• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.276-287
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• 2004

Purpose: This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of foot reflexo-massage on physical, psychological, and physiological parameters in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. Method: This study was employed non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest time series experimental design. The subjects of this study were 47 elderly patients with osteoarthritis of the knee from two different nursing homes in Deajeon. The patients were divided into two groups; 26 patients in experimental group, the rest in control group. Each patient in experimental group received the 30-minute foot reflexo-massage, 3 times per week for 4 weeks. The dependent variables of each patient were measured before treatment, after 2 weeks and after 4 weeks during the treatment session. The collected data was analyzed using the Social Package Social Science(version 10.0) software program. Result: There were significant differences in the flexion angle of both knees; the flexion and extension muscle strength of both knees; systolic blood pressure; POMS; plantaris skin temperature and blood velocity of dorsalis pedis artery between the two groups over different the three measurement times. Conclusion: The results suggest that foot reflexo-massage could be an effective intervention to improve physical, psychological and physiological parameters for patients with knee osteoarthritis.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.357-363
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of different saddle heights on lower-limb joint angle and muscle activity. Six elite cyclists(age: $32.2{\pm}5.2years$, height: $171.0{\pm}3.5cm$, weight: $79.7{\pm}5.6kg$, cycle career: $13{\pm}6.2years$) participated in three min. submaximal(90 rpm) pedaling tests with the same load and cadence based on saddle heights where subject's saddle height was determined by his knee flexion angle when the pedal crank was at the 6 o'clock position. Joint angles(hip, knee, ankle joints) and the activity of lower limb muscles(biceps femoris(BF), vastus lateralis(VL), tibialis anterior(TA) and gastrocnemius medial(GM)) were compared by measuring 3D motion and electromyography(EMG) data. Results showed that there were significant differences in minimum hip & knee joint angle and range of motion of hip and knee joint between saddle heights. Onset timing and integrated EMG of only BF among 4 muscles were significantly different between saddle heights. Especially there was a negative relationship between minimum hip joint angle and onset timing of BF in most subject, which means that onset timing of BF became fast as the degree of bending of the hip joint became larger by saddle height. Optimal pedaling will be possible through increased amount of muscle activation due to the appropriate burst onset timing by proper pedaling posture with adjusted saddle height.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.271-278
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Pilates Reformer training on gait improvement of subjects with asymmetric pelvic rotation. The seven subjects with greater pelvic rotation in right swing were assessed twice, 4 weeks apart, during which there was submitted to a Pilates Reformer training (three 40 min session per week). The kinematic data consisted of pelvic rotation and flexion angle of hip and knee joint was measured during gait. In comparison between both leg swings, max, min and range values of pelvic rotation was not significantly difference. After training, range of pelvic rotation in right swing was significantly decreased, but in left swing was not. In comparison between both leg swings, the values of max of hip and knee joint angle was significantly difference. After training, max values of angle of knee joint in right swing was significantly increased, but in left swing was not. The result of this study revealed that Pilates Reformer training was effective in improving gait to symmetric pelvic rotation.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.275-280
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• 2023

Background: Although warm-ups before exercise are widely accepted, research on sex differences in improving hamstring flexibility is limited. Differences in the physical and physiological characteristics between males and females may result in different responses to warm-ups. Objects: This study aimed to examine sex differences in the effects of specific warm-up on hamstring flexibility. Methods: This study included 24 young adults with hamstring tightness. The participants performed five maximal knee extensions and flexions at 90° flexion of the hip, and the maximal knee extension angle was measured in real-time using a smartphone clinometer application. Results: The groups did not significantly affect the maximal knee extension angle but showed a significant effect for repetition (p = 0.002) and group-repetition interaction (p = 0.002). Males had no significant change in hamstring flexibility; however, females showed a significant increase in flexibility in the 5^th trial compared with the 1^st trial (p = 0.041). These results demonstrated sex-specific differences in flexibility improvement over time. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that specific warm-up can successfully improve hamstring flexibility in females. This may be due to various factors, such as muscle stiffness of the lower extremity, estrogen levels, and temperature sensitivity. In clinical settings, specific warm-up might be helpful for females who participate in sports or activities, such as running or jumping, which require a full range of motion in the hip and knee joints.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2011

Purpose:This study was designed to investigate difference in isokinetic muscle strength in the knee extensor muscle and characteristic differences in muscle strength between males and females through the ankle joint angles. Methods: Seventy-four subjects participated in this study. There were two groups: 36 males and 38 females. The mean age of the men was 24.58 years and women was 23.74 years. Subjects were seated on a CON-TREX LP (leg press) lean to back of chair, and there bodies were fixed by straps with the hip joint at an angle of $130^{\circ}$. After randomly fixing the ankle joint at $0^{\circ}$, $20^{\circ}$, and $40^{\circ}$ of plantar flexion (PF) in range of full extension of knee joint. We studied force max average, force max average/kg, power average, and total work through the angle of the ankle joint when the knee joint was extended from $90^{\circ}$ to $180^{\circ}$. Results: In the male group, all maximum measured value showed at the ankle joint $0^{\circ}$, all minimum measured value showed at $40^{\circ}$ PF (p<0.01). In the female group, all maximum measured value showed at the ankle joint $20^{\circ}$ PF, especially the power average increased significantly. All minimum measured value showed $40^{\circ}$ PF (p<0.01). Conclusion: There are differences between males and females in isokinetic muscle strength of the knee extensor through ankle joint angles in healthy adults. Males and Females have different characteristics of muscle strength through the ankle joint angles.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.76-81
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• 2019

Purpose: This study examined the effects of squatting with different foot positions on the muscle activation of the vastus medialis oblique (VMO) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles in subjects with genu varum. Methods: Thirty four subjects participated in this study. Surface electromyography was used to measure the muscle activation of the VMO and VL muscles at the knee angles ($15^{\circ}$, $60^{\circ}$) at three foot positions (internal rotation, neutral position, external rotation) during squatting. Results: Muscle activation differences at different knee angles and foot positions differed significantly between the VMO and VL muscles in both the varus and normal groups. In addition, there was a significant difference according to the knee angles with the foot in external rotation in the VMO and VL ratio. In the varus group, however, the VMO and VL ratio were significantly different only with the feet in internal rotation. In the muscle activation changes of the knee angle differences in the foot position, there was no significant difference in the varus group, but both the VMO and VL muscles were significant different in the normal group. Conclusion: In both groups, regardless of the foot position, muscle activation of the VMO and VL muscles increased with increasing knee flexion angle. In the normal group, when squatting with the feet in external rotation, the VMO and VL muscles activations increased with increasing knee angle. In the varus group, however, the foot position did not affect the VMO or VL muscle activation. This study shows that subjects with genu varum and normal subjects have different VMO and VL muscle activation patterns during squat exercises.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.18-25
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• 1997

Prosthetic replacement is one of the most common methods of reconstruction after resection of malignant tumor around the knee. Gait analysis provides a relative objective data about the gait function of patients with prosthesis. The purpose of this study was to compare the gait pattern of the patients who underwent limb salvage surgery with prosthesis for distal femur and that of patients with prosthesis for proximal tibia. This study included ten patients (4 males, 6 females, mean age 22.7 years, range 14-36) who underwent a wide resection and Kotz hinged modular reconstruction prosthesis replacement and six normal adult(Control). The site of bone tumor was the distal femur (Group 1) in six patients and proximal tibia (Group 2) in 4 patients. The follow-up period ranged from 15 to 82 months (mean : 33 months). The evaluation consisted of clinical assessment, radiographic assessment, gait analysis using VICON 370 Motion Analysis System. The gait analysis included the linear parameters such as, walking velocity, cadence, step length, stride length, stance time, swing time, single support and double support time and the three-dimensional kinematics (joint rotation angle, velocity of joint rotation) of ankle, knee, hip and pelvis in sagittal, coronal and transverse plane. For the kinetic evaluation, the moment of force (unit: Nm/kg) and power (unit: Watt/kg) of ankle, knee and hip joint in sagittal, coronal and transverse plane. In the linear parameters, cadence, velocity, step time and single support were decreased in both group 1 and group 2 compared with control. Double support decreased in group 2 compared with control significantly(p<.05). In contrast to our hypothesis, there was no significant difference between group 1 and group 2. In Kinematics, we observed significant difference (p<.05) of decreased knee flexion in loading response (G2

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.192-204
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• 2004

The surface electromyographic(sEMG) analyses were knee joint angle during open kinetic chain exercise (OKC) and close kinetic chain exercise (CKC) in vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), and rectus femoralis (RF). Ten subjects with normal , aged 20 to 30(X=27.4, SD=3.23), were randomized Statistical techniques for data analysis were applied paired t-test. The 0.05 level of significane was used as the critical level for rejection of the null hypotheses for the study. And the results were: 1) Both OKC and CKC improved the strength of quadriceps muscle as the knee joint flexion was increased. 2) In OKC, the strength of VM was improved the most at the 30 degree angle. 3) In CKC, the strength of VM was improved the most at the 30 degree angle. 4) The VM/VL ratio was the largest at the 10 and 20 degree angles in OKC and CKC. 5) The VM/VL ratio at 10, 20, and 30 degree angles was significantly different between OKC and CKC (P < 0.05). Base on the results, the OKCE is recommended for the knee joint patients, especially for the patellofemoral pain syndrome patients, during the early phase of rehabilitation. In order to improve strength of the quadriceps, muscle strength training at 30 degree angle is recommended. In order to improve VM/VL ratio, 10 and 20 degree angles are recommended during OKCE and CKCE, respectively. Future researches are warranted comparing electromyographic analysis between OKCE and CKCE in the quadriceps at a certain work lead, and muscle strength performance in the quadriceps at different positions of foot.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.95-104
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• 2012

The purpose of this study targeted to national cross-country skiers representatives was to implement hypothetical experiment on their patterns of the movements and analysis on kinematic variables occurred while double polling was conducted between starting and finishing phase of 56 meters. Furthermore, it aimed to provide a set of quantitative data to illustrate how to improve one's skill and performance of sprint. In our experiments, we conducted 3-dimension analysis of cycle characteristics, joint angle(hip, knee and elbow), and pole angle. The results showed that at the starting phase, the players did not show a significant difference in attributes of time and distance. In heat 1 where elbow angle and polling starts, the pole angle was noticeably high in heat 1. At the finishing phase, there was a considerable distinction with a high frequency in performing a short polling time and high speed in heat 3. The players showed large extension between the flexion and of the hip angle which indicates high contribution given from the movement of lower body(hip, knee).