• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers D
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• v.55 no.7
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• pp.344-351
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• 2006

The fatigue of back muscle in the repetitive lifting motion was studied using multiple parameters(FFT_MDF, RMS, 2C, NT) in this study. Recent developments in the time-frequency analysis procedures to compute the IMDF(instantaneous median frequency) were utilized to overcome the nonstationarity of EMG signal using Cohen-Posch distribution. But the above method has a lot of computation time because of its complexity. So, in this study, FFT_MDF(median frequency estimation based on FFT) algorithm was used for median frequency estimation of back muscle EMG signal during muscle work in uniform velocity portion of lumbar movement. The analysis period of EMG signal was determined by using the run test and lumbar movement angle in dynamic task, such as lifting. Results showed that FFT_MDF algorithm is well suited for the estimation of back muscle fatigue from the view point of computation time. The negative slope of a regression line fitted to the median frequency values of back muscle EMG signal was taken as an indication of muscle fatigue. The slope of muscle fatigueness with FFT_MDF method shows the similarity of 77.8% comparing with CP_MDF(median frequency estimation based on Cohen Posch distribution) method.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.78-86
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• 1997

Back muscles play an important role in protecting the spine. Epidemiological studies have shown that loads imposed on the human spine during daily living play a significant role in the onset of low back pain. No previous study has attempted to correlate the response of the trunk musculature with the type of external load. The purpose of this study was to use surface electromyography (EMG) to quantify the relative demands placed on the back muscles while lifting loads in one hand. Forty asymptomatic, twenty year-old subjects stood while lifting loads of 10% of body weight(BW) unilaterally. All EMG data were normalized to a percentage of the EMG voltage produced during no-load standing(%EMG). Our major analysis involved a paired t-test for repeated measures. Of particular note was the fact that the ipsilateral 10% of BW condition produced statistically less % EMG change than did the contralateral 10% of the condition.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.31-46
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• 2002

The purpose of this research is to provide scientific training guides and the basis for preventing injuries in performing tango backward walk by comparing the effects the height and shape of a heel will have on leg muscles and determining the difference between skilled and unskilled dancers through EMG analysis according to different types of shoes Total eight female athletes were selected for this research. Four with six years of professional dancing experience and another four with one year of dance sports experience. Utilizing the EMG system, rectus femoris, biceps femoris, anterior tibialis, gastrocnemius were measured under different heights (0cm, 5cm, 7cm, 9cm) and shapes (flat, fine, wide) of a heel. Experiments were conducted calculating EMG peak value and muscle load ration under different types of shoes in order to analyze the EMG of leg muscles and Erector Spinae when performing tango backward walk. The result was as follows: 1. The EMG peak value of leg muscles showed significant difference under different heights of a heel in anterior tibialis(p<.001) and gastrocnemius(p.<01) in case of skilled dancers, and in biceps femoris(p.<01) in case of unskilled dancers. 2. The EMG peak value of leg muscles showed significant difference under different shapes of a heel in anterior tibialis(p<.001) and gastrocnemius(p<.001) in case of skilled dancers, and showed no significant difference in case of unskilled dancers. 3. The muscle load ration of leg muscles showed different degrees of muscle contribution between skilled and unskilled dancers. The muscle load ration was in the order of anterior tibialis, rectus femoris, biceps femoris, and gastrocnemius in case of skilled dancers and anterior tibialis, gastrocnemius, biceps femoris, and rectus femoris in case of unskilled dancers.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.43-50
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• 2002

This study was designed to identify the effects of walking conditions (normal walking vs. toe-walking) on electromyographic (EMG) activity of gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior, and soleus muscle. Seven healthy adult males participated in this study. The exclusion criteria were orthopedic or neurologic disease, congenital anomaly or acquired deformity, or pain in low back or lower extremities. The maximal voluntary isometric contraction for each muscle was used for the reference contraction, and EMG activity of each muscle during normal walking and toe-walking was expressed as a percentage of reference contraction. The gait cycle was determined with two foot switches, and gait was normalized as 100% gait cycle for each condition. The maximal values of EMG activity in terminal stance (30~50% of gait cycle) of each condition were compared for data analysis. No significant differences were found in EMG activity of the tibialis anterior and soleus (p>.05), whereas significant decrement was found in EMG activity of gastrocnemius during toe-walking compared to normal walking (p<.05). There is a limitation to generalize the results of this study, because small number of subjects participated for this study and only EMG was used for data collection. The treatment methods should be developed to improve gait efficiency by substituting the weakened muscles secondary to upper motor neuron, or by strengthening the distal muscles in lower extremity.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.109-128
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• 2003

This study tested whether repeated measurement of median frequency (MDF)-related variables could express the muscle power changes during a 12-week DeLome strengthening program, by using consecutive overlapping FFT (Fast Fourier transformation) and integrated EMG (IEMG) from surface EMG data for isometric and isotonic exercise. To evaluate the effect of training, the following were recorded every 3 weeks for the elbow flexors and knee extensors of 5 healthy male volunteers: MVC, lRM, limb circumference, and surface EMG during isometric MVC or isotonic contraction at 10RM load. From the EMG data, IEMG and variables from a regression analysis between MDF and time were obtained. MVC, lRM, IEMG, and initial MDF increased linearly over the training period. The fatigue index and slope of the regression line increased temporarily until the 6th week and decreased thereafter. From these results, there appeared to be enhanced neural recruitment of fast twitch fibers in the first 6 weeks and continued enhancement in the recruitment and hypertrophy of fast twitch fibers, which led to increased fatigue resistance, over the last 6 weeks. Accordingly, the MDF and IEMG analysis technique could demonstrate the effect of the program detected significant changes in both isometric and isotonic contractions. EMG analysis methods can be used to estimate the electrophysiological and histological changes in skeletal muscles during a strengthening program.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.298-302
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• 2017

With an increasing aging population and improved standards of living, more attention has been paid to health. Although walking exercise is known as an aerobic exercise, it imposes repeated and continuous impacts on the joints of the lower extremities. Therefore, when overweight gives a burden to the lower extremity or there is a joint disease, exercise limit occurs. The articular cartilage, weakened with age, also makes it difficult for the elderly to perform walking exercises. Accordingly, this study conducted a comparative analysis between regular walking using only the lower extremity and Nordic walking, which has been known as stable. For analysis, electromyography (EMG) was performed and the ground reaction force of the upper and lower extremities were measured in the same exercise. Integrated EMG (iEMG) revealed that the upper extremity muscles were more active in Nordic walking than in regular walking, where lower extremity muscles were relatively more inactive. In addition, when EMG measurements were performed at each measurement point during walking exercise, the pattern was different. Nevertheless, the result was the same as in iEMG. The load that occurs in each exercise was measured using the ground reaction force system. As a result, Nordic walking had a lower load than regular walking. Therefore, it was found that Nordic walking minimized the load on the lower extremities owing to the effect of whole-body exercise and was a safer and more efficient exercise method.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.336-345
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• 2023

The present study was designed to evaluate changes in neuromuscular properties and the structural and qualitative characteristics of muscles during submaximal isometric contractions at low-to-relatively vigorous target forces and to determine their influence on force steadiness (FS). Thirteen young adult males performed submaximal isometric knee extensions at 10, 20, 50, and 70% of their maximal voluntary isometric contraction using their non-dominant legs. During submaximal contractions, we recorded force, EMG signals from vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), and rectus femoris (RF), and ultrasound images from the distal RF (dRF). Force and EMG standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV) values were used to measure FS and EMG steadiness, respectively. Muscle thickness (MT), pennation angle (PA), echo intensity (EI), and texture features were calculated from ultrasound images to assess the structural and qualitative characteristics of the muscle. FS, neuromuscular properties, and texture features showed significant differences across different force levels. Additionally, there were significant differences in EMG_CV among the quadriceps at the 50% and 70% force levels. The results of correlation analysis revealed that FS had a significant relationship with EMG_CV in VM, VL, and RF, as well as with the texture features of dRF. This study's findings demonstrate that EMG steadiness and texture features are influenced by the magnitude of the target force and are closely related to FS, indicating their potential contribution to force output control.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.54-60
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• 2006

This study aimed to compare movement patterns of shoulder joints between the right and left symmetry in stroke patients and control subjects. This study proposes use of the voluntary response index (VRI) calculated from quantitative analysis of surface electromyographic (sEMG) and motion data recorded during voluntary movement as a feeding task. The VRI is comprised of two numeric values, one derived from the total muscle activity recorded for the voluntary motor task (magnitude), and the other from the sEMG distribution across the recorded muscles with the similarity index (SI). Five stroke patients and five age-matched healthy controls were recruited. Feeding motion was performed using the provided spoon five times with rests taken on a chair in between tasks. EMG data were digitized and analyzed on the basis of the root mean square (RMS) envelope of activity. The average amplitude of responses was calculated. Responsiveness and clinically meaningful levels of discrimination between stroke patients and control for EMG magnitude and SI were determined. The similarity index of the results from two successive examinations of both sides apart for stroke patients and control subjects were .86 and .95 in motion analysis and .84 and .99 in electromyographic analysis. The SI of sEMG data and motion data was significantly correlated in stroke patients. The data suggest that SI is a sensitive program for comparing and analyzing the symmetry of muscle activity and motion in both sides. This analysis method has a clinical value in grading muscular activity and movement impairment after brain injury.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Telematics and Electronics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.335-342
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• 1988

In this paper, we proposed a new algorithm for EMG low frequency analysis. Through the power spectrum analysis of Gaussian's, Gamma's and Erlang's PDF(probability density function) based on the proposed algorithm, the proper PDF of IPI (inter pulse interval) representing the firing rate of muscle was suggested. In order to verify the proposed algorithm EMG signals of masseter and biceps muscle were detected by surface electrode and its power spectrum analysis was performed. The experimental results are compared with the computer simulaiton. As a result, the masseter muscle's IPI was fitted by Gamma PDF, having a 10Hz fundamental frequency including n(1+\ulcornerfp high harmnic frequency on 10% MVC(maximum voluntary contaraction). And the biceps muscle's IPI was fitted by Gaussian PDF, also it have a 14Hz fundamental frequency.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.115-123
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• 2013

Objectives : This study was performed to confirm the usefulness of EMG and early-performed ENoG as predicting factor for facial palsy by clinical outcome. Methods : We gathered patients who visited the Facial Palsy Center in Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong between January 2010 and September 2012. We used inclusion/exclusion criteria and reviewed 231 patients' medical records including gender, age, HB grade and EMG & ENoG axonal loss. We compared the relation between EMG axonal loss and improvement degree at 4 & 6 weeks after treatment, and between ENoG axonal loss at 3-5 & 6-8 days after onset and EMG axnoal loss using regression analysis. Results : Each analysis had statistical significance, but EMG & improvement degree at 6 weeks after treatment showed statistically higher correlation than that at 4 weeks after treatment, and ENoG at 6~8 days after onset & EMG showed statistically higher correlation than that at 3~5 day after onset. Conclusions : We could get the evidence of the validity of EMG and early-performed ENoG as predicting factor for facial palsy based on collaborative treatment between Korean and western medicine.