• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.85-103
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• 2004

This study was conducted to determine what effects would the midsole hardness of running shoes have on shoe flex angle and maximum propulsive force. Furthermore, the relationship between the shoes flex angle and maximum propulsive force was elucidated in order to provide basic data for developing running shoes to improve sports performances and prevent injuries. The subjects employed in the study were 10 college students majoring in physical education who did not have lower limbs injuries for the last one year and whose running pattern was rearfoot strike pattern of normal foot. The shoes used in this study had 3different hardness, shore A 40(soft), 50(medium) and 60(hard). The subjects were asked to run at a speed of $4{\pm}0.08m/sec$, and their movements were videotaped with 2 S-VHS video-cameras and measured with a force platform. And the following results were obtained after analyzing and comparing the variables. 1. Although the minimum angle of shoes flex angle was estimated to appear at SFA4, it appeared at SFA2 except in those shoes with the hardness of 40. 2. The minimum angle of shoes flex angle was $145.1^{\circ}$ with barefoot. Among the shoes with different hardness, it was the smallest when the hardness was 50 at $149.9^{\circ}$. The time to the minimum angle was 70.7% of the total ground contact time. 3. Maximum propulsive force according to midsole hardness was the largest when the hardness was 50 at $1913.9{\pm}184.3N$. There was a low correlation between maximum propulsive force and shoes flex angle.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.27-36
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the upper body in order to increase a propulsive force in the old's walking. The subjects were each 10 males, the latter term of the aged and former term of the aged. There were three walking speeds of slow(about 5km/h), medium(about 6km/h), and maximum speed(about 7km/h). The subjects walking 11m were filmed the 5m section (from 3m to 8m) by 2-video cameras using three dimensional cinematography. And we computed different mechanical quantities and especially computed the relative momentum in order to achieve this study's aim. In this study, we was able to acquire some knowledge. The step length and step frequency increased in proportion to the walking speed, and the faster walking speed, the shorter ratio of supporting time( both legs supporting time/one step length time). When it was one leg support phase, the torso was indicated to generate the momentum in order to produce the propulsive force of walking. The upper and lower body had a cooperative relation for walking such as keeping step rate with the arms to legs and maintaining the body balance. The opposition phase for upward-and-downward direction of the torso and arms in walking was functioned to prevent the increase rapidly toward vertical direction of the center of gravity. The arms had contributed to coordinate the tempo of legs and the posture maintenance of the upper body. And by absorbing the relative momentum from the upper torso with arms to the lower torso, it had the rhythmical movement on upward-and-downward direction reducing the vertical reaction force. On account of the relations of absorption and generation of the propulsive force and the production of vertical impulse in the lower torso when walking by maximum speed, it was showed that the function of lower torso was come up as important problem for the mechanical posture stability and propulsive force coordination.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.31-39
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• 2005

The Purpose of this study was to reveal the biomechanical difference of two soccer footwear(soft ground footwear and hard ground footwear). Secondly, the purpose of this study was to clarify how each type of soccer footwear effects soccer players, which will provide scientific data to coaches and players, to further prevent injuries and to improve each players capacity. The result of comparative analysis of two soccer footwear can be summarized as below. The comparison of the very first braking force at walking found distinctive factors in the statistical data(t=3.092, p<.05). Braking impulse of two difference footwear showed distinctive factors in the statistical data(t=2.542, p<.05). In comparing GRFz max(N), the result showed a statistically significant difference in the two soccer footwear at running(t=2.784, p<.05). In the maximum braking impulse(t=2.774, p<.05) and propulsive impulse for antero-posterior direction, there was a statistically significant difference between the two soccer footwear at running. In the maximum braking force(t=3.270, p<.05) and propulsive force(t=4.956, p<.05) for antero-posterior direction, there was a statistically significant difference between the two soccer footwear at running. Significant differences were not found in moment(rotational friction) with two difference soccer footwear(moment max; t=2.231, moment min; t=1.784).

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.75-83
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• 2006

The Purpose of this study was to compare the biomechanical difference of two soccer footwear. which will provide scientific data to coaches and players, to further prevent injuries and to improve each players skills. The result of this study can be summarized after testing the two types of soccer footwear with comparative transforming heel angles and also with a pressure distribution in running. When a player's foot first touched the ground, the average difference of in/eversion was between 1.2 and 3.1 degrees for the two soccer shoes. In regards to maximum inversion and eversion of foot, maximum tibial rotation, and maximum and total movement of foot, the condition of barefoot and the two soccer shoes showed a small difference from 1.5 to 3.5 degrees and the difference among the subjects of study wasn't constant. In regards to maximum velocity of inversion and eversion running in one's bare feet showed much lower inversion velocity in comparison to putting on two types of soccer shoes and comparison of the average. Among some of the subjects, after putting on the two types of soccer shoes exceeded $97^{\circ}/s$ in maximum velocity of eversion. In the maximum braking impulse(t=2774, p<.05) and propulsive impulse for antero-posterior direction, there was a statistically significant difference between the two soccer footwear at running. In the maximum braking force(t=3.270, p<.05) and propulsive force(t=4.956, p<.05) for antero-posterior direction, there was a statistically significant difference between the two soccer footwear at running.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.52-61
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• 2009

This experiment was conducted in attempt of improving hydrodynamic efficiency of the propulsion mechanism by installing a spring to the wing so that the opening angle of the wing in one stroke can be changed automatically, compared to the existing method of fixed maximum opening angle in Weis-Fogh type ship propulsion mechanism. Average thrust coefficient was almost fixed with all velocity ratio with the prototype, but with the spring type, thrust coefficient increased sharply as velocity ratio increased. Average propulsive efficiency was larger with bigger opening angle in the prototype, but in the spring type, the one with smaller spring coefficient had larger value. In the range over 1.0 in velocity ratio where big thrust can be generated, spring type had more than twice of propulsive efficiency increase compared to the prototype.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.67-82
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the function and the safety of an additional weight shoe developed for the improvement of aerobic capacity, and to improve some problems found by subject's test for an additional weight shoe. The subjects employed for this study were 10 college students. 4 video cameras, AMTI force platform and Pedar insole pressure distribution measurement device were used to analyze foot motions. The results of the study were as follows: 1 The initial achilles tendon angle and initial rearfoot pronation angle of an additional weight shoe during walking were 183.7 deg and 2.33 deg, respectively, and smaller than a barefoot condition. Maximum achilles tendon angle and the angular displacement of achilles tendon angle were 185.35 deg and 4.21 deg respectively, and smaller than barefoot condition. Thus rearfoot stability variables were within the permission value for safety. 2. Maximal anterior posterior ground reaction force of additional weight shoe was appeared to be 1.01-1.2 B.W., and was bigger than a barefoot condition. The time to MAPGRF of an additional weight shoe was longer than a barefoot condition. Maximal vertical ground reaction force of additional weight shoe was appeared to be 2.3-2.7 B.W., and was bigger than a barefoot condition in propulsive force region. But A barefoot condition was bigger in braking force region. The time to MVGRF of an additional weight shoe was longer than a barefoot condition. 3. Regional peak pressure was bigger in medial region than in lateral region in contrast to conventional running shoes. The instant of regional peak pressure was M1-M2-M7-M4-M6-M5 -M3, and differed form conventional running shoes. Regional Impulse was shown to be abnormal patterns. There were no evidences that an additional weight shoe would have function and safety problems through the analysis of rearfoot control and ground reaction force during walking. However, There appeared to have small problem in pressure distribution. It was considered that it would be possible to redesign the inner geometry. This study could not find out safety on human body and exercise effects because of short term research period. Therefore long term study on subject's test would be necessary in the future study.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.169-179
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• 2005

In the 500m short track speed skating, the matter of who reaches the first corner first can important factor since each competitor races with all speed from the start to the first line. A filed study was attempted to kinematical estimation six female foreign skaters, who participated in the 500m female final round competition, and two Korea skates during the World Short track Skating Championship. The three dimensional motion analysis with DLT method was executed using four video cameras for analyzing the actual competition situation. In point of analyzing the actual competition situation, it is expected that skaters and coaches the effective informations, and the following conclusions are drawn; The elapsed time by phase in start motion of the foreign skaters appeared shorter those of Korea skaters, so the start training of Korea skaters should be strengthed. Also the displacement of C.G in the foreign skaters appeared shorter displacement than those of Korea skaters. Especially in the starting position, the foreign skaters are superior to Korea skaters in displacement of first(left) and next following stroke(right). The velocity of C.G and maximum velocity of skate blade of foreign skaters art faster than those of Korea skaters. And the foreign skaters show the superior early velocity change. Both of leaning body angle, and left and knee angle of the foreign skaters lead to positive point of having the propulsive force in the early starting position. Observing in the most prominent feature of foreign and Korea skaters in start phase, foreign skaters skate quickly the third stroke. These features of Korea skaters would appear disadvantage of location selection in entering the coner course.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.175-182
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• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate difference in fascicle behavior of the medial gastrocnemius during the locomotion with varying intensities, such as gait and one-legged and two-legged vertical jumping. Methods : Six subjects (3 males and 3 females; age: $27.2{\pm}1.6yrs.$, body mass: $62.8{\pm}9.8kg$, height: $169.6{\pm}8.5cm$) performed normal gait (G) at preferred speed and maximum vertical jumping with one (OJ) and two (TJ) legs. While subjects were performing the given tasks, the hip, knee and ankle joint motion and ground reaction force was monitored using a 8-infrared camera motion analysis system with two forceplates. Simultaneously, electromyography of the triceps surae muscles, and the fascicle length of the medial gastrocnemius were recorded using a real-time ultrasound imaging machine. Results : Comparing to gait, the kinematic and kinetic parameters of TJ and OJ were found to be significantly different. Along with those parameters, change in the medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle-tendon complex (MTC) length ($50.57{\pm}6.20mm$ for TJ and $44.14{\pm}5.39mm$ for OJ) and changes in the fascicle length of the MG ($18.97{\pm}3.58mm$ for TJ and $20.31{\pm}4.59mm$ for OJ) were observed. Although the total excursion of the MTC and the MG fascicle length during the two types of jump were not significantly different, however the pattern of length changes were found to be different. For TJ, the fascicle length maintained isometric longer during the propulsive phase than OJ. Conclusion : One-legged and two-legged vertical jumping use different muscle-tendon interaction strategies.