• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.49-55
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• 2022

Objective: This study aims to verify the front squat motions using by two different surfaces, thereby elucidating the grounds for effective training environment that can minimize the risk of injury. Method: Total of 10 healthy male crossfit athletes were recruited for this study (age: 32.30 ± 3.05 yrs., height: 173.70 ± 5.12 cm, body mass: 82.40 ± 6.31 kg, 1RM: 160 ± 13.80 kg). All participants are those who know how to do front squats well with more than five years of crossfit athlete experience. All participants have sufficient experience in front squats on two types of surface which are soft surface (SS) and hard surface (HS). In each surface, participant perform 10reps of the front squat with 80% of the pre-measured 1RM. A 3-dimensional motion analysis with 8 infrared cameras and 2 channels of EMG was performed in this study. Paired sample t-test was used for statistical verification between two surfaces. The significant level was set at α=.05. Results: The significantly decreased rectus femoris muscle activation was found in SS compared with that of HS on phase 1 (p<.05). Also, ROM of ankle joint was significantly increased in the SS compare with that of HS on phase 1 (p<.05). The muscle activity ratio of gluteus maximus/rectus femoris showed a significant difference only in SS compared with that of HS on phase 1 (p<.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, Korean crossfit boxes should consider the use of hard surface, which has a relatively less risk of injury than soft surface, in selecting flooring materials. For the Crossfit athletes, they are also considered appropriate to train on a relatively hard surface.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2022

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect Tiger-step walking on the movement of the lower extremities during walking. Method: Twenty healthy male adults who had no experience of musculoskeletal injuries on lower extremities in the last six months (age: 26.85 ± 3.28 yrs, height: 174.6 ± 3.72 cm, weight: 73.65 ± 7.48 kg) participated in this study. In this study, 7-segments whole-body model (pelvis, both side of thigh, shank and foot) was used and 29 reflective markers and cluster were attached to the body to identify the segments during the gait. A 3-dimensional motion analysis with 8 infrared cameras and 7 channeled EMG was performed to find the effect of tigerstep on uphill walking. To verify the tigerstep effect, a one-way ANOVA with a repeated measure was used and the statistical significance level was set at α=.05. Results: Firstly, Both Tiger-steps showed a significant increase in stance time and stride length compared with normal walking (p<.05), while both Tiger-steps shown significantly reduced cadence compared to normal walking (p<.05). Secondly, both Tiger-steps revealed significantly increased in hip and ankle joint range of motion compared with normal walking at all planes (p<.05). On the other hand, both Tiger-steps showed significantly increased knee joint range of motion compared with normal walking at the frontal and transverse planes (p<.05). Lastly, Gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, medial gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior of both tiger-step revealed significantly increased muscle activation compared with normal walking in gait cycle and stance phase (p<.05). On the other hand, in swing phase, the muscle activity of the vastus medialis, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior of both tiger-step significantly increased compared with those of normal walking (p <.05). Conclusion: As a result of this study, Tiger step revealed increased in 3d range of motion of lower extremity joints as well as the muscle activities associated with range of motion. These findings were evaluated as an increase in stride length, which is essential for efficient walking. Therefore, the finding of this study prove the effectiveness of the tiger step when walking uphill, and it is thought that it will help develop a more efficient tiger step in the future, which has not been scientifically proven.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 1999

Background & Objectives : In cerebral palsy, spastic paraplegia is one of the most crippling motor manifestations. Reducing the spasticity may improve gait and decrease the incidence of lower-extremity deformities. The spasticity may result from abnormally increased afferent signals via dorsal roots onto interneurons and anterior horn and spreading of reflex activation to other muscle groups. To assess the influence of dorsal rhizotomy to spasticity, the authors analyzed five cerebral palsy patients with spastic paraplegia. Methods : The operation entailed and L1-2 laminectomy, ultrasonographic localization of conus medullaris and identification of lumbosacral dorsal roots. The innervation patterns of each dorsal root were examined by electromyography (EMG) responses to electrical stimulation. Tetanic stimulation was applied to individual rootlets of each root after reflex threshold was determined. the reflex responses were graded and rootlets producing high grade response were selected and cut. Short-term postoperative evaluations were performed. Results : Intraoperative EMG monitoring was satisfactorily performed in all five cases. One month after the operations, all patients showed greatly reduced spasticity which was measured by the instrumental gait analysis. Bilateral knee and ankle jerks were normalized and tip-toe gait with scissoring disappeared in all patients. Conclusion : Intraoperative EMG monitoring seems useful for the selective dorsal rhizotomy to reduce spasticity.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.101-108
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to compare GRF characteristics during walking wearing jogging and roller shoes. Twelve male middle school students (age: $15.0{\pm}0.0\;yrs$, height: $173.6{\pm}5.0\;cm$, weight: $587.6{\pm}89.3\;N$) who have no known musculoskeletal disorders were recruited as the subjects. Kinematic data from six S-VHS camcorders(Panasonic AG456, 60 fields/s) and GRF data from two force platform; (AMII OR6-5) were collected while subjects walked wearing roller and jogging shoes in random order at a speed of 1.1 m/s. An event sync unit with a bright LED light was used to synchronize the video and GRF recordings. GRF data were filtered using a 20 Hz low pass Butterworth. digital filter and further normalized to the subject's body weight. For each trial being analyzed, five critical instants and four phases were identified from the recording. Temporal parameters, GRFs, displacement of center of pressure (DCP), and loading and decay rates were determined for each trial. For each dependent variable, paired t-test was performed to test if significant difference existed between shoe conditions (p <.05). Vertical GRFs at heel contact increased and braking forces at the end of initial double limb stance reduced significantly when going from jogging shoe to roller shoe condition. Robbins and Waked (1997) reported that balance and vertical GRF are closely related It seems that the ankle and knee joints are locked in an awkward fashion at the heel contact to compensate for the imbalance. The DCP in the antero-posterior direction for the roller shoe condition was significantly less than the corresponding value for the jogging shoe condition. Because the subjects tried to keep their upper body weight in front of the hip to prevent falling backward, the DCP for the roller shoe condition was restricted The results indicate that walking with roller shoes had little effect on temporal parameters, and loading and decay rates. It seems that there are differences in GRF characteristics between roller shoe and jogging shoe conditions. The differences in GRF pattern may be caused primarily by the altered position of ankle, knee, and center of mass throughout the walking cycle. Future studies should examine muscle activation patterns and joint kinematics during walking with roller shoes.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.173-180
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of combined exercise on injury risk factors of lower extremity during landing. Ten sports talented athletes participated in this study. Sports talented athletes participated in a combined exercise (sports talented exercise, coordination) for 16 weeks. A three-dimensional motion analysis was performed using eight infrared cameras (sampling rate of 100 Hz), one force plate, and electromyography system (sampling rate of 1000 Hz) during landing. Kinetic, and kinematics analysis including average impulsive force, angle of lower extremity, vertical stiffness, onset of muscle activation were calculated by Matlab2009a software. Paired t-test was performed at alpha=.05. The average impulsive force in landing phase was not statistically significant (t=-.748, p=.474). The hip joint angle was more decreased in post test compared to pre test (E1: t=2.682, p=.025, E2: t=5.609, p=.000, E3: t=2.538, p=.032). The knee joint (E1: t=-.343, p=.739, E2: t=1.319, p=.220, E3: t=.589, p=.570) and ankle joint (E1: t=.081, p=.937, E2: t=.784, p=.453, E3: t=.392, p=.704) angle were tended to decrease after combined exercise. The vertical stiffness was tended to decrease after combined exercise (t=1.972, p=.080). Onset of quadriceps femoris (t=.698, p=.503) and medial gastocnemius (t=1.858, p=.096) were tended to be faster than biceps femoris (t=-.333, p=.747) after combined exercise. Although thses findings were not statistically significant except on a hip joint angle, risk factors of lower extremity such as joint angle, vertical stiffness and onset of quadriceps femoris, medial gastrocnemius were positively changed after the combined exercise but an additional training for improved onset of biceps femoris would be required in the future.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2016

Objective: This study aimed to compare biomechanical data between elite and beginner cyclists during cycle pedaling by performing a comparative analysis and to provide quantitative data for both pedaling performance enhancement and injury prevention. Methods: The subjects of this study included 5 elite cyclists (age: $18{\pm}0years$, body mass: $64.8{\pm}9.52kg$, height: $173.0{\pm}4.80cm$) and 5 amateur cyclists (age: $20{\pm}0years$, mass: $66.6{\pm}2.36kg$, height: $175.6{\pm}1.95cm$). The subjects pedaled on a stationary bicycle mounted on rollers of the same gear (front: 50 T and rear: 17 T = 2.94) and cadence of 90. The saddle height was adjusted to fit the body of each subject, and all the subjects wore shoes with cleats. In order to obtain kinematic data, 4 cameras (GR-HD1KR, JVC, Japan) were installed and set at 60 frames/sec. An electromyography (EMG) system (Telemyo 2400T, Noraxon, USA) was used to measure muscle activation. Eight sets of data from both the left and right lower extremities were obtained from 4 muscles (vastus medialis oblique [VMO], vastus lateralis oblique [VLO], and semitendinosus [Semitend], and lateral gastrocnemius [Gastro]) bilaterally by using a sampling frequency of 1,500 Hz. Five sets of events ($0^{\circ}$, $90^{\circ}$, $180^{\circ}$, $270^{\circ}$, and $360^{\circ}$) and 4 phases (P1, P2, P3, and P4) were set up for the data analysis. Imaging data were analyzed for kinematic factors by using the Kwon3D XP computer software (Visol, Korea). MyoResearch XP Master Edition (Noraxon) was used for filtering and processing EMG signals. Results: The angular velocity at $360^{\circ}$ from the feet was higher in the amateur cyclists, but accelerations at $90^{\circ}$ and $180^{\circ}$ were higher in the elite cyclists. The amateur cyclists had greater joint angles at $270^{\circ}$ from the ankle and wider knee joint distance at $0^{\circ}$, $180^{\circ}$, and $360^{\circ}$ than the elite cyclists. The EMG measurements showed significant differences between P2 and P4 from both the right VLO and Semitend. Conclusion: This study showed that lower body movements appeared to be different according to the level of cycle pedaling experience. This finding may be used to improve pedaling performance and prevent injuries among cyclists.