• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.24-24
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• 2003

For the elderly, achieving a close-to-normal ambulation is important for activities of daily life. Recent researches of SE(Silver Engineering) restoring physical ability would help the elderly by developing the advanced gait assisting devices and orthoses. For the applications using the advanced technologies, the gait characteristics of the elderly must be understood. However, a few studies were performed to investigate the physiological or pathological gaits. The purpose of this study is to provide the gait analysis data and also to investigate relationships between alignment of the lower limb, foot progression angle and knee joint moments in the healthy elderly. By participating a total of 20 healthy elderly persons in this study, the following facts were found: 1) Cadence showed 114.8 steps/min, gait speed showed 1.05 m/s, time per a stride showed 1.06 sec, time per a step showed 0.53 sec, single-supporting phase was 0.41 sec, double-supporting phase was 0.24 sec, stride length was 1.04m, Step length was 0.56m; 2) The maximum knee flexion angle through swing phase showed left 46.82$^{\circ}$, right 40.19$^{\circ}$ and the maximum knee extension angle showed left -1.32$^{\circ}$, right 2.01$^{\circ}$. Knee varus showed left 26.90$^{\circ}$, right 30.93$^{\circ}$; 3) The maximum knee flexion moment showed left 0.363 Nm/kg, right 0.464 Nm/kg, The maximum knee extension moment showed left 0.389 Nm/kg, right 0.463 Nm/kg. The maximum knee adduction moment showed left 0.332 Nm/kg, right 0.379 Nm/kg. The maximum internal rotational moment showed left 0.13 Nm/kg, right 0.140 Nm/kg; 4) The subjects who had varus alignment of the lower extremity had statistically higher in knee adduction moment in mid stance phase; and 5) The subjects who had large foot progression angle had statistically lower in knee adduction moment in late stance phase.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 2013

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to examine the activity of the knee flexor and extensor with ankle plantar flexion and dorsiflexion. Methods : A total of 18 subjects(Male 6, female 12) performed 4 lower extremity patterns of PNF and the activities of the vastus medialis oblique, rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, semitendinosus ipsilateral sides were measured using electromyography. Results : During 4 lower extremity patterns of PNF, knee flexor and extensor muscle activity were significantly difference. Knee extensors were shown to be higher knee extension and ankle dorsiflexion combined pattern. Knee flexors were shown to be higher knee flexion and ankle plantarflexion combined pattern. Conclusion : We suggest that it is efficient to strengthening of knee extensors with ankle dorsiflexion and to strengthening of knee flexors with ankle plantar flexion. Also, for the functioning as toe standing, we have to choice appropriate movement pattern.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2009.10a
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• pp.649-650
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• 2009

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.31-39
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• 1980

The basic pattern of skirt should be functional in addition to be fit the body. The author paid special attention to the expansion and contraction of the shell which were made the lower trunk and thigh caused by sitting motions. The replicas of the shell were taken by using a gypsum method on 1 female under 4 standardized motions; standing motion, (basic motion), sitting on the chair with flextion 90' at the hip and the knee joints sitting with dropping knees, and sitting with benting legs side wards. Those replicas obtained were developed to the patterns and changes in shape and area of those were measured. Typical displacement and transformation of the shell surface patterns were showed geographycally fig 5-1 to 5-4. mean values of expansion and constriction were obtained by measuring the shell surface on 60 female under the 4 motions. the mean values of it were showed numerically in Table 1-1 to 1-3. The following results were obtained; 1. Vertical constriction of front of the shell were observed near sulcus in guinalis, and vertical extension were near the knees. Horizontal extension were observed near the thighs and the knees. 2. Vertical constrictions of the back of the shell were observed near the knees. It seemed to be influnced the flexion angles of knee points. vertical extension were near gluteus and thighs. Horizontal constriction were small, and horizonlal extension were near gluteus. 3. The high rates of constriction and extension were found near sulcus in guinalis, glutes, and knees. 4. The rates of constriction and extension on the waist line were very low. 5. The highest values of constriction and extension were found in hip and knees.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.85-90
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to find the difference in muscle firing rate between each muscle according to the knee angle with the quadriceps femoris which is a representative action muscle of the lower extremity. Seven normal healthy subjects were recruited. The median frequency (MDF) of muscle contraction was recorded from vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and rectus femoris muscles using the surface EMG, in 5 seconds, during maximal isometric knee extension. The data were analyzed by the two-way repeated ANOVA. The results of the study were as follows: 1) median frequency of muscle contraction was significantly higher at the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and rectus femoris in descending order. 2) median frequency of muscle contraction was significantly higher at the $30^{\circ}$, $60^{\circ}$, and $90^{\circ}$ in descending order. Consequently, muscle recruitment at the knee decreases the EMG activity of the lengthened muscle. This study suggests that the change in EMG activity at different muscle lengths resulted in affecting the muscle firing rate during the knee extension.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.359-368
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• 2001

A new knee-ankle-foot-orthosis(KAFO) which uses an automatically-controlled electromechanical wrap spring clutch for the knee joint was developed in the present study. It was found that the output voltage from the foot switches of the developed KAFO was proportionally increased with respect to the applied load. The output voltage from the infrared sensor also decreased as the knee flexion angle increased. The knee joint system for the new KAFO weighs only 780g lighter than any other commercially available developed system. In addition, the solenoid reduces the reaction time for the automatic control of the knee joint. The static torque of the clutch was measured for three persons, and it satisfied the normal knee extension moment during the pre-swing. Three-dimensional gait analyses for three different gait patterns (normal gait, locked-knee gait, controlled-knee gait) from five normal subjects were conducted. Controlled-knee gait showed the maximum knee flexion angle of 40.56$\pm9.55^{\circ}$ and the maximum knee flexion moment of 0.20$\pm$0.07Nm/kg at similar periods in the normal gait. Our KAFO system satisfies both stability during stance phase and free knee flexion during the swing phase at the proper period during the gait cycle. Therefore, our KAFO system would be very useful in various low extremity orthotic applications.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.103-112
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate the kinematic characteristics during rising from a chair. Six stroke patients and three healthy subjects participated in the study. Three dimensional kinematic analysis was used to get the duration, center of mass, and lower extremity angle. The stroke patients performed longer duration(0.28sec) than the healthy subjects in rising from a chair. The stroke subjects stayed longer time than the healthy subjects did in phase 2(From the initiation of knee extension to the reversal of trunk flexion to trunk extension)(t=-1.01, p=.04). The healthy subjects showed longer time than the stroke subjects in phase 3(from the reversal of trunk motion to extension to full standing position). The healthy subjects displayed larger value of center of mass in anterioposterior direction than stroke subjects(t=5.79, p=0.05). The center of mass in the mediolateral direction did not change during the completion of movement. However, the center of mass in the anterioposterior direction began to increase throughout the completion of movement. The center of mass in the vertical direction increased extensively in phase 3. The significant difference was not found in the maximum dorsiflexion in ankle, the initiation angle of knee, and the minimum angle of hip between stroke and healthy subjects. Even though statistical results did not show any significant angle difference in the lower extremity, the patterns of the change in the knee and hip angle during rising from a chair were different. The stroke subjects showed smaller angle of knee extension than the healthy subjects in phase 3. The stroke subjects flexed their trunk more than the healthy subjects in phase 2.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.39-51
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• 1999

Background and Purpose. Objective measurements of hamstring muscle length are needed to quantify baseline limitations and to document the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. Several indirect clinical tests for measuring hamstring muscle length are available, but influence of their test procedure is not well documented. The purpose of this study were 1) to describe hamstring muscle length as reflected by use of six tests(active straight leg raising(ASLR), passive straight leg raising(PSLR), passive straight leg raising with the lower back flat(PSLRB), active knee extension(AKE), passive knee extension(PKE), hip joint angle(HJA). 2) to examine the correlation among the tests. Subjects, Sixty subjects(30 men. 30 women) ranging in age from 18 to 25 years(mean 20.2 years) and with no limitation hamstring flexibility and no neurological and orthopedical problems. Methods. All subjects performed six tests. A inclinometer was used to determine the end point of range of motion. HJA was measured using an inclinometer placed over the sacrum. PSLRB were tested PSLR with the low back flat and the opposite thigh slightly flexed and support on pillows. Results, A mean ASLR value of 85.9 degrees, PSLR value of 99.9 degrees, PSLRB value of 109.8 degrees, AKE value of 77.2 degrees PKE value of 83.1 degrees and HJA value of 73.0 degrees were obtained for all subjects. A dependent t-test showed significant difference between the angles of ASLR and PSLR(p<0.001). There was a significant difference between the angles of PSLR and PSLRB(p<0.001). There was a significant difference between the angles of AKE and PKE(p<0.001). The highest correlation was between PSLR and PSLRB(r=0.915, p<0.001). All SLR tests were significants related(p<0.001), as well as AKE and PKE(p<0.001). The lowest correlation was between PKE and HJA(r=0.171. p>0.05). Conclusion and Discussion. The results indicated that the hip flexion angles for ASLR, PSLR and PSLRB were a difference, and the knee extension angles for AKE and PKE were a difference.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.140-147
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study is to identify the mechanism of changes in maximum voluntary torque with the magnitude and duration of pre-activation torque during voluntary isometric knee extension. Method: 11 male subjects (age: 25.91±2.43 yrs., height: 173.12±3.51 cm, weight: 76.45±7.74 kg) participated in this study. The subjects were required to produce maximal voluntary isometric torque with a particular pre-activation torque condition. The properties of pre-activation torque consisted of the combinations of 1) three levels of magnitude, e.g., 32 Nm, 64 Nm, 96 Nm, and 2) two levels of duration, e.g., 1 sec, and 3 sec; thus, a total of six conditions were given to the subjects. The force and EMG data were measured using the force transducers and wireless EMG sensor, respectively. Results: The results showed that the maximum voluntary torque increased the most with relatively large and fast (96 Nm, 1 sec) pre-activation condition. Similarly, with relatively large and fast (96 Nm, 1 sec) preactivation, it was found that the integrated EMG (iEMG) of the agonist muscles increased, while no significant changes in the co-contraction of the antagonist muscles for the knee extension. Also, the effect of pre-activation conditions on the rate of torque development was not statistically significant. Conclusion: The current findings suggest that relatively larger in magnitude and shorter in duration as the properties of pre-activation lead to a larger magnitude of maximal voluntary torque, possibly due to the increased activity of the agonist muscles during knee extension.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.28-33
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• 2020

[Purpose] This study aimed to investigate the effects of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplement on delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) by analyzing the maximum muscle strength and indicators of muscle damage. [Methods] Twelve men with majors in physical education were assigned to the BCAA group and placebo group in a double-blinded design, and repeated measurements were conducted. DOMS was induced with an isokinetic exercise. Following BCAA administration, the changes in the knee extension peak torque, flexion peak torque, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) concentrations were analyzed. The maximum knee muscle strength was measured at the baseline (pre-D0) following BCAA administration for 5 days before exercise (-D5, -4D, -3D, -2D, -1D). In contrast, the post-treatment measurements (D3) were recorded after BCAA administration for 3 days (post-D0, D1, D2). Blood samples were obtained before (pre-D0), immediately after (post-D0), 24 h (D1), 48 h (D2), and 72 h (D3) after the exercise to analyze the indicators of muscle strength. BCAA was administered twice daily for 8 days (5 days and 3 days before inducing DOMS and during the experimental period, respectively). [Results] There was no difference in the flexion peak torque between the groups. However, the BCAA group showed a significantly higher extension peak torque at D3 (second isokinetic exercise), compared to the placebo group (p<.05). There was no difference in AST changes between the groups. Nonetheless, the CK and LDH were significantly reduced in the BCAA group, compared to the placebo group. There was no correlation between the extension peak torque and flexion peak torque. However, the CK and LDH increased proportionately in DOMS. Moreover, their concentrations significantly increased with a decreasing peak torque (p<.01). [Conclusion] An exercise-induced DOMS results in a decrease in the peak torque and a proportional increase in the CK and LDH concentrations. Moreover, the administration of BCAA inhibits the reduction of the extension peak torque and elevation of CK and LDH concentrations. Therefore, BCAA might be administered as a supplement to maintain the muscle strength and prevent muscle damage during vigorous exercises that may induce DOMS in sports settings.