exercise with the standing posture on the ground. The speed was maintained at 40 beats/minute using a metronome. Subsequently, the respective intervention was applied to each group. Gait parameters were measured before and after ankle muscle fatigue induction, and after intervention using the GAITRite system. One-way ANOVA was used to compare gait parameters among groups, while repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare gait parameters within each intervention group. Results: The FR group increased significantly in velocity, step length, and stride length except for cadence after intervention compared to after ankle muscle fatigue induction (p<0.01). Furthermore, the KT group showed significant increases in velocity, cadence, step length, and stride length after intervention, especially in cadence group (p<0.05). All intervention groups showed significant increases in stride length after intervention, especially the DS group (p<0.05). Conclusions: Therefore, we suggest that KT, FR, and DS can be an effective intervention on gait parameters when the ankle joint is unstable and injured.