• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2016

Background: Prolonged sitting leads to low back discomfort and lumbopelvic muscle fatigue. This study examined the characteristics of body perceived discomfort and trunk muscle fatigue during 1 hour of sitting in three postures in office workers. Methods: Thirty workers sat for 1 hour in one of three sitting postures (i.e., upright, slumped, and forward leaning postures). Body discomfort was assessed using the Body Perceived Discomfort scale at the beginning and after 1 hour of sitting. Electromyographic (EMG) signals were recorded from superficial lumbar multifidus, iliocostalis lumborum pars thoracis, internal oblique (IO)/transversus abdominis (TrA), and rectus abdominis muscles during 1 hour of sitting. The median frequency (MDF) of the EMG power spectrum was calculated. Results: Regardless of the sitting posture, the Body Perceived Discomfort scores in the neck, shoulder, upper back, low back, and buttock significantly increased after 1 hour of sitting compared with baseline values ($t_{(9)}=-11.97$ to -2.69, p < 0.05). The MDF value of the EMG signal of rectus abdominis, iliocostalis lumborum pars thoracis, and multifidus muscles was unchanged over time in all three sitting postures. Only the right and left IO/TrA in the slumped sitting posture was significantly associated with decreased MDF over time (p = 0.019 to 0.041). Conclusion: Prolonged sitting led to increased body discomfort in the neck, shoulder, upper back, low back, and buttock. No sign of trunk muscle fatigue was detected over 1 hour of sitting in the upright and forward leaning postures. Prolonged slumped sitting may relate to IO/TrA muscle fatigue, which may compromise the stability of the spine, making it susceptible to injury.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.678-683
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• 2016

The study aim was to investigate a comparison of muscle activity fatigue between maximal and submaximal strength gains during the bench press in men. It was hypothesized that maximal voluntary contraction (%MVC) would similar gains between maximal and submaximal strength gains during the bench press, but median frequency (MDF) would increase in maximal compared with submaximal exercise. Employing a randomized, counterbalanced crossover design, 12 men were asked to perform maximal repetitions and submaximal repetitions (concentric: 1-s, eccentric: 1-s, 2-s/repetition) to failure with a load of 85% of 1RM for the bench press, with a 3-minute recovery between the sets. Each subject was tested for the number of repetitions and sets, total work in bench press. Surface electromyography (EMG) was recorded from the pectoralis major, deltoid anterior, and triceps brachii for %MVC and MDF. Total work was significantly higher in the submaximal repetition exercise than that the maximal repetition exercise (p<.05). Muscle fatigue of pectoralis major, deltoid anterior and triceps brachii were significantly smaller in the submaximnal repetition exercise than that the maximal repetition exercise (p<.05, respectively). However, muscle activity of pectoralis major, deltoid anterior, and triceps brachii were not significantly different between exercises. Our study showed that a smaller muscle fatigue in submaximal repetitions, despite higher in total work and a similar in muscle activity were observed. These results suggest that submaximal repetitions during the bench press would be enhanced intensity and/or volume compared with maximal repetitions exercise.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.31-43
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• 2001

19명의 건강한 성인 남자의 우세팔쪽 위팔두갈래근에서 피로가 생길 때까지 2.4초를 하나의 주기로 팔꿉을 반복적 등장성으로 굽히고 펴서 표면근전도 신호를 얻었다. 처리과정 A 중앙주파수(MDF )는 이 신호의 0.5초 구간을 power spectrum analy sis (PSA)로 계산하였는데 상당량의 잡음이 있었다. 중앙주파수의 잡음 양을 비교하기 위해, 동일한 표면근전도에서 3번까지 신호를 받았다 (2.4초 구간을 PSA로 계산한 처리과정 B, 13 point 로 moving averages한 처리과정 C, digital low pass filter한 처리과정 D). 그리고 나서 그 신호의 주요 주파수 성분을 뽑아내었다. 위의 중앙주파수 자료와 시간간의 회귀직선을 분석하면 초기 중앙주파수, 회귀기울기, 그리고 피로지수와 같은 모수를 얻을 수 있다. 비모수 검정의 하나인 Kendall 기법으로 네 개의 처리과정간의 모수를 비교하였다. 통계결과 잡음이 처리과정 A보다 B, C, D에서 적었고, D에서 가장 적게 나타났다. 중앙주파수를 digital low pass로 여과(filtering)함으로써 앞으로 있게 될 동적 운동 시 근피로 모니터기의 신뢰도를 높일 수 있다.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.565-575
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• 2014

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of weight of load and time on the physical workload of repetitive upper-limb tasks with handling light weight loads using EMG and perceived discomfort, and to investigate the relationship between EMG and perceived discomfort for those repetitive tasks of moving light weight loads. Background: Repetitive upper-limb motion is known as one of the main risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders, and a lot of repetitive tasks are carried out while handling light weight loads in the industry. In evaluating the workload of repetitive tasks handling light weight loads, EMG and perceived discomfort can be used, though their relationship in those work conditions are not much investigated. Method: A laboratory experiment with 18 healthy males were conducted to record EMG signals from 5 muscle sites of the right arm and shoulder and rate perceived discomforts for the body parts and the whole body while carrying out repetitive materials-handling tasks for 52min. The subjects were divided into 3 groups which handled the loads of 1kg, 2kg and 3kg, respectively. ANOVAs were conducted to analyze the effects of the weight and time on RMS of EMG amplitude (normalized RMS: NRMS), median frequency of power spectrum of EMG (normalized MDF: NMDF) and perceived discomfort. The correlations between NRMS and NMDF and perceived discomfort were also analyzed. Results: Statistically significant muscular fatigue effects were not found from NRMS and NMDF in most muscles, while there were significant increases of discomfort as the task time elapsed. It was shown that there were an increasing trend of the muscular activity as the weight of load increased and a decreasing trend of median frequency of EMG of upper and lower arms as time elapsed. It was found that there were significant negative correlations between NMDFs from the lower arm and discomfort ratings, though the relationships were weak. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the working conditions adopted in this study were not enough to induce muscular fatigue, while there was significant increase in perceived discomfort. A further study is necessary to integrate the objective and subjective measures for more reliable and sensitive evaluation of workload of repetitive tasks of handling light weight loads. Application: This study can be used as a basic study for the evaluation of workload of repetitive tasks handling light weight loads.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.323-333
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• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes of gait patterns and muscle activations with increased loads during stair walking. Also, it can be used as descriptive data about continuous stair walking in a real life setting. Method : Twelve sedentary young male adults(Age: $27.0{\pm}1.8yrs$, Weight: $65.8{\pm}9.9kg$) without any lower extremity injuries participated in this study. Participants performed stair walking up 7 floors and their ascending and descending motion on each floor was analyzed. A wireless electromyography(EMG) were attached on the Rectus Femoris(RF), Biceps Femoris(BF), Gastrocnemius(GN), Tibialis Anterior(TA) muscle to calculate integrated EMG(iEMG), median frequency(MDF) and co-contraction index(CI). Chest and left heel accelerometer signal were recorded by wireless accelerometer and those were used to calculate approximate entropy(ApEn) for analyzing gait pattern. All analyses were performed with SPSS 21.0 and for repeated measured ANOVA and Post-hoc was LSD. Results : During ascending stairs, there were a statistically significant difference in Walking time between 1-2nd and other floors(p=.000), GN iEMG between 2-3th and 6-7th(p=.043) floor, TA MDF between 1-2nd and 5-6th(p=.030), 6-7th(p=.015) floor and TA/GN CI between 2-3th and 6-7th(p=.038) floor and ApEn between 1-2nd and 6-7th(x: p=.003, y: p=.005, z: p=.006) floor. During descending stairs, there were a statistically significant difference in TA iEMG between the 6-5th and 3-2nd(p=.026) floor, and for the ApEn between the 1-2nd and 6-7th(x: p=.037, y: p=.000, z: p=.000) floor. Conclusion : Subjects showed more regular pattern and muscle activation response caused by regularity during ascending stairs. Regularity during the first part of stair-descending could be a sign of adaptation; however, complexity during the second part could be a strategy to decrease the impact.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.61-72
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• 2007

INTRODUCTION: Local heat and cold application has been frequently used as means of muscle relaxation and blood circulation or reinforcing muscle strength, relaxing muscle tension in clinical situation. In particular, it has been known that long-term heat and cold application for relaxing muscle tension inhibits muscle spasticity or tension. But, it has been rarely reported that what influences of heat and cold application on activation of muscle action potential. Therefore, this study aims to analyze surface temperature and electromyography activities according to the heat and cold application. METHODE: Subjects of this research were 10 normal men and women (5 men, 5 women). Hot pack and cold pack was applied to vastus medialis muscle of thigh and rectus femoris muscle for 20 min. Surface temperature of vastus medialis muscle and rectus femoris muscle was measured, knee joint of subjects was in $45^{\circ}$ flexion, sitting on a chair, maximal isometric contraction was induced, surface electromyography (sEMG) signals were collected and root mean square (RMS) and median frequency (MOF) were analyzed. All measurements were conducted before and immediately after experiment, 10 min., 20 min. and 30 min. after experiment. Data were analyzed with SPSS 12.0 program, comparison of changes in superficial temperature and sEMG signals through repeated measurement was conducted with repeated measures ANOVA and significance level $\alpha$ was 0.05. RESULTS: Changes of surface temperature of vastus medialis muscle according to cold application were radically decreased immediately after application, but it was recovered after 30 min. of application and it showed significant difference (F4. 36=72.216, P<0.001). Surface temperature of rectus femoris also showed radical decrease immediately after application, but it was recovered after 30 min. of application and showed significant difference (F4. 36=88.930, P<0.001). Changes of surface temperature of vastus medialis muscle according to heat application were radically increased immediately after application, but it was recovered after 30 min. of application and it showed significant difference (F4. 36=27.267, P<0.001). Surface temperature of rectus femoris also showed radical decrease immediately after application, but it was recovered after 30 min. of application and showed significant difference (F4. 36=19.774, P<0.001). Changes of sEMG by heat and cold application were no statistical difference. Surface temperature of skeletal muscle after heat and cold application showed significant change for 30 min., but it was found that increase or decrease of surface temperature had not great influence on sEMG activities.