• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.109-116
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• 2014

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to perform the calf-raise exercise on the stable support surface and unstable support surface for comparing deference of the gastrocnemius thickness changes that measured by ultrasonography. Method : Subjects stand on unstable support surface and a stable support surface with both feet. Keeping calf-raise position in the 3 seconds, and then had to return back to the starting position. Total of 3 sets of 15 repetitions performed and give a 30-second rest between each set. In this way, exercise performed 3 times a week, performed a total of 6 weeks. Result : 1. gastrocnemius muscle thickness before and after exercise in experimental group A was significantly different(p<.05). 2. gastrocnemius muscle thickness before and after exercise in experimental group B was significantly different(p<.05). 3. gastrocnemius muscle thickness in experimental group A and experimental group B was significantly difference(p<.05). Conclusion : In conclusion, calf-raise exercise on unstable support surface was more efficient than stable support surface for increasing thickness of gastrocnemius.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.107-113
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• 2022

Gastrocnemius muscle partial rupture is a common muscle injury. This case is report on a patient with a gastrocnemius muscle partial rupture who was continuously observed with ultrasonography while receiving Korean medicine treatment. Acupuncture, pharmacoacupuncture, herbal medicine, physical therapy and rehabilitation treatment were performed on a patient diagnosed with gastrocnemius partial rupture. The improvement of symptoms was evaluated using Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Range of Motion (ROM) of ankle, circumference of calf and size of hematoma by using ultrasonography. NRS decreased more than 90%, ROM of ankle joint gradually improved, calf circumference improved, and hematoma reduced by more than 90% when measured by ultrasonography. In this study, gastrocnemius muscle partial rupture was observed with ultrasonography, and it is considered that the Korean medical treatment is useful for gastrocnemius muscle partial rupture.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.215-220
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• 2023

A 3-month-old Korean native cattle (Hanwoo) calf with difficulty taking normal posture and an inability to rise was referred for a definite diagnosis and active treatment, including surgery. The calf had a history of an accident in which both hind limbs were trapped in a barn structure. After admission, a "rabbit leg" posture was observed, a typical sign of gastrocnemius muscle rupture, and both digits were knuckled downward like they were trying to grip the ground. This was considered to be a result of the superficial digital flexor not rupturing but only the gastrocnemius muscle rupturing. Physical examination revealed laceration of the metatarsus and firmness behind both stifle joints which were presumed to be the sites of gastrocnemius muscle rupture. Skeletal abnormalities, including fractures, were ruled out by radiography. Based on these findings, the patient was diagnosed with bilateral gastrocnemius muscle rupture, and surgery was performed to reconnect the head of the ruptured muscle. Because the rupture occurred perpendicular to the muscle direction, the locking loop technique, a method of suturing severed tendons, was used to reduce the tension. After surgery, the cast was used to prevent further injuries and promote voluntary rehabilitation. Follow-up was completed, with the calf showing normal posture and gait 112 days after surgery. This is the first case report in the Republic of Korea describing the successful diagnosis and treatment of bilateral gastrocnemius muscle rupture in a calf.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.159-166
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• 1992

The present study was designed to evaluate effects of intermittent electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve on the atrophic response of antigravity muscles, such as the soleus (slow m.) and medial gastrocnemius (fast m.) muscles. Rats (Sprague-Dawley, 245-255g) were subjected to a hindlimb suspension and divided into three groups : one was with hindlimb suspension (MS) and another with hindlimb suspension plus intermittent electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve (HS ES). Control group (CONT) was kept free without strain of the hindlimb. After 7 days of hindlimb suspension, the soleus and medial gastrocnemius muscles were cut at their insertion sites, and were then connected to the force transducer to observe their mechanical properties. Optimal pulse width and frequency of electrical stimulation were 0.2ms, 20Hz for the soleus muscle and 0.3ms, 40Hz for the medial gastrocnemius muscle under supramaximal stimulation. Body weight and circumference of the hindlimb were significantly decreased in HS and HS-ES groups compared with the control group. In HS-ES group, however, the weight of the soleus muscle was not different from that in the control group while the weight of the medial gastrocnemius muscle was lower than that in the control group. In HS group, mechanical properties of muscle contraction including contraction time, half relaxation time, twitch tension, tetanic tension, and fatigue index of both muscles were significantly decreased compared with the control group except for twitch tension and tetanic tension of medial gastrocnemius muscle. The degree of atrophy of the soleus muscle in HS group was more prominent than that of the medial gastrocnemius muscle. Twitch tension and fatigue index of the soleus muscle and fatigue index of the medial gastrocnemius muscle in HS-ES group were not different from those of the control group. While mechanical properties of the soleus muscle examined were all significantly increased in HS-ES group compared with HS group, only contraction time and fatigue index of the medial gastrocnemius muscle were significantly increased in HS-ES group. These data indicate that intermittent electrical stimulation may be useful in prevention of muscle atrophy.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.71-85
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of periodic low-intensity exercise during hindlimb suspension on the mass, relative weight, myofibrillar protein content in soleus, plantaris and gastrocnemius muscles. To examine the effectiveness of periodic low-intensity exercise on mass, and myofibrillar protein content of hindlimb muscles, adult female Wistar rats were suspended(HS) and half of these rats walked on a treadmill for 45min/day(15 min every 4h) at 5m/min and a $15^{\circ}$ grade(HS-EX). Soleus wet weight was 33.51% significantly smaller(p<0.005) and relative soleus weight of hindlimb suspended rats was 31.96% smaller(p<0.005) compared with those of control rats following seven days of hindlimb suspension. Plantaris wet weight was 7.5% smaller(p<0.01) and relative plantaris weight was 11.83% smaller(p<0.05) compared with those of control rats following seven days of hindlimb suspension. Gastrocnemius wet weight was 11.31% significantly smaller(p<0.005) and relative gastrocnemius weight was 17.13% significantly smaller(p<0.005) compared with those of control rats following seven days of hindlimb suspension. Soleus wet weight while increased by relative soleus weight increased by 25.13%, 27.59% each through periodic low intensity exercise during hindlimb suspension(p<0.05, p<0.05). Plantaris wet weight and relative plantaris weight increased by 1.04%, 10.98%(p<0.05) each, and gastrocnemius wet weight and relative gastrocnemius weight increased by 1.98%, 12.02%(p<0.05) each through periodic low intensity exercise during hindlimb suspension. Wet weight of soleus, plantaris and gastrocnemius in HS-EX rats did not recover to control level. Myofibrillar protein content of soleus, plantaris and gastrocnemius was 48.24%, 40.85% and 37.33% significantly smaller(p<0.005) respectively compared with those of control rats following seven days of hindlimb suspension. Myofibrillar protein content of soleus, plantaris and gastrocnemius increased by 40.68%, 25.07% and 17.93%(p<0.005) each through periodic low intensity exercise during hindlimb suspension. Myofibrillar protein content of soleus, plantaris, and gastrocnemius in HS-EX rats did not recover to control level. The results suggest that periodic low intensity exercise can attenuate hindlimb muscle atrophy induced by hindlimb suspension.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.30-38
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to find out changes in muscle activity and body heat of tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscles according to the area touching the ground through the areas of different heel heights using electromyography and infrared thermography. Method: This study was carried out for 15 healthy women. After walking for 30 minutes, the body temperature was measured in a standing state in front of the measuring instrument, and the distance between the treadmill and the thermography was about 50M, which may cause an error in measurement. Result: The results of the comparison of changes in muscle activity and body heat showed significant differences all in tibialis anterior, medial gastrocnemius muscle an lateral gastrocnemius muscle. The changes in body heat of tibialis anterior and medial gastrocnemius muscles according to the shape of the heel were lower as the area of the heel touching the ground was wider. Conclusion: This study was conducted to find out changes in muscle activity and body heat of tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscle depending on the area touching the ground through different heel areas.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.333-339
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• 2012

Freezing of gait is a severely problem in people with Parkinson's disease. The purpose of this study was to investigate the muscle activities of adductor longus, gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, rectus femoris, gastrocnemius, and tibialis anterior using Noraxon 8 channels EMG system during stop task in patients with Parkinson's disease. Seven parkinson's patients and age matched normal participants were recruited in the study. Filtered EMG signals were rectified, smoothed and integrated. To control for the altered timing and magnitude of activity, iEMG was normalized for time and peak value. The results indicated that the patients with Parkinson showed decreased gait cycle, stance phase, swing phase time, swing phase time ratio and increased stance phase time ratio than normal participants. The patients with Parkinson showed decreased gastrocnemius muscle activity time ratio, while increased tibialis anterior muscle activity time ratio than normal participants. During stance phase before stop, the patients with Parkinson showed relatively lower average and peak iEMG in anterior tibialis and gastrocnemius muscle than normal participants. During swing phase before stop, the patients with Parkinson showed relatively higher average iEMG in gastrocnemius muscle than normal participants. During stop phase, the patients with Parkinson showed relatively lower average and peak iEMG in anterior tibialis and gastrocnemius muscle than normal participants.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.1-9
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• 2017

Objectives Oxidative stress, in which antioxidant proteins and scavenger protection are overwhelmed by reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, is recognized as one of central causes of disuse muscle atrophy. In this study, the hypothesis that oral treatment with Dangguibohyul-tang (Dangguibuxuetang) could attenuate immobilization-induced skeletal muscle atrophy was tested. Methods The hindlimb immobilization was performed with casting tape to keep the left ankle joint in a fully extended position. The Rats in Dangguibohyul-tang treated group (DGBHT) (n=10) were orally administrated Dangguibohyul-tang water extract, and rats of Control group (n=10) were given with saline only. After 2 weeks of immobilization, the morphology of right and left gastrocnemius muscles in both DGBHT and Control groups were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results Dangguibohyul-tang water extract represented the significant protective effects against the reductions of the left gastrocnemius muscles weight and average cross section area to compared with Control group. Moreover, the treatment with Dangguibohyul-tang extract significantly enhanced the Cu/Zn-SOD activities in gastrocnemius muscle compared with Control group. Conclusions Thses results suggest that Dangguibohyul-tang has protective effects against immobilization-induced muscle atrophy by increasing the Cu/Zn-SOD activities in gastrocnemius muscle.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.49-56
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• 2011

Purpose: To evaluate changes in lower extremity muscle activity caused by high heeled shoe wearing during normal, brisk, and upslope walking. Methods: Twenty healthy young women (age, $23.9{\pm}2.47$) participated in this study. Muscle activities of the tibialis anterior, peroneus longus, gastrocnemius lateralis, gastrocnemius medialis, soleus, hamstring, vastus lateralis, and vastus medialis while walking normally, walking briskly, and walking up a slope. Results: When walking normally, the peroneus longus, gastrocnemius lateralis, soleus, and vastus lateralis evidenced higher activity when high-heeled shoes were worn (p<0.05). During brisk walking, the peroneus longus and gastrocnemius lateralis exhibited higher activity (p<0.05). Although the peroneus longus and vastus lateralis exhibited higher activity when walking up an incline with high-heeled shoes, the activity levels of the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius medialis were lower (p<0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that increased heel height substantially reduces muscle effort when walking up a slope. From a therapeutic perspective, it is possible that using high heeled shoes over a short period might enhance muscle activity of ankle evertor, although it can cause mediolateral muscle imbalances in the lower extremities.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.253-258
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of pulsed electromagnetic fields on the expression of neurotrophic factors after spinal cord injury. Sprague-Dawley male rats were given a spinal cord hemisection and randomly divided into 2 groups, the control and experimental groups. The experimental group was administered a fifteen minutes session of pulsed electromagnetic field once a day, five days a week. In order to observe the effect of these pulsed electromagnetic fields, this study observed the BDNF expression in the rat's lumbar spinal cord and the H&E staining in the gastrocnemius at 3, 7, 14, 21 days group after spinal cord hemisection. The results of this showed that the immunoreactivity of the BDNF in the rat's spinal cord gradually increased in each group. At 21 days, there is a significant difference between the control and experimental groups. The morphological shape of the gastrocnemius was gradually changed from 3days to 21days, and the gastrocnemius at 21 days was significantly degraded. However, the experimental group showed a slightly more organized gastrocnemius than the control group at 21days. The Results of this study suggest that pulsed electromagnetic field application decreases the degeneration of a rat's gastrocnemius morphology, and increases the immunoreactivity of the BDNF in the rat's spinal cord after spinal cord hemisection.