• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.1-7
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• 2009

Purpose : to investigate change of isokinetic muscle strength and isokinetic muscle endurance of quadriceps femoris and hamstring after application of taping and static stretching. Methods : For this study, 14 male members of college soccer team participated in this research. Participants were divided into two groups: seven was assigned to a taping group(n=7) and the others were assigned to a static stretching exercise group(n=7). Main outcome was measured by using biodex. The isokinetic muscle strength test was processed at the speed of the $60^{\circ}$/sec five times, and isokinetic muscle endurance was processed at the speed of $180^{\circ}$/sec ten times. Results : From the outcomes of the measurement, the results show that there is a more significant difference in the taping group than in a static stretching exercise group. Conclusion : These results will be utilized for the preliminaries in the future.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.63-73
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• 2021

Background: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of pressure belt during proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation sprinter pattern training using a Thera-band on leg muscle strength and gait in stroke patients with stroke. Methods: Nine patients with stroke underwent training five times a week for four weeks, and changes in the muscle strength and walking ability of the paralyzed leg before and after training were measured. Muscle strength was measured using a Digital muscle tester, and walking ability was measured using a G-WAKER and the timed up and go (TUG) test. Results: Results showed that the quadriceps, hamstring, tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, cadence, stride length, and stance phase significantly increased (p<.05). The swing phase, gait cycle duration, and TUG test results significantly decreased (p<.05). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that a pressure belt is a very useful tool for improving muscle strength and walking ability in patients with stroke.

• 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.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.326-333
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• 2016

This case study identified the effects of joint mobilization on knee pain, isokinetic strength, muscle tone, and muscle stiffness in an elite volleyball player with a knee injury. The subject had experienced cartilage defects of the left knee joint and underwent surgery to correct the condition. The patient complained of continuous pain in the left knee joint in daily life in addition to pain during exercise. The study was conducted from August 5 to 12, 2015 and joint mobilization was applied to the left knee joint for 15 minutes once a day for 8 days. Knee pain was measured using a visual analogue scale, and the concentric peak torque of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles was measured using an isokinetic muscular strength measurement device. The muscle tone and stiffness of the rectus femoris muscle, vastus medialis, and vastus lateralis on the injured side were measured using a myotonometer. All the measurements were conducted before and after the intervention. Joint mobilization was effective in reducing knee pain on the injured side, increasing the concentric peak torque of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles on both sides, and increasing the muscle stiffness of the quadriceps muscle on the injured side. Concentric peak torque of the quadriceps muscle on the injured side increased a great deal as the number of joint mobilizations was increased, largely diminishing the difference in concentric peak torque between the normal side and injured side. On the other hand, joint mobilization was ineffective in improving the hamstring to quadriceps strength ratio on the injured side. While this study suggests that joint mobilization can be an effective intervention to improve the knee pain, isokinetic strength, and muscle stiffness of elite volleyball players, it should be performed alongside training for an appropriate strength ratio.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.1-10
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hip external rotation angle on pelvis and lower limb muscle activity during prone hip extension. Sixteen healthy men were recruited for this study. Each subject performed an abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) in a prone position, and extended the dominant hip at three different hip external rotation angles ($0^{\circ}$, $20^{\circ}$, $40^{\circ}$) with a $30^{\circ}$ hip joint abduction. Activity of the gluteus maximus (G Max), gluteus medius (G Med), and hamstring (HAM) and the G Max/HAM and G Med/HAM ratios were determined with surface electromyography (EMG). The EMG signal was normalized to 100% maximum voluntary isometric contractions (MVICs) and expressed as %MVIC. Data were analyzed by one-way repeated analysis of variance (alpha level=.05) and the Bonferroni post hoc test. Significant differences in G Max and G Med muscle activity were noted among the three different hip external rotation angles. G Max muscle activity increased significantly at both $40^{\circ}$ (p=.006) and $20^{\circ}$ (p=.010) compared to a $0^{\circ}$ hip external rotation angle. G Med muscle activity increased significantly at $20^{\circ}$ (p=.013) compared to a $40^{\circ}$ hip external rotation angle. The G Max/HAM activity ratio increased significantly at both $40^{\circ}$ (p=.004) and $20^{\circ}$ (p=.014) compared to a $0^{\circ}$ hip external rotation angle. The G Med/HAM activity ratio increased significantly at $20^{\circ}$ (p=.013) compared to a $40^{\circ}$ hip external rotation angle. In conclusion, $40^{\circ}$ and $20^{\circ}$ hip external rotation angles are recommended to increase G Max activity, and $20^{\circ}$ hip external rotation is advocated to enhance G Med muscle activity during prone hip extension with ADIM and $30^{\circ}$ hip abduction in healthy subjects.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.47-58
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• 2005

The purpose of this study is to estimate how much the motility of affected and unaffected lower limb respectively would have effects on their ambulation through comparing the difference between their affected and unaffected lower limb and studying the correlation between such difference and their ambulation. In addition, the study also intends to find out remedial measures suitable for improving their ambulation with relevant physical treatment. To do this, a quantitative electromyogram(QEMG) test was done to both quadriceps and hamstring of affected and unaffected lower limb so as to yield IP values. Based on such IP values, RMS(root mean square) values as the total sum of IP values were found with QEMG analysis system (made by Medelec Co.) and then the ambulation depending on the difference in muscular strength were analyzed by ink-foot print method as well as the corresponding statistics were processed by T-test through SPSS. The effect of differences in muscular strength of quadriceps in affected and unaffected limb of hemiplegic patients on their ambulation was also different in each element of ambulation. However, there was not any statistically significant difference (p>.05). The differences in muscular strength of hamstring in unaffected limbs of hemiplegic patients only affect stride length. It was statistically significant. The effect of difference in muscular strength of the hamstring in affected limb of hemiplegic patients on their ambulation was very different between strong and weak group in terms of walking velocity, step per minute, stride and step length, showing statistically significant difference(p<.05). Although there was a difference in the step length of the affected limb, it was not statistically significant(p>.05). For the unaffected hamstring, there were significant differences of stride length between in unaffected limb and in affected limb. For the affected hamstring, there were also significant differences in walking velocity, step per minute, stride and step length. Besides, it was found that the difference of the muscular strength between strong and weak group was at the highest. Thus, the effect of difference in muscular strength on ambulatory factors such as walking velocity, step per minute, stride and step length did not show any statistical significance but differences in affected and unaffected quadriceps. However, it was found that both the difference of stride in unaffected hamstring and the difference of all ambulatory factors except from step length with affected limb had effects on ambulation depending upon muscular strength.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.1-14
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• 1995

Neuromuscular difference between normal subjects and low-back pain patients has been identified in terms of neural excitation signal measured by Electromyography (EMG) under the dynamic flexion/extension trunk motion. Ten healthy subjects and ten low-back pain patients were recruited for this study. New parameters and normalization technique were introduced to quantify the muscle excitation pattern among the flexor-extensor pairs of muscles : rectus abdominis (RA)-erector spinae (ES at L1 and L5 level), external oblique (EO)-internal oblique (IO), rectus femoris (quadricep : QUD)-biceps femoris( hamstring : HAM), and tibialis anterior (TA)-gastrocnemius (GAS). Results indicated that the temporal EMG pattern such as peak timing difference between the hip flexor (QUD) and extensor (HAM) and the duration of coexcitation between ES at L5 and RA muscle pairs showed a statistically significant difference between normal subjects and low-back pain patients. Improtantly, this study presented a new technique to identify the dynamic muscle excitation pattern that canb be least affected by EMG-length-velocity relationship. Further study can performed to validate this method for clinical application to quantitatively identify the low-back pain patients in the future.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.9-14
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• 2014

Background: This study aims to examine correlations between quadriceps angle, lower extremity muscle strength and leg length discrepancy. Methods: This study selected 96 healthy women university students as the subjects of research. Quadriceps angle, lower extremity muscle strength and leg length discrepancy were measured. The statistical analysis of the data SPSS/window (version 12.0) were analyzed using the pearson correlation analysis. Results: There were negative correlations between the muscle strength of the right hamstring muscles and the right quadriceps angle in supine and standing positions. Functional leg length discrepancy of left and right quadriceps angle in supine and standing position showed positive correlations. Conclusions: The quadriceps angle affect the knee. An abnormal angle caused weakening of balance. Muscle strength, leg length discrepancy, and affected lower extremity alignment and knee function. These conclusions may prevent exercise limitation or disorders in the subjects and treating the patients with knee injury or patellofemoral pain syndrome with basic therapy intervention.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2008

Purpose : This study was to comparison of EMG of an stable exercise group and unstable exercise group on patients who have had anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction(ACL reconstruction). Methods : The subjects of the study were patients who had no less than 4 weeks after ACL reconstruction and could stand on one leg, and they divided into a control group with 9 patients doing closed kinetic chain exercises on the stable floor and an experimental group with 10 patients doing closed kinetic chain exercises on the unstable floor and in order to compare degrees of the muscle activity of the thigh extensor and flexor was tested each before the exercise, in 3 weeks and 6 weeks after doing exercises by using surface electromyography (Surface EMG). The patients made 3 sets of exercises (10 times per set), each of which consisted of exercises using elastic bands and the squat. Results : There was statistic significance about the vastus medialis muscle. Conclusion : It is thought that the closed-chain exercise could be an exercise program through which patients could enhance the muscle activity of the vastus medialis muscle optionally among the quadriceps muscle and the hamstring muscles which should weaken after ACL reconstruction.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.2221-2228
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• 2020

Background: Shoes cover the feet and ankle joints and come into contact with the ground directly during walking, and the shape of shoes is related to the muscle tone of the lower extremity muscles. However, no study has been conducted on the muscle tone of the lower extremity after wearing combat boots. Objectives: To compare and analyze the effects of walking in combat boots and in athletic shoes on muscle tone and stiffness, to identifying the effect of the characteristics of shoes on the muscle tone. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Thirty subjects were randomly divided into a combat boots group and an athletic shoes group, and interventions were implemented. Both groups walked for 30 minutes on a treadmill at 4.2 km/h. MyotonPRO was used to measure the muscle tone and stiffness of the lower extremity. The measuring sites were set to five muscles on both legs. Results: In the combat boots group, muscle tone and stiffness of the medial gastrocnemius on the dominant side, the muscle tone and stiffness of rectus femoris, and the muscle stiffness of hamstring on the non-dominant side significantly decreased after walking. In the athletic shoes group, there was no significant change in the muscle tone and stiffness. Conclusion: The results of this study can be used to inform the wearing combat boots while walking on a treadmill reduces the muscle tone and stiffness of the lower extremity compared to athletic shoes. It indicates that the restriction of joint movement occurring when wearing combat boots influences reducing muscle tone and stiffness.