• PNF and Movement
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.49-52
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of the area of the base of support formed by the human body on the maximal voluntary isometric contraction of upper limb muscles. Methods: The study was conducted with 20 normal adults. To identify changes in the base of support, the maximal voluntary isometric contraction of the biceps muscle was measured in a standing position, a sitting position, and a lying position for each subject. The sizes of the base of support formed in the standing, sitting, and lying positions were set to 1, 2, and 3 respectively, based on the sizes, to analyze the correlations. The maximal voluntary isometric contraction of the biceps muscle was measured using surface electromyograms (EMGs) (Noraxon DTS, Germany). Results: The results showed negative correlations in which, as the size of the base of support increased, the maximal voluntary isometric contraction of the biceps muscle decreased. Conclusion: Changes in the base of support of the body affect the maximal voluntary isometric contraction of the upper limbs. Therefore, when resistance exercises are applied for muscle strengthening, the positions should be changed considering the changes in muscle activity according to those positions. In addition, when EMGs are used to measure the maximal voluntary isometric contraction, the measurements should be conducted in the same positions, considering muscle activity that changes according to the base of support and positions, for data quantification.

• 대한임상전기생리학회지
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• 제3권1호
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• pp.1-12
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• 2005

This study aimed at examining the maximal isometric contraction caused by voluntary exercise and at comparing its aspects of decrease and restoration in their different repeated application, as to the quadriceps muscles of thigh in the subjects composed of patients with spastic hemiplegia and normal adults. Using isokinetic exercise analyser(Biodex Medical Systems Inc., Biodex System 3PRO, U.S.A.), experiment was conducted as to the normal group composed of fifteen adults and the patient group composed of fifteen patients with spastic hemiplegia. As to each group, MVIC(maximal voluntary isometric contraction) of the quadriceps muscle of thigh caused by voluntary exercise and the aspects of decrease and restoration of the isometric contraction were examined with the method to induce isometric exercise, and their SDI(strength decrement index) and SRI(strength recovery index) were also calculated. The results can be summarized as follows: 1. As for decrease of maximal isometric contraction, both groups showed slow decrease in voluntary exercise, but the normal group showed rapid decrease later phase. 2. As for SDI, no significant differences could be observed in comparison between groups. 3. As for restoration of maximal isometric contraction, both groups showed slow restoration in voluntary exercise, but the normal group showed rapid restoration early phase. 4. As for SRI, comparison between groups showed significant differences in voluntary exercise. These results lead us to the conclusions that spastic muscle is characterized by slow decrease and restoration of MVIC in comparison with normal muscle in voluntary exercise.

• PNF and Movement
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.59-65
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to review articles in order to establish optimal contraction intensity and duration in the performance of relaxation techniques for maximal increase in range of motion. Methods: The Cochrane, EBSCO, Embase, Medline, ProQuest, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Scopus databases were used to search articles from 1990 to January 2016. The search terms were "contract relax," "hold relax," "muscle energy technique (MET)," and "proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching." Only experimental human studies (randomized controlled trials) that compared the effects of varying intensity and duration of isometric contraction were included. Non-English language and unpublished studies were excluded. Results: A total of 2,156 articles were initially identified, with only five eventually meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Three studies compared the effects of varying intensity in isometric contraction and two studies compared the effects of varying duration in isometric contraction with regard to range of motion (ROM). Two articles suggested that submaximal voluntary isometric contraction was more effective than maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) in the improvement of ROM. One article showed that a longer contraction time led to greater increases in ROM. Conclusion: Submaximal voluntary isometric contraction was recommended during contract-relax exercises in healthy people. Lack of evidence makes it difficult to suggest the optimal duration of isometric contraction during relaxation techniques. For future research, high-quality evidence will be needed to establish the optimal contraction intensity for maximum improvement of ROM.

• 대한물리치료과학회지
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• 제2권3호
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• pp.587-598
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• 1995

The purpose of this study was to test the microcurrent electrical neuromuscular stimulation on muscle soreness, serum creatine kinase levels and force deficits evident following a high-intensity eccentric exercise bout. 10 volunteer male subjects were randomly assigned to a treatment group or to a control group. Exercise consisted of high-intensity eccentric contractions of the elbow flexors. Resistance was reduced as subjects fatigued, until they reached exhaustion. Muscle soreness rating was determined using a visual analog scale. Serum creatine kinase levels were analyzed using a blood sample. Force deficits were determined by measures of maximal voluntary isometric contraction at $90^{\circ}$ of elbow flexion on a Orthotron II dynamometer. Muscle soreness rating, serum creatine kinase levels and maximal voluntary isometric contraction were determined at the before exercise and again at 24 and 48 hours postexericse. Treatments were applied immediately following exercise. The control group subjects rested following their exercise bout. Statistical analysis showed significant increases in muscle soreness rating and significant decreases in maximal voluntary isometric contraction when the before exercise was compared with 24 and 48 hour measures(p<0.01). No significant effects were observed between groups in muscle soreness rating and maximal voluntary isometric contraction(p>0.05). Highly significants differences in serum creatine kinase levels were found using on Analysis of variance(ANOVA) repeated measures between groups for each time cycles(p<0.001). This modality may have benefits when used early stage in the muscle damage.

• 한국운동역학회지
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.75-83
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to investigate steady-state force depression following active muscle shortening in human tibialis anterior muscle during voluntary contractions. Subjects (n = 7; age $24{\sim}39$ years; 7 males) performed isometric reference contractions and isometric-shortening-isometric contractions, using maximal voluntary effort. Force depression was assessed by comparing the steady-state isometric torque produced following active muscle shortening with the purely isometric reference torque obtained at the corresponding joint angle. In order to test for effects of the shortening conditions on the steady-state force depression, the speed of shortening were changed systematically in a random order but balanced design. Ankle dorsiflexion torque and joint angle were continuously measured using a dynamometer. During voluntary contractions, muscle activation of the tibialis anterior and the medical gastrocnemius was recorded using surface electromyography. Force depression during voluntary contractions, with a constant level of muscle activation, was 12 %, on average over all subjects. Force depression was independent of the speeds of shortening ($13.8{\pm}2.9%$, $10.3{\pm}2.6%$ for 15 and 45 deg/sec over 15 deg of shortening, respectively). The results of this study suggest that steady-state force depression is a basic property of voluntarily-contracting human skeletal muscle and has functional implication to human movements.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.53-64
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• 2006

Purpose: The present study purposed to examine the effects of massage and stretching on the recovery of muscle contraction force for muscle fatigue caused by sustained isometric contraction. Methods: The subjects of this study Were 64 healthy men and women (women: 30, men: 34). They Were divided into massage group (23), stretching group (21) and rest group (20), and using Biodex System we observed the pattern of changes in maximal voluntary contraction force (MVC) after causing muscle fatigue in quadriceps femoris muscle through sustained isometric contraction. Results: We measured the point of fatigue occurrence by sustained isometric contraction with 50% MVC and changes in isometric contraction force at 0, 10, 20 and 30 minutes after fatigue and compared them according to gender and treatment group. Conclusion: 1. According to the result of measuring the point of time when fatigue occurred, a difference was observed in time to task failure between men and women. It was significantly longer in women. 2. By gender, MVC changed significantly in all time frames in women, but it showed significant increases only at 10 minutes after fatigue in men. 3. In the comparison of MVC among the treatment groups, it showed significant differences among the groups at 10 minutes after fatigue. 4. In the comparison of changes in MVC among the time frames for each group, the rest group showed significant differences in MVC between 0 and 10 minutes after fatigue and between 20 and 30 minutes after fatigue. The massage group showed significant differences in MVC between 0 and 10 minutes after fatigue and between 10 and 20 minutes after fatigue. The stretching group showed a significant difference in MVC between 10 and 20 minutes after fatigue and between 20 and 30 minutes after fatigue.

• 국제물리치료학회지
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.422-428
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• 2012

The present study purposed to examine the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, self-stretching and functional massage on the recovery of muscle contraction force for muscle fatigue caused by sustained isotonic contraction. The subjects of this study were 45 healthy students. They were divided into transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation group(n=15), self-stretching group(n=15) and functional massage group(n=15), and using Primus RS. We observed the pattern of changes in maximal voluntary isometric contraction force(MVIC) after causing muscle fatigue in quadriceps femoris muscle through sustained isotonic contraction. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction force(MVIC) were greatly increased after transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, self-stretching and functional massage. In the comparison of recovery rate of muscle contraction force for muscle fatigue caused by sustained isotonic contraction among the treatment groups, it did not show any significant differences. However, it showed that each treatment may be effective in recovery of muscle fatigue caused by sustained isotonic contraction.

• 한국전문물리치료학회지
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.1-9
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• 2010

To develop effective training methods for strengthening a weakened quadriceps femoris muscle in hemiplegic patients, we examined the effects of maximal isometric contraction of the nonparalyzed knee joint on the electromyographic activities of the paralytic muscle. An electromyogram (EMG) was used to record the electromyographic activities of the paralytic quadriceps femoris muscle in 27 hemiplegic patients. The maximal isometric contraction was measured for each subject to normalize the electromyographic activities. The maximal isometric extension and flexion exercises were randomly conducted when the knee joint angles of the nonparalyzed knees were $0^{\circ}$, $45^{\circ}$, and $90^{\circ}$. The patients were encouraged to maintain maximal isometric contractions in both knee joints during each measurement, and three measurements were taken. A one-minute rest interval was given between each measurement to minimize the effects of muscle fatigue. An average from the three values was taken as being the root mean square of the EMG and was recorded as being the maximal isometric contraction. The electromyographic activity obtained for each measurement was expressed as a percentage of the reference voluntary contraction, which was determined using the values obtained during the maximal isometric contraction. The results of this study are summarized as follows: First, when the knee joint angle of the nonparalyzed knee was $0^{\circ}$, the electromyographic activities of the paralytic medial aspect of rectus femoris were related to measurement by a maximal isometric flexion exercise than by an extension exercise (p<.05). Second, when the knee joint angle of the nonparalyzed knee was $90^{\circ}$, the electromyographic activities of the paralytic lateral aspect of rectus femoris were related to measurement by a maximal isometric flexion exercise than by an extension exercise (p<.05). The results show that myoelectrical activities of paralytic quardriceps were not related to measurement angles and exercise directions of the nonparalized knee joint. Studies on various indirect intervention to improve muscular strength of patients with nervous system disorders of the weakened muscle should be constantly conducted.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.37-45
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• 2006

Purpose: This study analyzed changes in spinal neuron and action potential of motor unit depending on voluntary contraction on spinal neuron adaptation. Methods: It selected 80 university students in their twenties and divided into experimental groups of 25% MVIC (I), 50% MVIC (II), 75% MVIC (III) and 100% MVIC (IV) depending on maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) and performed isometric exercise of plantar flexor muscle to each experimental group with given contraction for 20 times. It measured Mmax, H/Mmax, Hmax latency, V/Mmax, V wave latency before and after exercise, compared method and volume of contraction. Results: H/Mmax ratio showed significant difference in comparison among groups (p<0.01) and there was difference in I and IV groups. V/Mmax ratio showed significant difference in comparison among experimental groups (p<0.05) and there was difference in I and IV groups. When voluntary contraction level was maximum, changes were greatest. However, no significantly difference was to Mmax, H latency and V wave latency. Conclusion: These results suggest that amplitude changes of voluntary contraction level, spinal neuron and supra-spinal neuron had a dose connection that the more contraction level, the better central activation seem to decrease highly for a short time.

• 대한물리치료과학회지
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.19-29
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• 2021

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of pulsed-ultrasound intervention and continued-ultrasound on the MVIC (maximal voluntary isometric contraction) and active ROM (range of motion) recovery of before EIMD (exercise-induced muscle damage). Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Thirty subjects who are student in their 20s at a university participated in this study, these subjects were assigned into three groups, a control group (n=10), experiment group I (n=10) and experiment group II (n=10). The subjects in experimental group were intervened by pulsed-ultrasound and continued-ultrasound, while ones on control group weren't by any intervention after induced EIMD. Results: First, In comparison of the MVIC, in the among group comparison, the MVIC of continued-ultrasound group was significantly larger than those of other groups (p<.005). Second, In the among group comparison, the active extension angle of continued-ultrasound group was significantly smaller than those of other groups (p<.005). Third, In the among group comparison, the active flexion angle of continued-ultrasound group was significantly lager than those of other groups (p<.05). Conclusion: The above results revealed that the continued-ultrasound intervention before an exercise had a significantly improve of muscle function after EIMD. Therefore we can consider the continued ultrasound as a considerable intervention method to prevent or reduce an exercise injury.