• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2664-2671
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• 2012

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between physical characteristics and walking ability in the elderly population. Subjects were 77 elderly (38 men and 39 women) who are capable of walking independently with and without walking aids. Correlation and stepwise multiple linear regression analyses were used to analyze the relationship between physical characteristics (age, gender, height, weight, body mass index, muscle mass, waist/hip ratio, heart rate, vital capacity, flexibility, maximum oxygen consumption, one-leg standing time, and strength of knee flexor and extensor) and walking velocity of subjects. Age, height, vital capacity, one-leg standing time, and strength of knee flexor and extensor showed significant correlations with walking velocity of subjects (p<.05). Further, the strength of knee flexor explained 27% of the variance, and up to 32% of the walking velocity could be explained when the strength of knee extensor were added to the model. The findings suggest that walking velocity of elderly depends on the strength of lower limb's strength and a variety of physical characteristics.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.103-113
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• 1990

The role of cervical proprioceptors in the control of body posture was studied in bilaterally labyrinth-ectomized, decerebrate cats. The animals were suspended on hip pins with the neck extended horizontally. With this placement the EMG activities of extensor and flexor muscles of the upper extremities were observed by means of sinusoidal head rotator. The rotator can induce two kinds of neck movement: The one is 'pitch' which describes a rotatory neck motion to transverse axis of the body and mainly occurs at skull-C1 (atlantooccipital) joint and the other is 'roll', side-to-side relation of the neck to longitudinal axis, whose center is C1-C2 (atlanto-axial) joint. The following results were obtained. 1) Responses of EMG activity were closely dependent on the rotatory range of the neck. And the EMG activity was not changed during sustained neck torsion, eliciting a typical tonic neck reflex. 2) On pitching movement, the head-up rotation produced the excitation of bilateral triceps muscles, whereas the head-down rotation produced the inhibition. And the response of bilateral biceps muscles was the opposite to that of triceps. 3) On rolling movement, the side-up rotation of the head produced the excitation of ipsilateral triceps muscles and the inhibition of contralateral ones. And the response of biceps muscles was the opposite to that of triceps. 4) The minimum requirement of motion to evoke EMG activities in the upper extremities was $3.2^{\circ}{\sim}12.5^{\circ}$. These results have shown that the cervical proprioceptors produce tonic discharge on the upper brachial muscles, regulate the EMG activities of those muscles, and are very sensitive to neck rotation. And it can be stated that the cervical proprioceptors may play an important role in the control of body posture and movement.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.537-547
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• 2008

Purpose: The study aimed to apply Tai Chi exercise to patients with coronary artery disease for 6 months, and to examine changes on body composition, physical strength, and cardiovascular risks. Methods: Applying a quasi experimental design with a nonequivalent control group, 90 subjects with cardiovascular disease were recruited at C university hospital. For 6 months, 44 subjects performed Tai Chi exercise once a week and daily home exercise, while 46 subjects did not. Body composition was assessed by body mass index, % body fat, and waist-hip ratio; physical strength by balance, mobility, flexibility, grip strength, and back muscle strength; and cardiovascular risk checklist for fixed and modifiable risk factors. Data were analyzed by SPSS/WIN program with ANCOVA to consider group differences at the pretest. Results: The subjects were 66 years old in average. In 6 months, Tai Chi group improved significantly in balance, mobility, and flexibility with decreased modifiable cardiovascular risks after adjusting for the pretest scores. Conclusion: Tai Chi exercise was safely applicable to individuals with coronary artery disease, and effective in some measures of physical strength and modifiable cardiovascular risks. It could be an alternative exercise for outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program in this population.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.44-50
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• 1995

The purpose of this study was to investigate which of 4 positions produced the highest action potential in the rectus femoris muscle of normal adult subjects. Testing was performed in supine with the right leg performing a simple straight leg raise with the knee fully extended. The left leg, however, was placed in 4 different positions: 1. Full support with $0^{\circ}$ flexion. 2. Flexed on the plinth with $60^{\circ}$ knee flexion and foot flat. 3. Same as N0.2 but with $90^{\circ}$ knee flexion. 4. Left leg hanging over the end of the plinth with $90^{\circ}$ knee flexion, $0^{\circ}$ hip flexion and no foot support. This study was designed to compare the level of electromyographic activity of the rectus femoris under 4 positions. Fourty-three healthy young adults performed three trials of each exercise condition in random order in the supine position. Electromyographic activity was recorded from surface electrodes. Rectus femoris action potentials in all 4 positions were significantly different. The highest action potential at the end of movement of the right leg occurred with the left leg hanging over the end of the plinth with $90^{\circ}$ knee flexion. It is therefore recommended the straight leg raising be performed with the contralateral leg flexed at $90^{\circ}$ over the end of the supporting surface to obtain a maximum rectus femoris isometric contraction.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.63-76
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• 2003

This research was performed to compare spinal segment motion angle between low back pain (LBP) group and painless group during trunk flexion-extension and to investigate the effect of transversus abdominis strengthening exercise on spinal segment motion angle in LBP group. Nine subjects with LBP and ten subjects without LBP participated. Transversus abdominis strengthening exercise was performed in LBP group for three weeks, and spinal segment motion angles were compared before and after the exercise performance. Spinal segment motion angles were measured both in sitting and standing position. Results were as followed: 1) Subjects' average age was 24.79 years, height was 167.84 cm, and weight was 59.95 kg. 2) Spinal segment motion angle of T10/l1 was significantly higher in LBP group compared with painless group (p<.05) in sitting position during trunk flexion-extension. 3) In sitting position, whereas entire lumbar segment motion angles were lower in LBP group compared with painless group (p<.05), angle of L4/5 was higher in LBP group compared with painless group (p<.05). 4) There was no significant difference in thoracic segment motion angle in standing position. 5) After three weeks of transversus abdominis strengthening exercise, thoracic segment motion angle increased both in sitting and standing position (p<.05). 6) In painless group, there was no significant difference in entire spinal segment motion angles in sitting and standing position (p>.05). When spinal segment motion angles were compared between sitting and standing position, there were slight differences. In sitting position, there was no difference in spinal segment motion angle between LBP group and painless group while hip joint motion angle and sacral inclination angle of LBP group was lower than those of painless group (p<.05). In standing position, lumbar segment motion angle was significantly lower in LBP group than that of painless group. Transversus abdominis strengthening exercise influenced thoracic segment motion angle more significantly than lumbar segment motion angle.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.103-110
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to suggest a proper tread of stairs using kinematic factors and moments of the lower-limb joints in the stair decent with the 3 different treads with boimechanical method in ergonomics. 9 subjects (body masses; $59.41{\pm}7.49$, $64.03{\pm}6.65$, $67.26:{\pm}7.58$, heights; $160.50{\pm}6.35$ ages; $31.22{\pm}2.99$; parity; $1.67{\pm}0.71$) participated in three experiments that were divided by physiological symptoms (the early (0-15 weeks), middle (16-27 weeks) and last (18-39 weeks). and they walked at self-selected pace on 4 staircases 3 trials. As extending the pregnancy period, cadence was shorter but cycle time were longer more and more. As extending treads of stair decent during pregnancy, speed, stride lengths and cycle time were increased. As extending the treads of stair decent, hip and ankle moments increased but knee moments decreased in sagittal plane. There were increasing or decreasing of moments by means of treads. These changes may account for relation between the treads of stair and moments in pregnant women. The main changes of pregnant women were joint moments and kinematic factors during pregnancy period because pregnancy makes them physical changes. It is possible that joints have connection with compensation each other to maximize stability and to control gait motion. In conclusion, we suggest that the tread of stair is longer than 26cm tread. and exercise programs to improve muscle activity were necessary where joint moments were small.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.299-311
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• 2004

Purpose: Somatotype drawing developed by Sorensen et al.(1983) has been evaluated as a simple instrument of obesity level without real somatic measuring as height and weight. This study was designed to validate somatotype drawings for obesity assessment by bioelectrical impedance body component analysis. Method: At first questionnaire of somatotype drawing was done. Subjects were measured body component by bioelectrical impedance analysis as weight, BMI(body mass index), WHR(waist-hip ratio), body water, protein mass, mineral mass, body fat mass, skeletal muscle mass, soft lean mass, fat free mass and percent body fat. We evaluated correlations between these data and somatotype drawings and tried to grouping of somatotype drawings with the means of major body component value. Result: The data were collected from 205 college women whose height and weight were $161.2\pm4.8,\;55\pm8.3$. Spearman's correlation coefficients of somatotype drawing were 0.74 with BMI, 0.68 with weight 0.69 with body fat mass, 0.65 with WHR. 0.64 with percent body fat after adiusted age. The grade of somatotype drawings were grouped as 1-2, 3-4, 5-6. 7-9 by BMI, body fat mass, weight, 1, 2-4, 5-6, 7-9 by WHR and 1-2, 3-4, 5-9 by percent body fat(ANOVA and Duncan's method). Conclusion: So quick instrument using somatotype drawings were useful tools for evaluation of obesity level and is applicable to screen degree of body fat in self-administered questionnaire survey.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.892-900
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• 1997

This study was carried out to investigate the clinical characteristics of 78 diabetics by body fat distribution pattern. It was based on the survey of nutritional status, anthropometric measurements and serum components of the patients. The results were as follows: the average ages of male and female subjects were 57.1, and that of female subjects was 58.9, respectively. The average diabetic durations of male and female subjects were 4.8 and 5.9 years, respectively. In male, the ratio of upper body obese subject was 62.5% and the lower body obese subjects was 37.5%, while those of female were 69.4% and 30.6%, respectively. In nutrient intake state, there was no significant difference between male and female subjects, but calory intake of upper body obese subjects was difference between male and female subjects, but calory intake of upper body obese subjects was tend to be higher in both male and female subjects. among the three major nutrients/calory ratio, protein/calory ratio was significantly lower in the male upper body obese subjects than in the male lower body obese subjects. Since weight, circumference of arm and waist, waist hip ratio(WHR) of both male and female subjects, body muscle mass(BMM) of male subjects and body mass index (BMI) of female subjects were significantly higher in upper body obese group, upper body obese subjects represented ore fat than lower body obese subjects. In male subjects, hemoglobin(Hb), A/G of upper body obese subjects were lower than the standard value, but there was no significant difference in the serum components between two subjects. In female subjects, Hb and A/G of lower body obese subjects were lower than those of the normal subjects, but Hb and Ht of upper body obese subjects were significantly higher than those of the lower body obese subjects.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.45-52
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• 2017

Purpose : Most of the moderns have been spent sedentary life style in front of desk or on the chairs, so that their hamstring muscles are shorted commonly and the shortness of hamstring muscles are caused to some problems in functional activities. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of thermotherapy with hot-pack and ultrasound on the tightness of hamstring muscles in individuals with hamstring tightness. Method : Twenty-eight persons with hamstring tightness participated in this study. They were randomly assigned to three exercise groups: stretching group(n=10), hot-pack group(n=9), and ultrasound group(n=9). Before experiment, this study measured the angle of hip flexion using a inclinometer in all participants. Stretching group conducted actively stretching on their shorted leg for 30 seconds, 3 times, and rest for 10 seconds between each exercises. Hot-pack group have applied hot-pack($70{\sim}75^{\circ}C$) on shorted hamstring muscles for 20 minutes before stretching exercise. Ultrasound group have applied therapeutic ultrasound(1 MHz and 1.5W/cm2) on shorted hamstring muscles for 10 minutes before stretching exercise. All data was analysed using one-way repeated ANOVA. Result : The results revealed that ultrasound therapy before stretching is more effective to the flexibility on hamstring muscles than hot-pack before stretching and stretching only. Conclusion : The results of this study show that thermotherapy with therapeutic ultrasound will be effective on the shortness of hamstring muscles before stretching exercise.

• Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.100-104
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• 2006

The Incidence of groin injury was about 10% in football player These injuries occur most commonly in athletes participating in sports Involving cutting, quick accelerations and decelerations and sudden directional changes. Symptoms may range from intermittent episodes of mild discomfort to severe and chronic career-ending pain. Groin injuries may result from a variety of causes. We must keep in mind that many other conditions may also affect the groin. Because of the anatomy of the region is so complex. Ligament/muscle strains, nerve entrapment syndromes, sportsman's hernia, symphysitis, stress fractures and various hip pathologies are reviewed as causes of groin pain are reviewed as common causes of groin pain.