• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.91-99
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the level of agreement between smartphone apps and self-reported physical activity questionnaires. Methods: Quantitative methods were used to assess the correlation and agreement between the number of steps counted by a smartphone app and the amount of walking reported in a survey. A total of 29 adults who used smartphones were recruited from a university, and their step counts from their smartphone pedometers and responses to the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ) were collected over a 10-week period. Results: An analysis of 170 data pairs with Spearman's rho correlation and a Bland-Altman plot revealed a positive correlation between step counts from the smartphone app and walking activity from the IPAQ. The Bland-Altman plot also demonstrated the agreement to be improved among female participants. Conclusion: In assessing walking activity, smartphone pedometer apps showed good correlation with the IPAQ and improved agreement with the IPAQ among women. Therefore, it is suggested that the participants' gender and activity intensity, as well as the accuracy of measurement tools, should be considered in an evaluation of the delivery of physical activity promotion programs through smartphone apps.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.169-173
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• 2023

Background: In terms of physical performance, elastic tape (ET) is known to contribute to injury prevention and performance enhancement. Objects: This study aimed to compare and analyze the effect on lower extremity muscle activity of young adult women with and without ET during squats. Methods: In this study, six healthy, young women were recruited as participants in a university laboratory. Participants were allocated to two groups of three after measuring muscle activity in a pre-test, and the experiment was conducted for a total of two weeks (two sessions). First, 10 half squats were taped once in the first week, and 10 half squats were performed without taping in the second week. The other group did this in reverse and measured muscle activity after the squat was over. Results: As a result of this study, there was no significant difference in the quadriceps with or without ET (Z = -0.11, p > 0.05). Similarly, no significant difference was found in hamstring (Z = -0.31, p > 0.05). Conclusion: No beneficial effect was found on changes in muscle activity following ET application during squats. Further studies require randomized controlled trials that increase the number of participants and the intensity of the intervention, and measure pain, function, and performance rather than muscle properties depending on the biomechanical lifting mechanism.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.115-122
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• 2023

Objective: A previous study reported that cardiovascular training (CT) decreased interleukin-6 (IL-6), a pro-inflammatory cytokine with bidirectional effects. However, because of conflicting results of increasing and decreasing IL-6 levels in stroke patients, it is essential to clarify the effects of CT on IL-6 levels in this population. Therefore, this review aimed to investigate the effects of CT on IL-6 levels in stroke patients through a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), synthesizing and analyzing the effects qualitatively and quantitatively. Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Methods: In this review, conducted in April 2023, electronic databases (Web of Science, CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, Google Scholar) were searched to ascertain the effects of CT on IL-6 levels in stroke patients. For qualitative evaluation, ReVMan, provided by the Cochrane Group, was used, and for quantitative evaluation, a random-effects model and SMD (Standardized Mean Difference) were used. Results: Three RCTs measured IL-6 in 117 patients with stroke. The experimental group to which CT was applied showed no significant change compared to the control group.The result of analysis using the random effect model is SMD=-0.23; 95% confidence interval, -0.66 to 0.20. Conclusions: CT does not affect IL-6 levels in stroke patients. These results suggest that CT can be applied regardless of its positive or negative effect on IL-6 levels in stroke patients.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.155-164
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• 2024

The rapid evolution of intelligent sports equipment and gadgets has led to the transformation of smartphones into personalized coaching devices. This transformative role is central in today's technologically advanced landscape, addressing the needs of individuals with contemporary lifestyles. The development of intelligent sports gadgets is geared towards elevating overall quality of life by facilitating sports activities, workouts, and promoting health preservation. This categorization yields two primary types of devices: smart sports devices for exercise and smart health control devices, which encompass functionalities such as blood pressure monitoring and muscle volume measurement. Illustrative examples include smart headbands, smart socks, smart wristbands, and smart shoe soles. Significantly, the global market for smart sports devices has garnered substantial popularity among enthusiasts. Moreover, the integration of sensors within these devices has instigated a revolution in group and professional sports, facilitating the calculation of impact intensity and ball speed. The utilization of various types of smart sports equipment has proliferated, encompassing applications in both sports' performance and health monitoring across diverse demographics. This article conducts an assessment of the application of nanotechnology in the continuous modeling of the magnetic electromechanical sensor integrated within smart shoe soles, with a specific emphasis on its implementation in soccer training. The exploration delves into the nuanced intersection of nanotechnology and sports equipment, elucidating the intricate mechanisms that underlie the transformative impact of these advancements.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.346-356
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• 2018

Overweight and abdominal obesity caused by sedentary lifestyle may induce deconditioned and atrophied extensor musculature of the lumbar spine and be a potential risk factor for low back pain (LBP). Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the validity of high intensity circuit training (HICT) on weight loss and subsequent alleviation of spine curvature (SC) and visual analog scale (VAS) among middle aged men with abdominal obesity. The training program (1 exercise session for 30 minutes, three times a week for 12 weeks) consisted of 12 different functional exercises based on core strengthening multiple joint circuit training. Portions of the obesity index related to body composition were positively changed, which improved the angles of thoracic kyposis and lumbar lordosis, which appeared to effectively reduce lower back pain. Taken together, HICT specifically designed for LBP effectively decreased obesity related body composition and was superior to other treatments for decreasing aggravation of the spine curvature and LBP caused by abdominal obesity; however, weight loss should be the primary treatment target for LBP patients.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.514-525
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• 2023

New types of vinegar drinks are being processed and developed using various raw materials. In this study, a beverage containing a mixture of 0.25% red ginseng extract and 5% Prunus mume fruit vinegar (RPV) was evaluated for its anti-fatigue effect on high-intensity exercised rats. RPV administration markedly enhanced running endurance and significantly decreased fatigue-related serum biomarkers, such as inorganic phosphate, ammonia, and L-lactate, compared to the other groups. In addition, RPV administration increased glycogen contents in the liver and muscles and decreased creatine kinase activity in the serum and muscles. RPV administration also remarkedly increased the activity of lactate in the muscles. Furthermore, HPLC analysis revealed that main organic acids in RPV were acetic acid, malic acid, and citric acids. Overall, the results indicate that RPV improved fatigue recovery in exhausted rats, thus proving a promising material of functional food to attenuate fatigue.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.642-655
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• 2022

Purpose: We examined the effects of the 8-week moderate-intensity Pilates exercise program on body composition, balance ability, metabolic parameters, arterial condition, and eating habits among overweight and obese women. Methods: From the general sample of overweight or obese Korean women (body mass index ≥ 23 kg/m² ), those who had not been diagnosed with any chronic degenerative diseases were enrolled in the study (n = 39). After 8 weeks of the Pilates exercise program, the participants were subdivided into adherence and non-adherence groups. Among the study participants, 24 women were matched for age and menopausal status to reduce the bias, and then finally included for the comparison (Pilates-adherence, n = 12; Pilates-non-adherence, n = 12). Results: The body balance measured by the Y-balance test, body mass index, and subcutaneous fat areas were significantly improved in both groups. However, the Pilate-sadherence group showed more positive changes in body balance and had significant improvement in body composition parameters such as waist size, visceral fat area, systolic blood pressure, arterial aging index, fasting blood glucose, and glycated hemoglobin than the Pilates-non-adherence group. In addition, the nutrition quotient for Korean adults (balance, moderation, and behavior except diversity) were significantly improved in both groups after dietary education. However, the participants did not show dramatic improvement in the metabolic parameters, because all the study subjects were in relatively good health and did not have any diagnosed diseases. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that higher adherence to the Pilates exercise program together with a modification of eating habits may effectively improve body balance, body composition, and obesity-related parameters among overweight and obese women.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.635-645
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• 2019

Non-specific chronic neck pain (CNP) is a prevalent disorder and often accompany with pain, fatigue, reduced range of motion (ROM), and hand function. Although various types of drug are commonly used to manage the symptoms following CNP, there is a need for therapeutic exercise and alternative medicine interventions that have few side effects or are easy to apply. Present study investigated the effects of salt pack and neck exercise for life care of the elderly with non-specific CNP. Sixteen patients with non-specific CNP were recruited and randomly assigned into two groups: the intervention group (n=8) or the control group (n=8). All patients performed neck self-exercise for 30 min/day, 5 times a week for 1 week. And the subjects in the intervention group additionally received salt hot pack for 20 min per session. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and pain pressure threshold (PPT) using algometer were used to assess pain intensity (primary outcome). ROM of shoulder joint and grip strength were measured to test shoulder and hand function (secondary outcome). There were significant improvements in the intervention group (p<.05), while the subjects in the control group did not show a significant change after intervention (p>.05). Also, the intervention group show significant differences in VAS and PPT compared to the control group (p<.05). Thus, our results demonstrated that salt pack and neck exercise have a positive effect for life care in elderly patients with non-specific CNP.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.1-11
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• 2006

Objectives: The 2003 WHO/FAO technical report described that Korea has largely maintained its traditional high-vegetable diet despite major social and economic changes, and had lower than expected levels of obesity prevalence than other industrialized countries. However, the prevalence of obesity in Korea has recently been rapidly increasing. The aim of this study was to elucidate the determinants of this rapid growth of obesity prevalence in Korea and to compare the results of national nutrition surveys between Korea and Japan. Methods: The trends of the National Health and Nutrition Survey in Korea instituted every 3 years and that in Japan conducted every year were compared. The results of obesity prevalence defined as more than 25 of the Body Mass Index, the percentage of habitual exercisers and the results of the nutritional surveys were examined from 1992 to 2005 in Korea and from 1992 to 2004 in Japan. Results: The prevalence of obesity in males has been gradually increasing in both Korea and Japan since 1992. Though until 1995 the prevalence of obesity in the Korean male population was less than that in Japan, after 1998 Korea surpassed Japan and a markedly increasing trend was observed. In females, the increasing trend of obesity was slower than males in both Korea and Japan. However, the prevalence of obesity was much higher in Korea compared with that in Japan. The percentage of exercisers was much lower in Korea than in Japan. Although, the definition of an exerciser varies with the survey year in Korea and is different from that in Japan, almost 70% of the population was not regularly engaging in moderate or hard intensity exercise in Korea. From 1995, the total energy intake was increased by 9.8% in Korea but it was decreased by 6.9% in Japan. Presently, the energy intake per capita per day in Korea exceeded that in Japan. Remarkable increases in the intake of meat and poultry, vegetable oils and fats, and milk and dairy products were observed in Korea from 1995 to 2005. On the other hand, these values decreased during the same period in Japan. Conclusion: The prevalence of obesity in Korea is increasing and has surpassed that of Japan. The current trends could be attributed to the low prevalence of habitual exercisers, and an increase in energy intake and the proportion of energy intake from fat.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.24-31
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• 2012

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of self-stretching exercises for iliotibial band (ITB) (Side-lying; right hip and knee were flexed to support the pelvis while left hip was extended and adducted, Standing A; side-bending of the trunk on standing with crossed leg, Standing B; same as Standing A, except the hands were clasped overhead and shifted right side, and Standing C; same as Standing B, except moving the arms diagonally downward) to help determine the most effective self-stretching method to stretch ITB. Twenty-one healthy subjects who do not have ITB shortness from Yonsei University (14 men and 7 women) between the ages of 18 to 28 years voluntarily participated. Ultrasound was performed to measure the thickness of the ITB between the long axis of the ITB and the level parallel to the lateral femoral epicondyle during four self-stretching exercises. All data were found to approximate a normal distribution. We used a one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare the thickness of the ITB among all self-stretching exercises. The level of significance was set at ${\alpha}$=.05. The ANOVA was followed by Bonferroni's correction. The overall mean of ITB thickness was $1.14{\pm}.4$ mm (${\pm}$ standard deviation) in resting status. The change in the ITB thickness in percentages between the tested position of each self-stretching exercises and resting status was significant (p<.05) (Side-lying $26.62{\pm}10.18%$ with 95% confidence interval [CI]=21.99~31.25%; Standing A $29.46{\pm}16.19%$ with 95% CI=22.09~36.84%; Standing B $44.06{\pm}14.82%$ with 95% CI=37.31~50.81%; Standing C $53.76{\pm}12.1%$ with 95% CI=48.25~59.29%). Results indicated significant differences among four self-stretching exercises except Side-lying versus Standing A (p<.01). Based on these findings, the Standing C self-stretching exercise was the most effective in stretching the ITB thickness among four types of ITB self-stretching exercises. Additionally, the Side-lying self-stretching exercise using gravity to stretch the ITB is recommended as a low-load (low-intensity), long-duration stretch.