• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.323-333
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• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes of gait patterns and muscle activations with increased loads during stair walking. Also, it can be used as descriptive data about continuous stair walking in a real life setting. Method : Twelve sedentary young male adults(Age: $27.0{\pm}1.8yrs$, Weight: $65.8{\pm}9.9kg$) without any lower extremity injuries participated in this study. Participants performed stair walking up 7 floors and their ascending and descending motion on each floor was analyzed. A wireless electromyography(EMG) were attached on the Rectus Femoris(RF), Biceps Femoris(BF), Gastrocnemius(GN), Tibialis Anterior(TA) muscle to calculate integrated EMG(iEMG), median frequency(MDF) and co-contraction index(CI). Chest and left heel accelerometer signal were recorded by wireless accelerometer and those were used to calculate approximate entropy(ApEn) for analyzing gait pattern. All analyses were performed with SPSS 21.0 and for repeated measured ANOVA and Post-hoc was LSD. Results : During ascending stairs, there were a statistically significant difference in Walking time between 1-2nd and other floors(p=.000), GN iEMG between 2-3th and 6-7th(p=.043) floor, TA MDF between 1-2nd and 5-6th(p=.030), 6-7th(p=.015) floor and TA/GN CI between 2-3th and 6-7th(p=.038) floor and ApEn between 1-2nd and 6-7th(x: p=.003, y: p=.005, z: p=.006) floor. During descending stairs, there were a statistically significant difference in TA iEMG between the 6-5th and 3-2nd(p=.026) floor, and for the ApEn between the 1-2nd and 6-7th(x: p=.037, y: p=.000, z: p=.000) floor. Conclusion : Subjects showed more regular pattern and muscle activation response caused by regularity during ascending stairs. Regularity during the first part of stair-descending could be a sign of adaptation; however, complexity during the second part could be a strategy to decrease the impact.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.47-57
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• 2016

In this paper, we measured human body signals in order to verify a active harness system that we developed for gait and balance training. The experimental procedure was validated by tests with 20 healthy male subjects. They conducted motions of Activities of Daily Living(ADL)(Normal Walking, Stand-to-Sit, Sit-to-Stand, Stair Walking Up, and Stair Walking Down) according to body weight support rates (0%, 30%, 50% of subjects' body weight). The effectiveness of the active harness system is verified by using the results of foot pressure distribution. In normal walking, the decrease of fore-foot pressure, lateral soleus muscle and biceps femoris muscle were remarkable. The result of stand-to-sit results motion indicated that the rear-foot pressure and tibialis anterior muscle activities exceptionally decreased according to body weight support. The stair walking down show the marked drop of fore-foot pressure and rectus femoris muscle activities. The sit-to-stand and stair walking up activities were inadequate about the effect of body weight support because the velocity of body weight support system was slower than male's activity.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.227-235
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to analyze differences of 45minutes up-hill walking depending on hiking poles and steady walking time. Seven healthy men volunteered for this experiment. Each of them performed up-hill walking with hiking poles and without hiking poles at speed of 3.5km/h during 45minutes on a treadmill. The treadmill was set 25% up-hill inclination. The lower extremity 4 muscles activity including rectus femoris, tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, biceps femoris was recorded and assessed by using EMG. And Heart rate(HR) and Rating of perceived exertion(RPE) were recorded and analyzed by 15minutes interval. The statistical analysis was two-way ANOVA with repeated measures to compare effects of hiking poles and steady walking time. The level of statistical significance for all tests was P<.05. The results of this study were following : Integrated EMG about four individual muscles doesn't have statistical significancy. However, the sum of IEMG of the four muscles was decreased some with poles than without poles(p<.0l) and IEMG about four muscles was rut different on steady walking time. Second, HR was increased significantly as time up(P<.01). RPE was decreased some with poles than without poles(P<.05) and RPE was increased significantly as time up(P<.01).

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.1-8
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• 2013

This study analyzes how different knee flexion angles affect the abdominal and pelvic muscle activity during supine bridging. Twenty healthy subjects participated in the study. We used surface electromyography (EMG) to measure how three different knee flexion angles ($100^{\circ}$, $70^{\circ}$, and $40^{\circ}$) affected the activity of the transverse abdominis/internal oblique (TrA/IO), external oblique (EO), biceps femoris (BF), rectus femoris (RF), and gluteus maximus (GM) muscles on the dominant side during supine bridging. The one-way repeated analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the statistical significance of TrA/IO, EO, BF, RF and GM muscle activity and the GM/BF activity ratio. For the TrA/IO, EO, BF, and GM muscles, supine bridging with different knee flexion angles resulted in significant differences in abdominal and pelvic muscle activity. For the TrA/IO muscles, the post-hoc test demonstrated that muscle activity significantly increased at $40^{\circ}$ compared to $70^{\circ}$; however, there were no significant differences between $100^{\circ}$ and $70^{\circ}$ or $100^{\circ}$ and $40^{\circ}$. For the EO muscle, the post-hoc test demonstrated that muscle activity significantly increased at $40^{\circ}$ compared to $100^{\circ}$ and $70^{\circ}$; no significant difference was observed between angles $100^{\circ}$ and $70^{\circ}$. For the BF muscle, the post-hoc test demonstrated that muscle activity significantly increased according to the knee flexion angle ($40^{\circ}$ > $70^{\circ}$ > $100^{\circ}$). For the GM muscle, the post-hoc test demonstrated that muscle activity significantly increased according to the knee flexion angle ($100^{\circ}$ > $70^{\circ}$ > $40^{\circ}$). However, for the RF muscle, there was no significant difference. Additionally, the GM/BF activity ratio significantly increased according to the knee flexion angle ($100^{\circ}$ > $70^{\circ}$ > $40^{\circ}$). From these results, we can conclude that bridging with a knee flexion of $100^{\circ}$ can strengthen the GM muscle, whereas bridging with a knee flexion of $40^{\circ}$ is recommended to strengthen the IO, EO, and BF muscles. We can also conclude that knee flexion angles should be modified during supine bridging to increase the muscle activity of different target muscles.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.139-149
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of angle change of forefoot's adhesive outsole on the electromyographic activity (EMG) of the erector spinae and selected lower limbs muscle during downhill walking over $-20^{\circ}$ ramp. Thirteen male university students (age: $25.4{\pm}3.9$ yrs, height: $176.2{\pm}5.1$ cm, weight: $717.4{\pm}105.0$ N) who have no musculoskeletal disorder were recruited as the subjects. To assess the myoelectric activities of selected muscles, six of surface EMG electrodes with on-site pre-amplification circuitry were attached to erector spinae (ES), rectus femoris (RF), biceps femoris (BF), tibialis anterior (TA), lateral gastrocnemius (LG), and medial gastrocnemius (MG). To obtain maximum EMG levels of the selected muscles for normalization, five maximum effort isometric contraction were performed before the experimental trials. Each subject walked over $0^{\circ}$ and $20^{\circ}$ ramp with three different forefeet's EVA outsole (0, 10, $20^{\circ}$) in random order at a speed of $1.2{\pm}0.1$ m/s. For each trial being analyzed, five critical instants and four phases were identified from the recording. The results of this study showed that the average muscle activities of MG and LG decreased in $20^{\circ}$ shoes compared to $0^{\circ}$ and $10^{\circ}$ ones in the initial double limb stance (IDLS). In initial single limb stance (ISLS) phase, the average muscle activities of ES increased with the angle of forefoot's adhesive outsole, indicating that the increment of shoes' angle induce upper body to flex anteriorly in order to maintain balance of trunk. In terminal double limb stance (TDLS) phase, average muscle activities of TA significantly increased in $20^{\circ}$ outsole compared to $0^{\circ}$ and $10^{\circ}$ ones. There was no external forces acting on the right foot other than the gravity during terminal single limb stance (TSLS) phase, all muscles maintained moderate levels of activity.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.250-260
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to investigate muscle function and symmetry index during whole body vibration exercise using lower extremity training posture for throwing athletes. For throwing athletes in their 20s(6 males, 4 females, age: 24.60±0.92years, height: 177.90±7.40cm, weight: 92.90±22.97kg), lower extremity training postures with squat, carphrase, and lunge movements. Whole body vibration exercise training was performed using. Tensiomyography(TMG) variables Time Delay(Td), Time Contraction(Tc), Time Sustain(Ts) Time Relaxation(Tr), and Displacement Maximumal(Dm) in the lower extremity joint muscles(biceps femoris(BF), gastrocnemius lateral(GL), gastrocnemius medial(GM), rectus femoris(RF), tibialis anterior(TA), lateral vastus(LV), medial latissimus(ML)), were measured to compare and analyze muscle activity, muscle fatigue, and left-right symmetry. The results of the study are left RF, VL, right VM (p<.05) in Td, VM (p<.05) in Tc, GM in Ts (p<.05), left RF in Tr, and right TA (p<. 05) showed a change. Therefore, it has been proven that various whole-body vibration training is an effective exercise with changes in muscle contraction, and stability of the core is secured by symmetry of the left and right muscles. For this reason, the whole body vibration exercise will have a positive effect on rehabilitation training, and it is believed that it will be able to improve performance.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.720-726
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• 2021

The aim of this study was to examine the comparative analysis of body muscle EMGs according to the prop and different foot stability during Pilates bridge motion. Eighteen adult males(age, 22.3±2.1 years; height, 173.89±4.51 cm; body mass, 72.61±4.13 kg; and BMI, 24.03±1.31 kg/m²) participated in this study as subjects. The Pilates bridge was composed of a total of 9 motions, according to the props (NP, no prop; RG, ring; GB, gym ball) and different foot stability (BS, basic surface; FR, form roller; BOSU, both sides up). We measured the right's muscle activities of the upper rectus abdominis, lower abdominal stabilizers, external oblique, adductor longus, rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, tibialis anterior, and biceps femoris. The research findings were as follows. During Pilates bridge motion, the use of GB was found to be more effective in activating the body muscle. And during Pilates bridge motion, the use of BOSU was found to be most high in activating the body muscle as well. To summarize the research findings, the use of GB and BOSU during Pilates bridge motion were discovered to enormous affect muscle activities. Therefore, the results of this study are expected to be able to present efficient Pilates bridge exercises for strengthening physical strength.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.72-78
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate relations and effectiveness about mountain climbling exercise with different level of support surfaces by analyzing heart rate and EMG data. A total of 10 male college students with no musculoskeltal disorder were recruited for this study. Method: The biomechanical analysis was performed using heart rate monitor (Polar V800, Polar Electro Oy, Finland), step-box, exercise mat, and EMG device (QEMG8, Laxtha Inc. Korea, sampling frequency = 1,024 Hz, gain = 1,000, input impedance > 1012 Ω, CMRR > 100 dB). In this research, step-box were used to create different surface levels on the upper body (flat surface, 10% of subject's height, 20% of subject's height, and 30% of subject's hight). Based on these different conditions, data was collected by performing mountain climbing exercise during 30 seconds. Subjects were given 5 minutes of break to prevent muscular fatigue after each exercise. For each dependent variable, a one-way analysis of variance with repeated measures was conducted to find significant differences and Bonferroni post-hoc test was performed. Results: The results of this study showed that exercise intensity was reduced statistically as increased surface level on the upper body. Muscle activity of the upper rectus abdominis and biceps femoris for 30% of surface level was significantly higher than the corresponding values for flat surface. However, the opposite was found in the rectus femoris. In general, muscle activity of the lower rectus abdominis, erector spinae, external oblique abdominis, and gluteus maximus increased when surface level increased, but the differences were not significant. Conclusion: As a result, the increase in surface level of the body would change muscle activity of the upper body, indicating that different surface level of the upper body may cause significant effect on particular muscles to be more active during mountain climbing exercise. Based on results of this study, it is suggested to set up an appropriate surface level to target particular muscle to expect an effective training. It is also important to set adequate surface levels to create an effective training condition for preventing exercise injuries.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.287-294
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• 2022

This study was conducted to verify the effect of elastic-taping on the strength, power, and endurance of muscles. Elastic-taping is widely used in sports for preventing injuries due to flexion and extension of the knee joints. The participants of this study were 10 male college students with no abnormalities in knee flexion and extension movements. The function of flexors and extensors of the knee joint were assessed using the isokinetic muscle function measurement equipment at angular velocities of 60°/sec, 5 times; 180°/sec, 5 times; 240°/sec, 25 times before and after applying Kinesio taping. It was observed that the average power of muscles after application of Kinesio taping during knee extension on the right side was significantly increased at angular velocity of 180°/sec (p=.010). During knee flexion, the average power was significantly increased at the right angular velocity of 180° /sec after Kinesio taping was applied (p=.016). In addition, at an angular velocity of 240°/sec, both left (p=.002) and right (p=.002) sides showed significant increase in total work done. The application of Kinesio taping to the rectus femoris and biceps femoris showed a positive effect on improving muscle power and endurance during knee joint exercise.

• 한국체육학회지인문사회과학편
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.505-514
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to examine the muscle activation in trunk and low-limbs muscle during squat exercise on various instability surface. 10 subject performed squat with 75% of 1 repetition maximum (1RM) on a stable floor, stability blue, stability black and BOSU. Electromyographic (EMG) activity was measured trunk muscle such as rectus abdomina (RA), external obliques (EO), internal obliques (IO), multifidus (MF), and low-limbs muscle such as gluteus maximus (GMA), gluteus medius (GME), biceps femoris (BF), rectus femoris (RF), vastus medialis oblique (VMO), vastus lateral oblique (VLO), medialis gastrocnemius (MG), lateral gastrocnemius (LG), soleus (SOL) and anterior tibia (AT) when ascending and descending squat phase. One-way ANOVA repeated measure with Sheffe used to compare the muscle activity on the stable and unstable surface. Squat with BOSU ball induces higher muscle activity of IO, MF, GMA and GME compared with stability and stability blue and blackduring descending motion. Squat with BOSU ball induces higher muscle activity of GMA compared with stability and stability blue and blackduring ascending motion. This results suggested that BOSU ball in the squat could be effective increasing of trunk stability and gluteal muscle activity. However, there was no difference of squat on low-limb muscle with or without instability.