• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.159-163
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the interaction among the neck, trunk, and lower extremities on the non-paretic side in head rotation along with non-paretic-side weight shifting of stroke patients. To compare stroke patients' ability to control posture through muscle activity variation related to pertubation during head rotation along with the non-paretic limb. Methods: We tested 15 hemiplegic patients and 15 normal individuals. Each group's muscle activity was measured by electromyography in neutral head position and head rotation position. We compared each group's resu lt based on measured values in patients' non-paretic neck muscles, trunk muscles, and lower limbs muscles activation. Results: The study showed that muscle activity increased in the sternocleidomastoid muscle (102.26%, 53.00%), splenius capitis muscle (97.93%, 54.93%), erector spinae muscle (241.00%, 127.60%), external oblique abdominal muscle (256.66%, 152.00%), and internal oblique abdominal muscle (252.80%, 152.6%), peroneus longus muscle (117.53%, 137.13%) and gastrocnemius muscle (119.06%, 137.20%), while the results for the sternocleidomastoid muscle, splenius capitis muscle, erector spinae muscle, external oblique abdominal muscle, internal oblique abdominal muscle, peroneus longus muscle, and gastrocnemius muscle showed a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). Conclusion: It is hard for stroke patients to engage in normal movement control under suggested conditions because of the insufficient movement against gravity on the stroke patient's non-paretic side and impaired cooperative patterns. To solve these problems, patients need their bodies to improve through effective movement, resulting in advanced control of their effective and functional activity.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.444-449
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study is to observe the change in the thickness of abdominal muscles when electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) is applied to the abdomen during rest and abdominal muscle exercise to investigate the effect of EMS applied to the abdomen on the superficial and deep muscles thickness. Design: Cross sectional design. Methods: Twenty healthy subjects participated in this study. Subjects were performed resting position, resting position with EMS, curl-up and curl-up with EMS. The electrode of the EMS belt is attached to the abdominal wall between the 12th rib and iliac crest. The thickness of abdominal muscles including rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO), and transverse abdominis (TrA) were captured in each position by ultrasound image during expiration. All subjects were performed four positions randomly. Data were analyzed using repeated ANOVA with the level of significance set at 𝛼=0.05. Results: The muscle thickness of RA, EO, IO and TrA were significantly different at each position (p<0.05). The thickness of all abdominal muscles increased significantly when curl-up than curl-up with EMS. Both RA and EO thickness were significantly increased at resting position than resting position and EMS were combined(p<0.05). But IO and TrA thickness were decreased at resting position when EMS were combined. Conclusions: The results suggest that EMS activates superficial abdominal muscles RA and EO. Therefore, abdominal strengthening exercise combined EMS can activate abdominal muscles and can be applied to various patients and rehabilitation in clinical practice.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2024

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) abdominal muscle strengthening exercise on the activity, posture, and body function of clients with abdominal muscle weakness after cesarean section. Methods: PNF abdominal muscle strengthening exercise was applied to one patient with abdominal muscle weakness after cesarean section. PNF abdominal muscle strengthening exercise was applied five times a week for four weeks. The 5-time supine-to-long sitting test (5-TSLST) and supine-to-stand test (SST) were used to measure activity, and the pelvis tilt angle test (PTAT) and anterior head translation test (AHTT) were used to measure posture. Body function was assessed using the transverse abdominis muscle strength test (TAMST), the internal oblique and external oblique muscle strength test (IOEOMST), and the rectus abdominis muscle strength test (RAMST). Results: Activity, posture, and body function were improved post-intervention. Conclusion: The study verified that PNF abdominal muscle strengthening exercises are effective when applied to patients with abdominal muscle weakness after cesarean section. The findings of this study provide useful data for future interventions in patients with abdominal muscle weakness after cesarean section.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.49-56
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• 2020

PURPOSE: This study examined the difference in muscle activity of the trunk and legs during flat walking with or without an abdominal drawing-in maneuver. METHODS: This study was conducted on 15 healthy males and eight females who were attending D University in Busan. This experiment was conducted after 15 minutes of abdominal drawing-in training using a pressure biofeedback unit before the experiment, and the difference in the muscle activity of the trunk and legs during flat walking with or without an abdominal drawing-in technique was investigated. Surface electromyography was used, and the electrode attachment site was the right sternocleidomastoid muscle, splenius capitis muscle, rectus abdominis muscle, external abdominal oblique muscle, transverse abdominis muscle, erector spinae muscle, vastus medialis muscle, and vastus lateralis muscle (TM DTS, Noraxon, USA). The data were analyzed statistically using a paired t-test on SPSS version 18.0 (IBM). RESULTS: The muscle activity of the rectus abdominis muscle, external abdominal oblique muscle, transverse abdominis muscle, vastus medialis muscle were increased significantly and maintained more than walking without maintaining an abdominal drawing-in maneuver (p < .05). Moreover, muscle activity of the erector spinae muscle was decreased significantly and maintained more than walking without maintaining an abdominal drawing-in maneuver (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Maintaining an abdominal drawing-in maneuver during flat walking is more effective during walking training.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.311-327
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of diaphragmatic breathing on activation of trunk muscles of patients with low back pain. Diaphragmatic breathing may affect activation of trunk muscles. The assumptions are as follows: the crural diaphragm attatches to the lumbar vertebrae from L1 to L3, the voluntary downward pressurization of the diaphragm increases intra-abdominal pressure, and this increases the stiffness of the spine. Diaphragmatic breathing increases intra-abdominal pressure and the increased intra-abdominal pressure may contribute to the lumbar stability. Sixty patients with low back pain were randomly divided into two groups. Experimental group performed diaphragmatic breathing exercise with six breathing positions and control group performed only the breathing positions for five times per week during six weeks. % maximal voluntary contraction(% MVC) of trunk muscles on six breathing positions of experimental and control group was measured according to testing period of pre test, three weeks, and six weeks. The repeated measures of one-way ANOVA were used to analyze % MVC on trunk muscles of experimental and control group according to testing period. The results of this study were as follows: First, % MVC of right and left erector spinae in the right leg extension position indicated the statistically significant difference in experimental group which performed diaphragmatic breathing exercise rather than control group (p<0.05). Second, % MVC of right and left erector spinae in all-four positions indicated the statistically significant difference in experimental group which performed diaphragmatic breathing exercise rather than control group (p<0.05). Third, % MVC of right and left erector spinae, external oblique in the sitting position indicated the statistically significant difference in experimental group which performed diaphragmatic breathing exercise rather than control group (p<0.05). Fourth, % MVC of right and left erector spinae, external oblique in the standing position indicated the statistically significant difference in experimental group which performed diaphragmatic breathing exercise rather than control group (p<0.05). Fifth, % MVC of right and left erector spinae, external oblique in the supine position indicated the statistically significant difference in experimental group which performed diaphragmatic breathing exercise rather than control group (p<0.05). Sixth, % MVC of right and left erector spinae, external oblique in the lying on prone position indicated the statistically significant difference in experimental group which performed diaphragmatic breathing exercise rather than control group (p<0.05). In conclusion, as experimental group performed diaphragmatic breathing exercise according to the period of pre-test, post three weeks, and post six weeks, experimental group showed the greater significant effect on the activation of right, left erector spinae, and external oblique muscle. Diaphragmatic breathing exercise which resulted in activation of trunk muscles can be effective for managing the patients with back pain and should be utilized as the new therapeutic intervention.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.217-226
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a modified abdominal draw-in maneuver on trunk stability and functional capacity as well as pain in patients with chronic low back pain. Methods: The study included 3 patients with chronic low back pain who volunteered to participate. The modified abdominal draw-in maneuver included a posterior pelvic tilt, a traditional abdominal draw-in maneuver, and a vibration sensory feedback device. Voluntary abdominal contraction using the vibration sensory feedback device was performed by the subjects for more than 1 hour per day, 5 times per week, for 6 weeks along with common low back pain treatment. Electromyographic signals in the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO), and erector spinae (ES) muscles were measured to compare muscle activation. The degree of pain was measured using the visual analogue scale (VAS), and functional capacity was measured using the Korea Oswestry Disability Index (K-ODI). All results were compared to the means before and after intervention. Results: After the intervention, the RA, EO, and IO showed increased muscle activation and the ES showed decreased muscle activation. The visual analogue scale decreased after intervention and the K-ODI decreased after intervention. Conclusion: Modified abdominal draw-in maneuvers in daily life combined with therapeutic exercises may be effective in relieving pain and dysfunctions in chronic low back pain patients.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.7-12
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• 2010

Purpose: This study investigated changes in the thickness of the transversus abdominis (TrA), internal abdominal oblique (IO), and external abdominal oblique (EO) muscles between crook lying and wall support standing positions during abdominal hollowing (AH), using ultrasound imaging. Methods: Experiments were conducted on 20 healthy male adults (mean age=$22.45{\pm}4.08$ years) who voluntarily agreed to participate in the experiments. The changes in the thickness of the subjects' abdominal muscles were measured during AH in crook lying and wall support standing positions. Results: The difference in the thickness of TrA between the two positions during AH was statistically significant, but the differences in the thicknesses of IO and EO were not significant. Conclusion: Activity of the TrA, which is a deep muscle, was stimulated in the standing position, which is, therefore, more functional than the crook position, but the activities of IO and EO muscles did not decrease. Therefore, various methods to induce the activity of TrA while decreasing the activities of IO and EO, in the functional standing position that can stimulate deep muscles, need to be designed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.15-25
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• 2022

PURPOSE: This study examined the effect of bridge exercise-abdominal draw-in maneuver (ADIM) with hip adductor co-contraction on the TrA thickness and whether it is effective as a core stability exercise. METHODS: The subjects of this study, 33 men with no history in the past and who provided prior consent, were selected through interviews with male students of S University. The subjects performed five movements, including bridge exercise and ADIM, and performed two demonstrations and two exercises in advance. The abdominal muscles were measured using ultrasonography once in each movement, and the abdominal muscle tone was measured using a soft tissue tone measurement. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the thickness between the TrA and Internal Oblique Muscles at various bridge positions (p < .05), and no significant difference with the External Oblique Muscle (p < .05). There was no significant difference in muscle tone in the Rectus abdominis part (p > .05), but a significant difference in the Oblique Muscle part (p < .05). The muscle tone of the Oblique Muscles by position showed a significant difference in Bridge, BHa, and BA compared to the rest position (p < .05), but no significant difference with BHaA (p > .05). CONCLUSION: The thickness of TrA could be increased through bridge exercise, and TrA could be activated properly using ADIM and may be an effective exercise for core stabilization.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.295-300
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to determine whether the abdominal muscles, which are the major lumbar stabilizers along with the respiratory muscles, are affected by smoking. We compared abdominal muscle activity between smokers and non-smokers during the sit-to-stand movement. Methods: A total of 28 healthy adult males (14 smokers and 14 non-smokers) in their 20s-30s voluntarily participated in the study. The subjects performed the sit-to-stand movement, and then their abdominal muscle activity was measured. The surface electromyography system was employed to measure the maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) values of the subjects' rectus abdominis, external oblique abdominal, internal oblique abdominal, and transversus abdominis muscles. Then, the values were quantified into %MVIC. Results: The activity of the rectus abdominis muscle was higher in the smokers than in the non-smokers. Conversely, the activity of the internal oblique abdominal and transversus abdominis muscles, which are deep abdominal muscles, was higher in non-smokers than in smokers, but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Smoking can inhibit the activity of smokers' deep abdominal muscles and increase the activity of their superficial muscles, thus making it detrimental to their musculoskeletal system.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.224-230
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the hip positions in frontal plane on abdominal muscle activities during bridging exercise. Twenty six subjects who have healthy conditions were asked to perform bridging exercise in three starting positions which are hip abduction, neutral and hip adduction. We used surface electromyography to compare the activities of both external oblique, internal oblique and rectus abdominis muscle. We analyzed the data by using repeated one way ANOVA, The alpha level was set at 0.05. The results showed that the muscle activities of both sides of external oblique, and internal oblique were significantly different among three starting positions. The activity of both sides of rectus abdominis were insignificantly different among three positions. The muscle activities of both sides of external oblique muscle and left internal oblique in bridging exercise with hip adduction position were significantly greater than hip neutral positions. The muscle activity of right internal oblique in bridging exercise with hip abduction positions. Our results suggest that bridging exercise with hip adduction position is recommended to lumbar stabilization exercise and the factor of hip position is important for controlling exercise intensity when designing bridging exercise program.