• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.61-66
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• 2013

Background: This study tried to identify the bridge exercise posture for efficient exercise application by comparing muscle activity of buttocks and thighs according to internal-external rotation and pronation & supination in bridge exercise. Method: Nine males in their 20s living in D city were randomly selected as subjects. Muscles such as vastus medialis oblique (VMO), vastus lateralis (VL), semitendinosus (ST), biceps femoris (BF), gluteus maximus (GMAX), gluteus medius (GMED), tensor fasciae latae(TFL), and adductor longus (ADL) were measured using eight channel surface electromyogram (MyoSystem 1400A, Noraxon, USA) to measure muscle activity. Statistics process was performed through paired t test. Results: In the changes in electromyogram signals according to internal-external rotations according to internal-external rotation of shinbones, in most cases muscle activity was higher in external rotation than in internal rotation, but there was no statistical significance (p>.05). In particular, it was lower in TFL and ADL. There was no statistical significance in the comparison between two groups (p>.05). In the changes in electromyogram signals according to internal-external rotations according to pronation & supination of thighs, GMED showed significantly higher value in supination than in pronation (p>.05), and in ADL pronation is significantly higher than supination (p<.05). Conclusion: In internal-external rotation of shinbone and pronation & supination of thighs in bridge exercise, changes in muscle length can make effects on muscle activity of buttocks and thighs. Therefore, muscle strength enforcement program on buttocks and thighs through bridge exercise can make effects on patients with lower limb functional damages in clinical situations.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.60-66
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• 2011

Foot posture is important in the development of the musculoskeletal structure in the lower limbs because it can change the mechanical alignment. Although foot orthotics are widely used for the correction of malalignments in the lower extremities, the biomechanical effects of wedges have not yet been cleared. The aim of this study was to investigate whether medial wedges affect the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the knee and hip joints in healthy adults that are performing one leg standing. Seventeen healthy volunteers performed the one leg standing under two foot conditions: A level surface, and a $15^{\circ}$ medial wedge. The subjects' EMG data for the gluteus maximus (Gmax), gluteus medius (Gmed), tensor fasciae latae (TFL), biceps femoris (BF), vastus lateralis (VL), and vastus medialis oblique (VMO) were recorded, along with the surface EMG, and all were analyzed. The EMG activity of the Gmed and TFL had significantly decreased under the medial wedge condition during one leg standing. Further study is needed in order to investigate whether medial wedges influence the EMG activity and kinematic data of the knee and hip joints as well as the ankle joints in adults with flexible flatfoot, while they are performing one leg standing.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2024

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the lower extremity muscle activity and knee joint load according to movement speed conditions during the barbell back squat. Method: Nine males with resistance training experience participated in this study. Participants performed the barbell back squat in three conditions (Standard, Fast, and Slow) differing movement speed. During the barbell back squat, muscle activity of the rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL), vastus medialis (VM), biceps femoris long head (BFL), semitendinosus (ST), gluteus maximus (GM), gastrocnemius (GCN), and tibialis anterior (TA) was collected using an 8 channel wireless EMG system. The peak flexion angle of the lower extremity joints and the peak resultant joint force in each direction of the knee joint were calculated using eight motion capture cameras and ground reaction force plates. This study was to used the Friedman test and the Wilcoxon signed rank test, to compare lower extremity muscle activity and peak resultant joint force at knee joint according to movement speed conditions during the barbell back squat, and the statistical significance level was set at .01. Results: In the downward phase of the barbell back squat, the RF and TA showed the higher muscle activity in the fast condition, and in the upward phase, RF, VL, VM, BFL, ST, GM, and TA showed the higher muscle activity in the fast condition. As a results, analyzing of the load on the knee joint, in the downward phase, and in the upward phase, the higher peak compressive force of the knee joint was showed in the fast condition. Conclusion: The barbell back squat with fast movement speed was more effective due to increased muscle activity of lower extremity, but one must be careful of knee joint injuries because the load on the knee joint may increase during the barbell back squat with fast movement speed.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.43-50
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• 2004

This study was designed to determine the effects of different widths in the base of support (BOS) on trunk and lower extremity muscle activation during upper extremity exercise. Twenty-seven healthy male subjects volunteered for this study. Exercises were performed for a total of 10 trials with a load of 10 repetitions maximum (10 RM) for each of the various widths of BOS (10 cm, 32 cm, 45 cm). The width of a BOS is the distance between each medial malleoli when a subject was in a comfortable standing position. Electromyography was used to determine muscle activation. Surface bipolar electrodes were applied over the tibialis anterior, medial gastrocnemius, biceps femoris, rectus femoris, gluteus maximus, upper rectus abdominis, and elector spinae muscle. Electromyographic (EMG) root mean square (RMS) signal intensity was normalized to 5 seconds of EMG obtained with a maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC). The data were analyzed by atwo-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated-measures ($3{\times}7$) and Bonferroni post hoc test. The results were as follows: (1) There were significant differences in the width of the BOS (p=.006). (2) The post hoc test showed significant differences with the BOS between 10 cm and 32 cm, between 10 cm and 45 cm and between 32 cm and 35 cm (p=.008, p=.003, p=.011). (3) There was no interaction with the BOS and muscle. (p=.438) There were no significant differences in the muscle activation (p=.215).

• 한국체육학회지인문사회과학편
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.505-514
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to examine the muscle activation in trunk and low-limbs muscle during squat exercise on various instability surface. 10 subject performed squat with 75% of 1 repetition maximum (1RM) on a stable floor, stability blue, stability black and BOSU. Electromyographic (EMG) activity was measured trunk muscle such as rectus abdomina (RA), external obliques (EO), internal obliques (IO), multifidus (MF), and low-limbs muscle such as gluteus maximus (GMA), gluteus medius (GME), biceps femoris (BF), rectus femoris (RF), vastus medialis oblique (VMO), vastus lateral oblique (VLO), medialis gastrocnemius (MG), lateral gastrocnemius (LG), soleus (SOL) and anterior tibia (AT) when ascending and descending squat phase. One-way ANOVA repeated measure with Sheffe used to compare the muscle activity on the stable and unstable surface. Squat with BOSU ball induces higher muscle activity of IO, MF, GMA and GME compared with stability and stability blue and blackduring descending motion. Squat with BOSU ball induces higher muscle activity of GMA compared with stability and stability blue and blackduring ascending motion. This results suggested that BOSU ball in the squat could be effective increasing of trunk stability and gluteal muscle activity. However, there was no difference of squat on low-limb muscle with or without instability.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2022

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect Tiger-step walking on the movement of the lower extremities during walking. Method: Twenty healthy male adults who had no experience of musculoskeletal injuries on lower extremities in the last six months (age: 26.85 ± 3.28 yrs, height: 174.6 ± 3.72 cm, weight: 73.65 ± 7.48 kg) participated in this study. In this study, 7-segments whole-body model (pelvis, both side of thigh, shank and foot) was used and 29 reflective markers and cluster were attached to the body to identify the segments during the gait. A 3-dimensional motion analysis with 8 infrared cameras and 7 channeled EMG was performed to find the effect of tigerstep on uphill walking. To verify the tigerstep effect, a one-way ANOVA with a repeated measure was used and the statistical significance level was set at α=.05. Results: Firstly, Both Tiger-steps showed a significant increase in stance time and stride length compared with normal walking (p<.05), while both Tiger-steps shown significantly reduced cadence compared to normal walking (p<.05). Secondly, both Tiger-steps revealed significantly increased in hip and ankle joint range of motion compared with normal walking at all planes (p<.05). On the other hand, both Tiger-steps showed significantly increased knee joint range of motion compared with normal walking at the frontal and transverse planes (p<.05). Lastly, Gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, medial gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior of both tiger-step revealed significantly increased muscle activation compared with normal walking in gait cycle and stance phase (p<.05). On the other hand, in swing phase, the muscle activity of the vastus medialis, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior of both tiger-step significantly increased compared with those of normal walking (p <.05). Conclusion: As a result of this study, Tiger step revealed increased in 3d range of motion of lower extremity joints as well as the muscle activities associated with range of motion. These findings were evaluated as an increase in stride length, which is essential for efficient walking. Therefore, the finding of this study prove the effectiveness of the tiger step when walking uphill, and it is thought that it will help develop a more efficient tiger step in the future, which has not been scientifically proven.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.14-19
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• 2017

Objective: To investigate the effect of performing three different bridge exercise conditions on the activities of four different muscles using surface electromyography (sEMG) in healthy young adults. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: A total of 20 healthy young adults (10 males, 10 females) voluntarily participated in this study. All subjects randomly performed three different bridge conditions as follows: general bridge exercise, isometric hip abduction (IHAB) with a blue Theraband (Hygenic Corp., USA), and isometric hip adduction (IHAD) with a Swiss ball (Hygenic Corp.). The muscle activities of bilateral erector spinae (ES), gluteus maximus (GM), biceps femoris (BF), and external oblique (EO) muscles during the bridge exercises were measured using sEMG. Subjects performed each of the three bridge conditions three times in random order and mean values were obtained. Results: For bilateral ES and BF, there was a significant increase in muscle activity in the IHAD condition compared to the general bridge and IHAB condition (p<0.05). For bilateral GM, there was a significant increase in muscle activity in the IHAB condition compared to the general bridge condition (p<0.05) and there was a significant increase in muscle activity in the IHAB condition compared to IHAD condition (p<0.05). For left EO, a significant increase was observed in the IHAD condition compared to the general bridge condition (p<0.05). Conclusions: ES and BF muscle activity increases were observed with hip adduction and increased GM activity was observed with hip abduction. These findings may be applicable within the clinical field for selective trunk and lower extremity muscle activation and advanced rehabilitation purposes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.123-129
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• 2018

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the influence of hip abduction angle on the muscle activity of the Gluteus Maximus (GM), Biceps Femoris (BF) and Tensor Fascia Lata (TFL) during Knee Flexed Prone Hip Extension exercise. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 42 healthy individuals. All participant consented to participate in this study. Subjects performed exercise, using the Knee Flexed Prone Hip Extension exercise in three hip abduction position $0^{\circ}$, $15^{\circ}$ and $30^{\circ}$. Subjects rested two minutes, between changing hip abduction position. Data were analyzed using a Noraxon MR-XP 1.08 Master Edition EMG to determine average amplitude, for each angle and muscle. All data were processed by Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). There were a total of three groups. the GM muscle, BF muscle, TFL muscle. RESULTS: GM muscle activity was greatest in the $30^{\circ}$ hip abduction position (p<.05), followed by $0^{\circ}$. Between $0^{\circ}$ and $30^{\circ}$ has significant difference in muscle activity. However, the BF and TFL amplitude were greatest at $0^{\circ}$ hip abduction position followed by $30^{\circ}$. Moreover, the TFL differed significantly between $0^{\circ}$ and $30^{\circ}$, but, BF did not (p<.05). CONCLUSION: Hip abduction at $30^{\circ}$ was found to be the most appropriate position for GM muscle activity.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.1-8
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• 2013

This study analyzes how different knee flexion angles affect the abdominal and pelvic muscle activity during supine bridging. Twenty healthy subjects participated in the study. We used surface electromyography (EMG) to measure how three different knee flexion angles ($100^{\circ}$, $70^{\circ}$, and $40^{\circ}$) affected the activity of the transverse abdominis/internal oblique (TrA/IO), external oblique (EO), biceps femoris (BF), rectus femoris (RF), and gluteus maximus (GM) muscles on the dominant side during supine bridging. The one-way repeated analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the statistical significance of TrA/IO, EO, BF, RF and GM muscle activity and the GM/BF activity ratio. For the TrA/IO, EO, BF, and GM muscles, supine bridging with different knee flexion angles resulted in significant differences in abdominal and pelvic muscle activity. For the TrA/IO muscles, the post-hoc test demonstrated that muscle activity significantly increased at $40^{\circ}$ compared to $70^{\circ}$; however, there were no significant differences between $100^{\circ}$ and $70^{\circ}$ or $100^{\circ}$ and $40^{\circ}$. For the EO muscle, the post-hoc test demonstrated that muscle activity significantly increased at $40^{\circ}$ compared to $100^{\circ}$ and $70^{\circ}$; no significant difference was observed between angles $100^{\circ}$ and $70^{\circ}$. For the BF muscle, the post-hoc test demonstrated that muscle activity significantly increased according to the knee flexion angle ($40^{\circ}$ > $70^{\circ}$ > $100^{\circ}$). For the GM muscle, the post-hoc test demonstrated that muscle activity significantly increased according to the knee flexion angle ($100^{\circ}$ > $70^{\circ}$ > $40^{\circ}$). However, for the RF muscle, there was no significant difference. Additionally, the GM/BF activity ratio significantly increased according to the knee flexion angle ($100^{\circ}$ > $70^{\circ}$ > $40^{\circ}$). From these results, we can conclude that bridging with a knee flexion of $100^{\circ}$ can strengthen the GM muscle, whereas bridging with a knee flexion of $40^{\circ}$ is recommended to strengthen the IO, EO, and BF muscles. We can also conclude that knee flexion angles should be modified during supine bridging to increase the muscle activity of different target muscles.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.72-78
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate relations and effectiveness about mountain climbling exercise with different level of support surfaces by analyzing heart rate and EMG data. A total of 10 male college students with no musculoskeltal disorder were recruited for this study. Method: The biomechanical analysis was performed using heart rate monitor (Polar V800, Polar Electro Oy, Finland), step-box, exercise mat, and EMG device (QEMG8, Laxtha Inc. Korea, sampling frequency = 1,024 Hz, gain = 1,000, input impedance > 1012 Ω, CMRR > 100 dB). In this research, step-box were used to create different surface levels on the upper body (flat surface, 10% of subject's height, 20% of subject's height, and 30% of subject's hight). Based on these different conditions, data was collected by performing mountain climbing exercise during 30 seconds. Subjects were given 5 minutes of break to prevent muscular fatigue after each exercise. For each dependent variable, a one-way analysis of variance with repeated measures was conducted to find significant differences and Bonferroni post-hoc test was performed. Results: The results of this study showed that exercise intensity was reduced statistically as increased surface level on the upper body. Muscle activity of the upper rectus abdominis and biceps femoris for 30% of surface level was significantly higher than the corresponding values for flat surface. However, the opposite was found in the rectus femoris. In general, muscle activity of the lower rectus abdominis, erector spinae, external oblique abdominis, and gluteus maximus increased when surface level increased, but the differences were not significant. Conclusion: As a result, the increase in surface level of the body would change muscle activity of the upper body, indicating that different surface level of the upper body may cause significant effect on particular muscles to be more active during mountain climbing exercise. Based on results of this study, it is suggested to set up an appropriate surface level to target particular muscle to expect an effective training. It is also important to set adequate surface levels to create an effective training condition for preventing exercise injuries.