• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.1856-1861
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• 2019

Background: Although there are interventions available for the improvement of arm functions of patients with stroke, measuring changes in global synkinesis (GS) according to changes in the muscle activity of paretic and nonparetic side muscles is an important factor and studies to investigate such potential factors are evaluated necessary. Objective: To examine the correlation between the affected arm muscle activity and GS changes in patients with stroke. Design: Randomized controlled trial Methods: In order to measure muscle activities of 30 stroke patients, anterior deltoid, posterior deltoid, biceps brachii and triceps brachii of the affected arms were measured using surface electromyography (EMG) and for analyzing GS, biceps brachii and triceps brachi of the affected arms were measured using the same instrument. Results: When the correlations between the muscle activity and GS of the affected arm were analyzed, the results showed significant correlations between the posterior deltoid and the triceps brachii(p < .01) and between the triceps brachii and GS(p < .05). Conclusion: : The results of this study suggest that the efficient movements of the affected arms of stroke patients, it is possible to increase extensor activity by improving smooth antagonism of the arm.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.87-94
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• 2018

Background: Popeye deformity is common after rupture of the biceps muscle's long head tendon. Herein, we report on histological changes in biceps brachii muscles following tenotomy of the long head biceps tendon. Methods: Twelve Sprague-Dawley rats (12-week-old) underwent tenotomy of the long head biceps tendon in the right shoulder. At postoperative weeks 4, 7, and 10, the operative shoulders were removed by detaching the biceps brachii muscle from the glenoid scapula and humerus; the opposite shoulders were removed as controls. H&E staining was performed to elucidate histological changes in myocytes. Oil-red O staining was performed to determine fatty infiltration. Myostatin antibody immunohistochemistry staining was performed as myostatin is expressed by skeletal muscle cells during myogenesis. Results: H&E staining results revealed no changes in muscle cell nuclei. There were no adipocytes detected. Compared with that of the control biceps, the cross-sectional area of the long head biceps was significantly smaller (p=0.00). Statistical changes in the total extent of the 100 muscle cells were significant (p=0.00). Oil-red O staining revealed no fatty infiltration. Myostatin antibody immunohistochemical staining revealed no significant difference between the two sides. Conclusions: Muscular changes after tenotomy of the long head biceps included a decrease in the size of the individual muscle cells and in relative muscle mass. There were no changes observed in muscle cell nuclei and no fatty infiltration. Moreover, there were no changes detected by myostatin antibody immunohistochemistry assay.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.48-57
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• 2017

Background: Rounded shoulder posture (RSP), a postural abnormality, might cause shoulder pain and pathologic conditions. Although most previous research has investigated RSP focusing on the proximal structures of the shoulder, such as the scapula and pectoralis muscles, the relationship between RSP and anterior distal structures of the upper extremity, such as the biceps brachii muscle and elbow joint, is not clearly understood. Objects: This study aimed to investigate the correlations between RSP and the biceps brachii length, elbow joint angle (EJA), pectoralis minor length, general pectoralis major length, humeral head anterior translation (HHAT), glenohumeral internal rotation (IR), external rotation (ER), and horizontal adduction (HAD). Methods: Twelve subjects with RSP (6 male, 6 female) were recruited. All subjects fulfilled the RSP criteria indicated by a distance ${\geq}2.5cm$ from the posterior aspect of the acromion to the table in the supine position. The examiner measured each of the following parameters twice: RSP, biceps brachii length, EJA, pectoralis minor length, pectoralis major length, HHAT, glenohumeral IR, ER, and HAD. Pearson's correlation coefficient(r) was used to assess the correlation between RSP and all the variables. Results: There was a significant moderate positive correlation between RSP and biceps brachii length (r=.55, p=.032), moderate negative correlation between RSP and pectoralis minor length (r=-.62, p=.015), and moderate positive correlation between RSP and HHAT (r=.53, p=.038). Conclusion: The biceps brachii length, pectoralis minor length, and HHAT could be used to evaluate patients with RSP. Better understanding of the correlation between these factors and RSP could help in the development of effective methods to treat patients with this condition in clinical management.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.15-24
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• 2023

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of lowintensity resistance exercise combined with blood flow restriction on muscle activity and muscle fatigue to determine if such a combination may be an alternative to high-intensity resistance exercise in maintaining the muscle mass and strength and preventing degenerative loss of skeletal muscle and to provide basic data for presenting the effectiveness of exercise. METHODS: The interventions were provided for five weeks, four sessions a week, once a day, 60 minutes a session to Experimental group I (n = 13), in which low-intensity resistance exercise was applied by combining blood flow restriction with the biceps curl and experimental group II (n = 12), in which only high-intensity resistance exercise was applied. As a pre-test, the biceps brachii muscle activity and fatigue were measured by surface electromyography, and the hemodynamic variables, such as blood pressure and heart rate, were measured. The post-test was performed identically to the pre-test and compared and analyzed with the pre-test. RESULTS: A significant difference within-group was observed in the biceps brachii muscle activity and fatigue in experimental group I and only in biceps brachii activity in experimental group II. No significant differences were observed between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Since the low-intensity resistance exercise combined with blood flow restriction has similar effects to high-intensity resistance exercise, it is considered an alternative for improving muscle function in groups unable to perform high-intensity resistance exercise.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.285-289
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• 2011

Muscle fatigue is characterized as a progressive increase in discomfort arising from the active muscle at moderate load levels are maintained. The median frequency is the most commonly used as a parameter to describe muscle fatigue. However, the estimate of the median frequency is difficult to indicate muscle fatigue because of its high standard deviation and instability. This paper investigates the power changes of the appropriate low frequency band as a fatigue parameter in EMG during isotonic exercise. To select the appropriate band, linear regression lines are employed to calculate the slopes and the coefficient of determination. Three females and seven males volunteered to participate in surface EMG recordings placed on the biceps brachii and each recording experiment continued until their exhaustion. The results of experiment shows that the power changes of the selected low frequency band (15~45 Hz) have linear slopes and high determinant coefficients. Therefore, this fatiguing parameter using the power changes of the low frequency band is valid to measure the state of muscular fatigue.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.415-424
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effects of various wheelchair handling directions on the upper limb muscle activities of wheelchair attendants while climbing a ramp. Methods: For the study participants, healthy males over 20 years of age were chosen, and the order of the direction of wheelchair handle grip was determined using a randomized method. The handling directions for pushing the wheelchair up a ramp included a general grip with ulnar deviation, a medial grip with wrist pronation, and a neutral grip with a neutral wrist. The muscle activities in the participants' upper limbs were measured using surface electromyography. For statistical data processing, SPSS 18.0 was used to perform repeated measures ANOVA in order to compare the muscle activity among the intervention groups. A contrast test was also conducted among the participants. The significance level (${\alpha}$) was set to 0.05. Results: There was a significant difference between groups using a general grip and a medial grip in the biceps brachii, triceps brachii, and flexor carpi radialis muscles (p<0.05). There was also a significant difference between using a general grip and a neutral grip in the biceps brachii and flexor carpi radialis muscles (p<0.05), and there was a significant difference between using a medial grip and a neutral grip in the biceps brachii and extensor carpi radialis brevis muscles (p<0.05). Conclusion: In this study, the wheelchair assistants' wrist muscle activity was the lowest with a neutral grip while ascending a ramp. Accordingly, this study proposes that wheelchair assistants push wheelchairs up ramps with a neutral grip.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.80-84
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• 2017

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the effects of different sizes of blood flow restriction areas on the thickness of the external oblique and biceps brachii. Methods: The study subjects were 52 adults who were divided into four groups that performed plank exercises over a six-week period after blood flow restriction. Changes in the thickness of the external oblique and biceps brachii were measured using ultrasonography before the experiment, then three and six weeks after the experiment. The changes in each variable over time were evaluated by repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The external oblique and biceps brachii showed significant differences in muscle thickness with regard to time and the interaction between time and each group (p<0.01), but no significant differences with regards to changes between groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: A larger blood flow restriction area resulted in a statistically significant increase in muscle thickness. The results of this study may be used as the basis for future studies and for rehabilitation in clinical practice.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.12 no.12
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• pp.356-362
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• 2012

This study examined the effects of vocalization on upper extremity muscle activity during reaching task in patients with hemiplegia. Thirteen persons with right brain stroke performed reaching to a cup under four concurrent speech conditions of vocalizing the word "Ah" with hemiplegic side. These four conditions are self-vocalization, external vocalization, imaginary vocalization, and no vocalization. The muscle activity(Biceps brachii, Triceps brachii, Middle deltoid, and Upper trapezius) were measured using MP150. Muscle activity was significantly higher under self-vocalization and external vocalization conditions compared to the muscle activity under imaginary vocalization and no vocalization conditions on triceps brachii muscle.(p<0.05). Triceps brachii muscle was highly correlated with biceps brachii muscle(r=0.777, p<0.05). The results suggest that self-vocalization and external vocalization can be used in facilitating upper extremity movements in patients with stroke. When working with patients with right hemispheric stroke, therapists might explore possibilities of using patient's self-speech to enhance the quality of upper extremity movement performance.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.13-21
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• 2018

Background: After a stroke, the patient may have abnormal muscle tone due to abnormal alignment. Physical therapists have used stretching, neural mobilization other methods to treat patients after stroke. In addition, joint mobilization is also used to stimulation in pathway of cervical segmental region and to normal cervical spine alignment. Objects: The purpose of this study was to determine whether Maitland cervical spine mobilization has an immediate effect on muscle tone and stiffness of upper extremity. Methods: Thirty subjects were divided into a experimental group ($n_1=10$), a placebo group ($n_2=10$), and a control group ($n_3=10$). The Maitland cervical spine mobilization was applied in the supine position. Immediately after the intervention, muscle tone and stiffness of biceps brachii, brachioradialis, deltoid, and pectoralis major were measured using Myoton(R)PRO. In the placebo group, sham mobilization was applied to the fifth and sixth cervical vertebra, and the control group was instructed to control breathing. Results: In the experimental group, significant differences were found in muscle tone and stiffness of biceps brachii and brachioradialis in comparison with the affected side and the non-affected side before the intervention (p<.05), whereas there was no significant difference after the intervention (p>.05). Muscle tone of biceps brachii on the non-affected side and pectoralis major on the affected side was significantly decreased before and after the intervention (p<.05). The placebo and control group showed no changes on the non-affected and affected side, and no significant differences were detected before and after the intervention. All the groups revealed no significant differences in muscle tone and stiffness of upper extremity before and after the intervention. Conclusion: This study suggests that the application of Maitland cervical spine mobilization enhanced muscle tone of upper extremity on the involved side symmetrically, and influenced a decrease in muscle tone.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.9-15
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the differences in electromyographic (EMG) activities of upper limb muscles between cross- and parallel-aligned taping and to compare the effects of these 2 taping methods in healthy adults. Thirty subjects, who volunteered for this study, were tested under 3 taping conditions in random order: (1) no taping, (2) cross-aligned taping, and (3) parallel-aligned taping. EMG activities of the biceps brachii, triceps brachii, flexor carpi ulnaris, and extensor carpi radialis muscles were measured. All muscles showed significant differences in EMG activity among the 3 conditions (p<.05). In the post hoc test, biceps brachii and triceps brachii muscles showed significant differences in EMG activity between the no taping and the cross-aligned taping conditions and between the no taping and the parallel-aligned taping conditions. Additionally, the EMG activities of the flexor carpi radialis and extensor carpi radialis muscles appeared to be significantly different between the no taping and parallel-aligned taping conditions. These findings demonstrate that taping may be helpful for decreasing muscle activity, regardless of the direction of tape application. This study provides useful information to future researchers regarding the effects of taping on muscle activity.