• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.21-27
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• 2007

The purposes of this study were to compare core muscle activities with and without the use of Pilates resistive equipment during bridging exercises and to investigate the efficacy of a Pilates device. Fourteen healthy individuals (6 males, 8 females) between 20 to 26 years of age were examined. They were engaged in a bridging exercise with and without a magic circle. Three consecutive repetitions of each exercise were performed. Surface electromyography (sEMG) was used to measure the electrical activities of the right side internal oblique, the adductor longus, the multifidus, and the gluteus maximus muscles. Normalized EMG activities were compared using a paired t-test and the level of significance was set at =.05. The results showed that the EMG activities of the internal oblique (p=.0078), the adductor longus (p=.0007), and the gluteus maximus (p=.0001) muscles were significantly higher when using the magic circle during the Pilates bridging exercise. Also, statistically significant change existed in the multifidus muscle (p=.0106). The bridging exercise, combined with hip adduction using the magic circle, may enhance core stabilization. Therefore, using a magic circle during hip adduction combined with bridging exercise may be recommended usefully for individuals wanting to strength the core muscles. Further research is needed to access the nature of motor control of the Pilates mat exercises and to deliver exercise intervention for lower back pain patients.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.9
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• pp.4008-4014
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of muscular strength, sensation, and spasticity of the hip joint on balance using clinical tools in chronic stroke patients. Thirty-two subjects participated. It were measured muscular strength of the hip flexor, extensor, abductor, and adductor using manual muscle testing, light touch sensibility, and spasticity of the quadriceps using the modified Ashworth scale in the paretic lower extremity. Also, static and dynamic balance were measured by the functional balance scale. Collected data was analyzed by stepwise multiple regression. Muscular strength of the hip abductor, light touch sensibility, and spasticity were associated with static balance(p<0.05) and explanatory power was 80.5%. Muscular strength of the hip abductor and light touch sensibility were associated with dynamic balance(p<0.05) and explanatory power was 77.9%. Thus, it is suggested that muscular strength of the hip abductor and light touch sensibility is considered when providing evaluation and intervention programs for the future in the balance.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.105-111
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of three pelvic floor muscle (PFM) exercises on the thickness of PFM and transverse abdominal muscle (TrA), the internal oblique muscle, and the external oblique muscle. The PFM and trunk muscles were measured using ultrasonography in 4 conditions.rest, conventional PFM contraction (Ex A), PFM contraction with hip adductor contraction (Ex B), and PFM contraction with real-time ultrasound imaging (Ex C). The thickness of PFM in Ex C showed a significantly more decrease compared to rest and others (all comparisons, p<.05). The thickness of TrA in Ex C showed a significantly more increase compared to rest and others (all comparisons, p<.05). This study would recommend the use of PFM contraction with real-time ultrasonographic imaging to improve women's incontinence.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.194-201
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• 2023

Background: Falls are a common and serious problem in the elderly population. Muscle strength and balance are important factors in the prevention of falls. The Y-balance test (YBT) is used to assess dynamic postural control and shows excellent test-retest reliability. However, no studies have examined the relationship between lower-limb strength and YBT scores in elderly women. Objects: This study aimed to examine the relationship between lower-limb strength and YBT scores in elderly women. Methods: Thirty community-dwelling elderly women participated in the study. Lower-limb strength including hip flexor, hip extensor, hip abductor (HAB), hip adductor (HAD), knee flexor, knee extensor, ankle dorsiflexor, and ankle plantar flexor (PF) muscles was examined using a smart KEMA strength sensor (KOREATECH Inc.), and the YBT was used to assess dynamic balance. Relationship between lower-limb strength and YBT was demonstrated using a Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: HAB strength (r = 0.388, p < 0.05), HAD strength (r = 0.362, p < 0.05), and ankle PF strength (r = 0.391, p < 0.05) positively correlated with the YBT-anterior direction distance. Ankle PF strength was positively correlated with the YBT-posteromedial direction distance (r = 0.396, p < 0.05) and composite score (r = 0.376, p < 0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that HAB, HAD, and ankle PF strengths should be considered for dynamic postural control in elderly women.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.81-86
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigated the muscle activity difference of lower extremity by abdominal co-contractive activation. 30 healthy women without pain in the low back and lower extremity were conducted. Muscle activities of lower extremity were measured with the active straight leg raise (ASLR) in 20cm raised from the floor without bending the knee at rest, abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) and abdominal bracing maneuver (ABM), respectively. Hip adductor longus (HadL), rectus femoris (RF), and biceps femoris (BF) muscle activity in the Abdominal bracing maneuver were statistically significantly higher, also gluteus medius (Gmed) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscle activity in the ADIM were higher. We provide the evidence to the positive effects of individual abdominal co-contractive activation training which can enhance postural stability and lower extremity strengthening with volitional preemptive abdominal contraction.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.128-136
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• 2023

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an 8-week closed kinetic chain typed Reformer and Chair Pilates exercise on static and dynamic lower limb alignment for healthy female adults. Method: Ten healthy young female adults without musculoskeletal injury history in last 6 months (Age: 29.3 ± 3.5 yrs., Height: 165 ± 3.4 cm, Body mass: 58.2 ± 5.4 kg) participated in this study. All participants asked to join the 8-week closed kinetic chain typed Reformer and Chair Pilates exercise, and the program was conducted for 60 minutes twice a week. Participants were asked to be measure a static Q-angle and performed free squat one week before and after the program. A 3-D motion analysis with 8 infrared cameras and 5 channels of EMG was executed in this study. The effectiveness of the training was evaluated by paired t-test, and the significance level was set at .05. Results: A significantly decreased in internal rotation angles was found at hip joint during free squat after the training. Also, significantly decreased in lateral rotation angles were found at knee and ankle joint during free squat after training. Finally, significantly decreased in muscle activations were found at adductor longus and peroneus longus during free squat after training. Conclusion: From results of our study, it is concluded that an 8-week closed kinetic chain typed Pilates exercise positively effect on lower limb alignment during dynamic movement.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.4098-4106
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• 2012

This study aims to investigate the effect of trunk muscle strengthening exercises on balance performance of sitting posture and muscle tone, targeting the children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. 16 children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy in IV phase of GMFCS were sampled at random and the tests were conducted for 6 weeks, 3 times per week. For experimental groups, only trunk muscle strengthening exercises were conducted and for control groups, only basic physical therapy was conducted. The trunk muscle strengthening exercise consisted of 2 exercises to strengthen abdominal muscles and back muscles. BPM(Balance Performance Monitor) was used to measure balance performance and MMAS(Modified Modified Ashworth Scale) was used to measure muscle tone. As a result, the changes of sitting balance performance in experimental groups and control groups show significant difference in the changes of sway path and sway velocity(p<.05), the comparison of changes in sitting balance performance in between experimental groups and control groups show significant difference in the changes of sway path and sway velocity(p<.05). Knee flexor muscles and hip adductor muscles in both groups show no significant difference in changes of the muscle tone(p>.05). Therefore, the balance performance in both experimental groups and control groups was improved. However, the experimental group had more significant improvement in balance performance and no change in muscle tone was detected in both groups. Thus, these findings show trunk muscle strengthening exercises are effective in improving the balance performance of sitting posture for the children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy without changing muscle tone.

• Korean Educational Research Journal
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.67-84
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to see how the stability of posture due to elastic band during plank movement affects walking. Thirty healthy men in their 20s were given a total of 30 minutes of 10 general plank exercises, 10 plank exercises with two hip joints adduction, and 10 plank exercises with one hip joint adduction. The plank movement was conducted three times a week for a total of six weeks, with a five-minute warm-up. The results of this study are as follows: There was a significant difference between period and group interactions on cadence (p<0.05), with significant difference between the period and group between the left foot on stride length of the left side foot (p<0.05), with significant difference between the period and the period of the interaction between the right foot and the period on stride length of the right side foot (p<0.05), and a one-step change between the right foot and the military interaction on Step time of the right side foot(p<0.05). The conclusion of this study is that the resistance movement on the adduction of both hips increases the instability of the trunk over the normal plank movement and adduction of one hip, thereby enhancing walking ability along with the stability of the trunk.