• Journal of Wellbeing Management and Applied Psychology
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.31-34
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to review health-care program using the recent robotic horse-riding technology and its clinical effects for chronic low back pain. Research design, data and methodology: Recent clinical articles were determined under three inclusion criteria for in-depth review: 1) article that is published within 1 year, 2) article that includes the detailed explanation of health-care program using robotic horse-riding, 3) the article that deals with chronic low back pain during more than 6 months. Results: As a result, the finally-determined two articles demonstrated the clinical effects of robotic horse-riding statistically on pain intensity, low back muscle strength, spinal alignment, and fear-avoidance belief. Conclusions: After in-depth review, I concluded that health-care program using robotic horse-riding for chronic low back pain needs to be provided at low-intensity (e.g. less than 6km/h horse walking program) in the beginning of health-care for improving their motor control ability, then, at the increased intensity for strengthening core muscles.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.581-588
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to investigate the accuracy of visual discrimination of soft fat pork carcasses when subjecting carcasses to quality grade evaluations. In addition, the quality of the longissimus dorsi muscle from soft fat carcasses was investigated. Iodine values of back fat from soft fat carcasses evaluated by visual discrimination were significantly higher than those from firm fat carcass (p < 0.05). However, those values were lower than the standard for soft fat (iodine value = 70). There were no significant differences in linoleic acid content, b-values, and L-values (p < 0.05) of back fat between firm and soft fat carcasses evaluated by visual discrimination. Color of longissimus dorsi muscle from soft fat carcasses (iodine value higher than 70) was not different from that of firm fat carcass (iodine value lower than 70). Except for linoleic acid, there were no significant differences in any fatty acid contents between longissimus dorsi muscles from firm fat and soft fat carcasses. Monounsaturated fatty acid content of longissimus dorsi muscles from soft fat carcasses was significantly lower than those of firm fat carcass (p < 0.05). However polyunsaturated fatty acid content was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in longissimus dorsi muscles from soft fat carcasses. In conclusion, visual discrimination results for soft fat pork carcass were inaccurate. Therefore, other indicators should be required to evaluate soft fat pork carcasses. In contrast, the quality of longissimus dorsi muscle from soft fat carcasses was superior in terms of fatty acid composition compared with that of firm fat carcasses.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.95-108
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• 2003

The purposes of this study were to analyze the muscle activities and the characteristics of muscle recruiting patterns of upper trunk for Ssirum dutguri technique using three top-ranked elite Ssirum players. The EMG technique was used to record muscle activities of both right and left sides of latissimus dorsi, biceps brachii, and erector spinae. Six surface electrodes were placed on the surface of the selected muscles and one ground electrode was also attached on the back of neck(C7). One video camera was also used to record the Ssirum motion to define 4 events and 3 phases for further analysis. The raw EMG data were filtered with band pass filter (50-400 Hz) to remove artifacts and then low pass filtered (4 Hz) to find the linear envelope which resemble muscle tension curve. This filtered EMG data were normalized to MVIC for the purpose of comparion between the subjects. The results were indicated that each subject with different physical characteristics showed very different muscle activity patterns. Although Ssirum dutguri is considered as foot technique the player grasped opponent's satba(belt) with both hands when they play. Because of this reason, activities of upper trunk muscles were relatively high. However, direct comparison between upper and lower body muscles was not possible due to the lack of the data in present study. Interestingly, all threes subjects showed that erector spinae muscle activity was comparatively higher than those of latissimus dorsi and biceps brachii. This implies to reinforce back muscle as a routine of training to improve performance or to prevent back injury.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.415-424
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to compare changes in abdominal muscle thickness in different standing postures with a handheld load between subjects with and without chronic low back pain (CLBP). Methods: Twenty subjects with CLBP and 20 controls participated in this study. Ultrasound imaging was used to assess the changes in the thickness of the transverse abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) muscles. Muscle thickness in three different standing postures (standing at rest, standing with loads, standing with lifting loads) was compared with the muscle thickness at rest in the supine position and was expressed as a percentage of change in the thickness of the muscle. Results: While standing with loads, the change in IO muscle thickness in the CLBP patients increased more significantly than in the pain-free controls (p < 0.05). The standing with lifting loads posture showed a significant increase in the change in thickness of the TrA compared with the standing with loads posture (p < 0.05). In addition, the standing with lifting loads posture showed a significant decrease in the change in the thickness of the EO when compared with the standing with loads posture (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The automatic activity of the IO muscle in subjects with CLBP increased more than that of the pain-free controls in the standing with loads posture. These findings suggest that IO muscle function may be altered in those with CLBP while standing with loads. Additionally, TrA the activation level was found to be associated with increased postural demand caused by an elevated center of mass.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.123-128
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• 2018

Purpose: This study examined the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and horseback riding using a robotic device on the trunk muscle activity and gross motor function in children with spastic diplegia. Methods: Children with spastic diplegia were divided into two groups: an experimental group (NMES and horseback riding using a robotic device [n=10]) and a control group (placebo NMES and horseback riding using a robotic device [n=10]). Each group received general physical therapy and occupational therapy. Each intervention involved the administration of NMES for 15 minutes and horseback riding using robotic device therapy for 15 minutes three times a week for 4 weeks. The evaluation included both the rectus abdominis muscles (RA), external oblique muscles (EO), thoracic paraspinal muscles (TP), and lumbar paraspinal muscles (LP) activity and GMFM. Results: The RA, EO, TP, and LP muscle activity, GMFM C, D, and E were increased significantly in the experimental and control groups. A significant increase in both the TP muscle activity and GMFM D was observed in the experimental group compared to the control group. Conclusion: This study showed that horseback riding using a robotic device is an effective intervention for trunk muscle activity and GMFM in children with spastic diplegia. However, if NMES is added to the back muscles, it is possible to further increase the thoracic paraspinal muscle activity and standing ability.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.125-133
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to develop a method for estimating 3-D coordinates of lower trunk muscles using orientation angles during a motion. Traditional 3-D motion analysis system with DLT technique was used to track down the locations of eight reference markers which were attached on the back of the subject. In order to estimate the orientations of individual lumbar vertebrae and musculoskeletal parameters of the lower trunk muscle, the rotation matrix of the middle trunk reference frame relative to the lower trunk reference frame was determined and the angular locations of individual lumbar vertebrae were estimated by partitioning the orientation angles (Cardan angles) that represent the relative angles between the rotations of the middle and lower trunks. When the orientation angles of individual intervertebral joints were known at a given instant, the instantaneous coordinates of the origin and insertion for all selected muscles relative to the L5 local reference frame were obtained by applying the transformation matrix to the original coordinates which were relative to a local reference frame (S1, L4, L3, L2, or L1) in a rotation sequence about the Z-, X- and Y-axes. The multiplication of transformation matrices was performed to estimate the geometry and kinematics of all selected muscles. The time histories of the 3-D coordinates of the origin and insertion of all selected muscles relative to the center of the L4-L5 motion segment were determined for each trial.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.298-303
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• 2019

Purpose: This study examined the effects of slashpipe exercise on reducing the thickness of the left and right external oblique, internal oblique, transverse abdominis, erector spinae, and multifidus muscles. Methods: A total of 29 healthy adult men and women were included in the study. They performed trunk flexion in the supine position and trunk extension in the prone position with a slashpipe and weight bar. The external oblique, internal oblique, and transverse abdominis muscles were measured in the supine position, while the erector spinae and multifidus muscles were measured in the prone position. The data were analyzed using the SPSS ver 21.0 statistical program. The difference in thickness between the right and left sides of the trunk muscle was analyzed by repeated measures analysis. The statistical significance level was set to p<0.05. Results: The results showed that the slashpipe exercise reduced significantly the difference in thickness of the oblique internus and erector spinae muscles compared to the weight bar exercise. Conclusion: The chaotic fluidity of the fluid filled inside the slashpipe could be used as sensory feedback information on body mal-alignment, which would have positively affected the symmetrical contraction of the trunk muscles as a trigger for self-correction. Therefore, it will have a useful effect not only on the health of the general public, but also on low back patients and athletes with muscle asymmetry.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.155-170
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• 2003

Lumbar segmental instability is considered to represent a significant sub-group within the chronic low back pain population. This condition has a unique clinical presentation that displays its symptoms and movement dysfunction within the neutral zone of the motion segment. The loosening of the motion segment secondary to injury and associated dysfunction of the local muscle system renders it biomechanically vulnerable in the neutral zone. There in evidence of muscle dysfunction related to the control of the movement system. There is a clear link between reduced proprioceptive input, altered slow motor unit recruitment and the development of chronic pain states. Dysfunction in the global and local muscle systems in presented to support the development of a system of classification of muscle function and development of dysfunction related to musculoskeletal pain. The global muscles control range of movement and alignment, and evidence of dysfunction is presented in terms of imbalance in recruitment and length between the global stability muscles and the global mobility muscles. The local stability muscles demonstrate evidence of failure of aeequate segmental control in terms of allowing excessive uncontrolled translation or specific loss of cross-sectional area at the site of pathology Motor recruitment deficits present as altered timing and patterns of recruitment. The evidence of local and global dysfunction allows the development of an integrated model of movement dysfunction. The clinical diagnosis of this chronic low back pain condition is based on the report of pain and the observation of movement dysfunction within the neutral zone and the associated finding of excessive intervertebral motion at the symptomatic level. Four different clinical patterns are described based on the directional nature of the injury and the manifestation of the patient's symptoms and motor dysfunction. A specific stabilizing exercise intervention based on a motor learning model in proposed and evidence for the efficacy of the approach provided.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.1834-1839
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• 2019

Background: Lumbar lordosis is a result of muscle shortening and may cause low back pain. Objective: To examine the effects of static and dynamic stretching on lumbar lordosis and low back pain in university students. Stretching is an intervention that can be applied to shortened muscles; however, very few studies have compared the effects of static and dynamic stretching on lumbar lordosis and low back pain. Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial (single-blind) Methods: The 12 selected subjects were randomly assigned static stretching and dynamic stretching groups each containing six students. The subjects in each group performed their respective stretching programs for 17 minutes, 3 times a week for 4 weeks. Lumbar lordotic angle, low back pain, and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were measured before and after the intervention. Results: Intragroup comparisons showed significant reductions in lumbar lordotic angle and low back pain in the static stretching group while the dynamic stretching group showed significant decreases in lumbar lordotic angle, low back pain, and ODI. The intergroup comparisons showed significantly greater differences between pre- and post-intervention in lumbar lordotic angle and low back pain in the dynamic stretching group compared to those in the static stretching group while ODI did not show any intergroup difference. Conclusions: The results of this study indicated that, while both static and dynamic stretching helped to reduce the lumbar lordotic angle and low back pain, dynamic stretching was more effective in alleviating lumbar lordotic angle and low back pain compared to static stretching.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2016

Background: Prolonged sitting leads to low back discomfort and lumbopelvic muscle fatigue. This study examined the characteristics of body perceived discomfort and trunk muscle fatigue during 1 hour of sitting in three postures in office workers. Methods: Thirty workers sat for 1 hour in one of three sitting postures (i.e., upright, slumped, and forward leaning postures). Body discomfort was assessed using the Body Perceived Discomfort scale at the beginning and after 1 hour of sitting. Electromyographic (EMG) signals were recorded from superficial lumbar multifidus, iliocostalis lumborum pars thoracis, internal oblique (IO)/transversus abdominis (TrA), and rectus abdominis muscles during 1 hour of sitting. The median frequency (MDF) of the EMG power spectrum was calculated. Results: Regardless of the sitting posture, the Body Perceived Discomfort scores in the neck, shoulder, upper back, low back, and buttock significantly increased after 1 hour of sitting compared with baseline values ($t_{(9)}=-11.97$ to -2.69, p < 0.05). The MDF value of the EMG signal of rectus abdominis, iliocostalis lumborum pars thoracis, and multifidus muscles was unchanged over time in all three sitting postures. Only the right and left IO/TrA in the slumped sitting posture was significantly associated with decreased MDF over time (p = 0.019 to 0.041). Conclusion: Prolonged sitting led to increased body discomfort in the neck, shoulder, upper back, low back, and buttock. No sign of trunk muscle fatigue was detected over 1 hour of sitting in the upright and forward leaning postures. Prolonged slumped sitting may relate to IO/TrA muscle fatigue, which may compromise the stability of the spine, making it susceptible to injury.