• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.281-288
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to analyze the difference in reaction patterns during the support phase after perturbation in gait according to different age. A total of 12 subjects participated; 5 elderly and 7 adults(control), to investigate the differences between normal and perturbed gait. The step length didn't change during normal and perturbed gait but was longer in the control group. There was no difference in the step width. When the right foot was perturbed, the control group's left foot speed was faster than the elderly group's which was to maintain stability. The elderly flexed both right and left knees more than the control group. After the perturbation, the elderly group had a larger trunk anterior flexion. With the larger flexion of both legs of the elderly group it shows that the lack of knee flexion strength is a factor, that could cause falling and so a prevention program should focus on strengthening the quadriceps. With the excessive trunk flexion after the perturbation by the elderly group observed, it is suggested that while walking everyday a good routine of walking with an upright posture should be developed.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.305-314
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of joint kinetics and coordination on within-individual differences in maximum vertical jump. 10 male subjects aged 20 to 30 performed six trials in maximum vertical jump and with based on jump height the good(GP) and bad(BP) performances for each subject were compared on joint kinetics of lower extremity and coordination parameters such as joint reverse and relative phase. The results showed that maximum moment, power, and work done of hip joint and maximum moment of ankle joint in GP were significantly higher than that in the BP but no significant differences for the knee joint. We could observe a significant difference in joint reverse timing between both conditions. And also the relative phase on ankle-knee and ankle-hip in GP were significantly lower than that in the BP, which means that in GP joint movements were more in-phase synchronized mode. In conclusion, mechanical outputs of hip and ankle joints had an effect on within-individual differences in vertical jump and the inter-joint coordination and coordination including sequence and timing of joint motion also might be high influential factors on the performances within individual.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.253-259
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to determine how smartphone use posture affects biomechanical variables and muscle activities. Eleven university students(age: $22.2{\pm}2.6$ yrs, height: $176.6{\pm}4.7$ cm, weight: $69.5{\pm}7.5$ kg) who have no musculoskeletal disorder were recruited as the subject according to having experience in using the smartphone for more than one year. Angular velocity, muscle activity, and thumb finger pressure were determined for each trial. For each dependent variable, a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures was performed to test if significant difference existed among different three conditions (p<.05). The result showed that rotational angular velocity of the first metacarpal were increased in DESK posture compared with STAND posture during SU phase. The average nEMG values of FDI(First dorsal interosseous) were less in SIT and DESK posture compared with STAND posture during SR phase. These indicated that smartphone postures may effect the thumb ROM(Range of motion) and muscle activity. This has led to suggestions of the need for further kinetic and EMG analyses to evaluate best assess and characterize with smartphone use.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.295-304
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• 2012

This study, through biomechanical analysis, conducts a risk assessment of injury occurrence in ballet dancers while they perform running and jumping movements. The participants were nine female collegiate students majoring in ballet(age: $20.89{\pm}1.17years$; height: $160.89{\pm}7.01cm$; mass: $48.89{\pm}3.26$). Descriptive data were expressed as $mean{\pm}standard$ deviation(SD) for all variables. An independent t-test was conducted to determine how the following variables differed: duration time, position of the center of gravity, angle of the hip, torque of the hip, and muscle activity. All comparisons were made at the p<0.05 significance level. The results show that the jump time was two times longer than the run time in the duration time. The jump length was also longer than the run. The angle of the hip and the torque at the hip were higher in the right. The vastus medialis muscle was most frequently used. These findings demonstrate that participants' jumps may require more biomechanical variables for performance of better and more correct $jet{\acute{e}}$.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.237-242
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was (a) to develop carbon nanotube-based shock absorbers for reducing potentially harmful impact forces and excessive foot pronation, and (b) to briefly determine how the effects of carbon nanotube-based shock absorbers on biomechanical variance during drop landing. A university student(age: 24.0 yrs, height: 176.2 cm, weight: 679.5 N) who has no musculoskeletal disorder was recruited as the subject. Hardness, specific gravity, tensile strength, elongation, 100% modulus, tear strength, split tear strength, compression set, resilience, vertical GRF, and loading rate were determined for each material. For each dependent variable, a descriptive statistics was used for different conditions. The property test results showed that tensile strength, tear strength, split tear strength, compression set, and resilience in carbon nanotube-based shock absorbers were greater than general Ethylene Vinyl Acetate(EVA). These indicated that resistance against variable strength in developed carbon nanotube-based shock absorbers were greater than general EVA. In vertical GRF of CNTC was less than those of EVA during drop landing and loading rate of CNTC was greater than EVA. It seems that the use of CNT can be a effective way of reducing and controlling shock from impact.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.131-140
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• 2012

This study was to investigate the relationship between the distance and projection factors, angle factors of javelin in women's javelin throwing. The data were collected in the 2011 National Sports Festivals for 11 players. Three-Dimensional motion analysis using a system of 4 video cameras at a sampling frequency of 60 fields/s was performed for this study. The factors of release conditions calculated using Matlab 2009a program. The statical analysis on the records(n=42) included mean and standard deviation of the mean(SD), Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient(SPSS Version 16.0 for Windows). There was a statistically significant positive relationship between the records and release velocity(r=.866, p<.01), height(r=.433, p<.01) and height rate(r=.340, p<.05). The attitude angle, release angle, and attack angle showed not a statistically significant relationship between the records. The medial-lateral tilt angle of javelin showed not a statistically significant relationship between the records, but the yaw angle of javelin(r=.549, p<.01) showed a statistically significant positive relationship between the records.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.277-284
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to find out the changes in beginners' batting movements after taking undergraduate baseball lectures, by comparing and analyzing the speed of bat, the angle of body and its segments, the angular velocity and so on. For this purpose, the author picked up five undergraduates who had not taken baseball lectures, and conducted three-dimension computerized tomography twice on them, that is, before and after taking baseball classes, with eight infrared cameras and two force platforms. The conclusions are, first, the time required for swing was shortened after taking the classes. Second, the maximum velocity of the bat-end was increased. Third, at the time of impact, while the rotation angles of the pelvis and the tip of left foot were increased, the left elbow had more flexion after the classes. Fourth, the size of ground reaction force was increased at the point of swing where the ground reaction force of left foot became maximized. As we can infer from these conclusions, beginners' hitting movements before taking baseball classes tended to swing only with the arms, without waist rotation and weight shift of the lower body, but after the classes, their movements were proved to be corrected into the swing using the lower body. For the future studies, the author expects a research in a close to real environment by using pitching machine.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.75-81
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• 2010

Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most prevalent arthritis that weakens the muscles. This study focused on evaluating muscular functionality of knee osteoarthritis subjects. Muscular strengths of muscles around knee and hip joints of middle-aged female subjects aged over 40 suffering from knee osteoarthritis were evaluated by isokinetic dynanometer. Also, relation between the observed muscle imbalance in knee and hip joints and visual analogue scale was investigated. Subjects performed 8-weeks exercise on weakened muscles - particularly on knee extensors and hip abductors - and had their isokinetic muscular functionalities analyzed again. After the 8-weeks exercise, subjects' thigh circumferences were increased, accompanied with muscular strength improvements and decrease in visual analogue scale. Hence we emphasize the importance of exercise for muscular strength enhancement of knee extensors and hip abductors, in rehabilitation programs for knee osteoarthritis.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.57-65
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• 2010

Korean traditional martial arts Taekkyon has a unique stepping method, Poombalbki. The purpose of this study was to investigate kinematic factors and ground reaction forces on two types of Poombalbki, one of which use knee bending and the other use chiefly hip bending. Six male taekkyoners who are the students of Y University participated in this study. Positions and velocities of CoM, the elapsed times of each phase, angles and angular velocities of low limb joints, and GRFs were analyzed for this study. The results were as follows; CoMs of whole body, trunk, and head were more posteriorly positioned in performing hip bending Poombalbki than knee bending one. Horizontal velocities of those were slower in performing hip bending Poombalbki. A player stayed more shortly within range of his opponent in performing hip bending Poombalbki. The vertical and horizontal components of GRF of forward-stepping foot were smaller in performing hip bending Poombalbki(p<.05). In conclusion hip bending is useful strategy, because A player is farther from his opponent, he stayed more shortly within range of his opponent, and the smaller weight is loaded on his front foot in performing hip bending Poombalbki than knee bending one.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2010

The purpose of the study was to analyze kinetic factors required to the three-point jump shot of the basketball games through 3-D analysis and ground reaction force(GRF) analysis. Six university male players participated in this study. The results of the study were showed that (1) resultant velocity in the center of mass(COM) was $0.84{\pm}0.27\;m/s$ since a player didn't shot a ball in the highest peak and shot ball at the moment of going up forward and vertical movement. Therefore, it is necessary to find a proper timing to shot a ball; (2) the angular velocity was largely increased in upper arm and fore arm out of the upper-limb segments and the hands had the largest angular velocity since the body is in a fixed situation and angular speed is rapidly increased by the wrist' snap with the rapid movement of upper arm and forearm at the time of release a ball; (3) it is judged that a player can shot a ball at the accurate and high release point when the player collects power vertically to the maximum by keeping GRF to the right and the rear in a proper way and by keeping the body's balance so that a large power may not be dispersed.