• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.282-288
• /
• 2022

Background: Pilates exercises are used for body shape correction because they can achieve correct posture alignment through spinal stabilization. Objects: This study aimed to determine whether the use of reformers increases the effectiveness of Pilates core exercises on body alignment in standing. Methods: The study included 30 women without known diagnoses of musculoskeletal and neurological disorders or cancer. Those who had taken more than 10 Pilates lessons were excluded. The participants were randomly assigned to either the reformer exercise group or the mat exercise group, and interventional Pilates exercises were performed for 60 minutes a day, three times a week, for a total of 8 weeks. Ten movements of the reformer and mat Pilates core exercise programs were included. Exbody^® 9100 MOMI musculoskeletal analysis equipment (Exbody Inc.) was used to assess the alignment of the standing posture in the frontal plane. Results: As a result of comparing the differences within and between the groups before and after the intervention using the two-way mixed analysis of variance test, height differences in the head, pelvis, left and right, shoulders, scapulas, knees, and ankles in the frontal plane after the intervention were found in both groups. For example, the left-right symmetry of the body alignment in the standing posture was significantly improved within each group (p < 0.05). However, no significant difference was found between the groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Both the reformer and mat Pilates core exercises were effective for standing posture alignment, which has clinical significance. If an exercise program is developed based on the analysis of movements necessary for posture improvement and the target muscles to be strengthened, the same effect can be achieved only with mat exercise without using the reformer equipment at the beginner stage.

• PNF and Movement
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.167-176
• /
• 2017

Purpose: This study investigated the effect of core and abdominal muscle-strengthening exercises on muscle activity in the lower extremity on unexpected perturbation. Methods: Twenty subjects were randomly divided into the core exercise group (n=10) or the abdominal muscles strengthening group (n=10). The two groups performed their exercises during three sessions a week for a total of four weeks. The muscle activity in the lower muscles (rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius) was assessed using surface electromyography (EMG) and normalized maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) before and after the exercises. Results: An increase in the tibialis anterior activity after the core and abdominal muscles strengthening exercises was found after four weeks. A significant difference in the pre- and post-exercise was found. The gastrocnemius muscle activity increased in the core exercise group more than the abdominal muscles strengthening group. However, the difference was not significant. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the core and abdominal muscles strengthening exercises increased the tibialis anterior muscle activity. It is expected to help make more balance ability that affect who has abdominal muscles weakness.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.112-118
• /
• 2016

Purpose: This study examined thickness changes in abdominal muscles according to difficulty level of core stabilization exercise in healthy subjects. Methods: Thirty healthy subjects (age range: 21-30 years) volunteered under three conditions. In the first condition, the subjects performed an abdominal draw-in maneuver (ADIM). In the second condition, they performed the ADIM during quadruped exercise using a suspension device without extending their lower limbs. In the third condition, the subjects performed the ADIM during quadruped exercise using a suspension device while extending both lower limbs. The changes in thickness of transverse abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) muscles were measured by ultrasonography (US) imaging during the three experimental conditions, and US was used to measure the improvement ratio of muscle thickness at rest. The interventions were conducted over three trials in each condition, and measurements were performed on each subject by one examiner. Results: Our results showed a significantly greater increase in the muscle thickness of TrA and IO muscles after performance of quadruped exercise using a suspension device without knee extension (p<0.05) compared to the other conditions. The results also showed a significantly greater increase in the thickness changes of EO muscle in those who performed the ADIM during quadruped exercise using a suspension device with knee extension (p<0.05) compared with the ADIM only. Conclusion: These findings demonstrated positive evidence that a low-level core stabilization exercise could improve thickness of abdominal muscles.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.109-118
• /
• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of core stabilization exercise on foot pressure in the hemiplegic patients. Methods: A total of 28 subjects(n=28) who were diagnosed with hemiplegic caused by a stroke were randomly divided into bridge exercise(BX, n=14) and crunch exercise(CX, n=13) groups and each group executed the exercises 20 minutes a day, 4 times per week over an 8 week period. Foot pressure was measured on the fore, mid, and hind foot for peak pressure, and distance of center of pressure(COP). Results: The peak pressure on the mid foot for BX and CX were significantly different according to the exercise period(p<.05). Peak pressure on the hind foot of BX was significantly different according to exercise period(p<.05), however there was not in CX. The effects of each exercises period were significantly different according to pre-after 8weeks(p<.05). According to exercise period(p<.05), COP distances of BX and CX were significantly different. Conclusion: The results show that both BX and CX verified an improvement in gait ability. Especially, since we confirmed BX was attributed more to gait ability than CX. This is considered to be effective on those hemiplegic patients who need core-stabilization and gait stability.

• Journal of the Korea Computer Graphics Society
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.79-86
• /
• 2020

It is important to exercise in the correct posture in order to increase the exercise effect of the core exercise. This paper introduces a system that can train an exercise posture by providing feedback so that a user who performs core exercise in a virtual reality environment can take an accurate posture. It targeted three core movement postures, such as squat, lunge, and bridge, and provides visual feedback and haptic feedback to the user to take an accurate posture. The reference posture is generated by adjusting the expert's posture to the user's body length, and the accuracy of the exercise posture is calculated by comparing the user's posture with the reference posture. The effectiveness of the feedback was verified through user experiments, and the training effects according to the design of the feedback were compared.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.583-592
• /
• 2013

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate muscles activation relate to core stability during 5 therapeutic exercise in children with spastic diplegia. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 8 children with typical development and 12 children with spastic diplegia who have been treated in Bobath children's hospital, all of whom agreed to participate in the study. All subjects were measured to see their muscles activation of rectus abdominalis, external oblique abdominalis, elector spinae, gluteus maximus, rectus femoris, and semitendinosus with surface EMG. RESULTS: The results of this study were as follows : 1) There were statistically significant difference in the root mean square(RMS) of all muscles according to 5 therapeutic exercise in children with spastic diplegia. 2) There were statistically significant difference in the RMS of all muscles according to 5 therapeutic exercise in children with typical development. 3) Significant differences of the RMS between diplegic children and normal children were found in elector spinae and rectus femoris only curl-up exercise. CONCLUSION: As the above results, we suggest that 5 therapeutic exercises could be used for a core stability or core strengthening program. Depending on the individual needs of children with cerebral palsy, some of exercises may be more beneficial than others for achieving strength.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.67-76
• /
• 2020

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to provide more effective interventions for elderly men with weak core muscles by measuring the thickness of the muscles according to the five core stabilization exercise and comparing the thickness differences in muscles in each posture. Methods : The study selected 29 elderly men aged 65 to 80 years old among outpatient patients at S Medical Center in B city, and measured the muscle thickness by exercise posture once. In order to find out the thickness of the external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO), and transverse abdominis (TrA) muscles were measured by using rehabilitative ultrasound imaging (RUSI) in five exercise conditions. Results : A significant change in the thickness of the EO muscles in each group was measured by the method of motion, followed by the abdominal crunches (1.67±0.15), the lower body rotations (1.54±0.07). As a result of measuring the thickness of the IO muscles of each group according to the exercise method, the bridge group (1.14±0.22) was the highest, followed by the abdominal drawing group (1.05±0.03). As a result of measuring the thickness of the TrA muscles of each group according to the exercise method, the abdominal crunches (0.98±1.00) were the highest, and the bridge group (0.57±0.05) were higher in order of magnitude. Conclusion : Consequently, the five core stabilization exercises all affect changes in abdominal thickness and are expected to continue to require training studies on muscle posture.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.14-19
• /
• 2022

Background: Plank exercise (PE) is an effective exercise to enhance lower back stability by strengthening the core and lower limb muscles. However, in patients with a shortened hamstring muscle (HAM), PE may cause abnormal movement of the pelvis and lower back due to HAM hyperactivity. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of PE on the core muscles and HAM in subjects with a shortened HAM. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Subjects were divided into a normal length of HAM group (NHG; 9 subjects) and a shortened length of HAM group (SHG; 14 subjects). The activities of the erector spinae (ES), rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and HAM muscles were measured using surface electromyography. Results: The results showed that RA, EO, and ES muscle activities were higher in the NHG than in the SHG; however, no significant differences were detected. Conclusion: HAM activity was significantly higher in the SHG than in the NHG. In subjects with a shortened HAM, PE may hyperactivate the HAM, adversely affecting the pelvis and lower back.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.216-221
• /
• 2019

Purpose: This study examined the effect of visual feedback squat on the core muscle thickness of young adults experiencing back pain. Methods: Thirty adult men and women who experienced back pain were assigned randomly to 15 members of the visual feedback squat group (VSG) and 15 of the normal squat group (NSG) to train three times a week for a total of eight weeks. The core muscle thickness was compared prior to the test for four weeks and eight weeks after the test by dividing it into warm-up exercise, main exercise, and 10 minutes finishing exercise. Before, and four weeks and eight weeks later, the thickness of the core muscle was compared using an ultrasonic imaging system. Repeated measured ANOVA was performed to compare the groups, and a Bonferroni test was performed as a post-hoc test to assess the significance of the timing of the measurements in each group according to the periods. An independent t-test was conducted to test the significance between the groups according to the measurement points. Results: A significant change in the main effects of time and interactions of the time difference in muscle thickness of transvers abdominis were observed between the visual feedback squat and control groups according to the measurement point (p<0.05). No significant difference in the muscle thickness of both muscles was observed between the groups with the exception of the right abdominis (p>0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that visual feedback squat exercise is expected to have positive effects on the development of transverse abdominis in core muscles.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
• /
• v.27 no.6
• /
• pp.157-165
• /
• 2022

The purpose of this study was to determine whether unstable surface core exercise is more effective than stable surface core exercise on improving functional movement and balance and reducing pain in sedentary female workers with backpain. Participants were randomly assigned to an unstable surface core exercise(UEG; n=10) or a stable surface core exercise(SEG; n=10) group. They participated in the given exercise for 8 weeks. FMS, Y-Balance and VAS were measured before and after the participation in exercise, which were subjected to a repeated-measures ANOVA. In the case of a significant interaction between time and group, paired sample t-tests were conducted for a post hoc analysis within each subject group. Results indicated that FMS of the UEG had a significant effect on HS (p<.01), ASLR (p<.05) and TS(p<.001), but not for other variables. YBT did not show a significant effect for any variable (AT, PL, PM, TS), although the main effect of time was significant in both subject groups. VAS had a significant effect only in the UEG(p<.001). Our findings indicate that compared to SEG, UEG is more effective for improving functional movement and reducing pain, but not for improving balance, in sedentary female workers with backpain.