• 로봇학회논문지
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.48-54
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• 2010

Ankle-foot orthosis with a pneumatic rubber actuator, which is intended for the assistance and the enhancement of ankle muscular activities was developed. In this study, the effectiveness of the system was investigated during plantarflexion motion of ankle joint. To find a effectiveness of the system, the subjects performed maximal voluntary isokinetic plantarflexion contraction on a Biodex-dynamometer. Plantarfexion torque of the ankle joint is assisted by subject's soleus muscle that is generated when ankle joint do plantarflexion motion. We used the muscular stiffness signal of a soleus muscle for feedback control of ankle-foot orthosis as physiological signal. For measurement of this signal, we made the muscular stiffness force sensor. We compared a muscular stiffness force of a soleus muscle between with feedback control and without it and a maximal plantarflexion torque between not wearing a ankle-foot orthosis, without feedback control wearing it and with feedback control wearing it in each ten elderly adults. The experimental result showed that a muscular stiffness force of a soleus muscle with feedback control was reduced and plantarflexion torque of an ankle joint only wearing ankle-foot orthosis was reduced but a plantarflexion torque with feedback control was increased. The amount of a increasing with feedback control is more higher than the amount of a decreasing only wearing it. Therefore, we confirmed the effectiveness of the developed ankle-foot orthosis with feedback control.

• 한국정밀공학회지
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• 제27권6호
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• pp.82-89
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• 2010

Ankle-foot orthosis with an artificial pneumatic muscle which is intended for the assistance of plantarfelxion torque was developed. In this study, power pattern of the device in the various pneumatics and the effectiveness of the system were investigated. The pneumatic power was provided by ankle-foot orthosis controlled by user‘s physiological signal, that is, muscular stiffness in soleus muscle. This pneumatic power can assist plantarflexion torque of ankle joint. The subjects performed maximal voluntary isokinetic plantarflexion motion on a biodexdynamometer in different pneumatics, and they completed three conditions: 1) without wearing the orthosis, 2) wearing the orthosis with artificial muscles turned off, 3) wearing the orthosis activated under muscular stiffness control. Through these experiments, we confirmed the effectiveness of the orthosis and muscular stiffness control using the analyzing isokinetic plantarflexion torque. The experimental results showed that isokinetic torques of plantarflexion motion of the ankle joints gradually increased in incremental pneumatic. The effectiveness of the orthosis was -7.26% and the effectiveness of the muscular stiffness control was 17.83% in normalized isokinetic plantarflexion torque. Subjects generated the less isokinetic torques of the ankle joints in wearing the orthosis with artificial muscles turned off, but isokinetic torques were appropriately reinforced in condition of wearing the orthosis activated under muscular stiffness control(17.83%) compared to wearing the orthosis(-7.26%). Therefore, we respect that developed powered orthosis is applied in the elderly that has weak muscular power as the rehabilitation equipment.

• 디지털융복합연구
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• 제19권6호
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• pp.265-271
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• 2021

본 연구는 경추성 두통 환자의 진단 기준을 정립하고, 임상평가와 운동치료 시 효율적 방법 제공을 목적으로 경추성 두통환자들을 15명을 실험군으로 건강한 대상자 15명을 대조군으로 설정하여 그룹 간, 근육의 특성과 자세, 근활성도를 비교 분석하고, 실험군의 각 변수들 간 상관관계를 분석하였다. 연구결과 뒤통수밑근 경도와 위등세모근의 긴장도, 경도에서 통계적으로 유의한 차이를 보였다p<.001). 자세 변화 비교에서는 목 기울기 각도와 첫 번째 등뼈 경사각이 통계적으로 유의한 차이를 보였으며p<.05), 목빗근의 근활성도 변화 비교에서도 통계적으로 유의한 차이를 보였다(p<.001). 실험군에서 근육의 특성, 자세, 목빗근의 근활성도 간 상관관계를 분석한 결과, 뒤통수밑근의 긴장도가 증가할수록 뒤통수밑근의 경도가 증가함을 나타내 양의 상관관계를 보였고(p<.001), 위등세모근의 긴장도가 증가할수록 위등세모근의 경도도 증가하여 양의 상관관계를 보였다(p<.001). 경추성 두통환자의 평가와 치료 시 본 연구의 결과를 참고한다면, 보다 효율적으로 접근할 수 있을 것으로 기대된다. 향후 연구를 발전시켜 더 많은 연구대상자들을 평가하고 차이를 비교하는 연구와 다양한 직업군을 대상으로 하는 연구들이 필요할 것으로 생각된다.

• Transactions on Control, Automation and Systems Engineering
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.43-48
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• 2002

We show that humans execute the postural control ingeniously by regulating the impedance properties of the musculo-skeletal system as the motor command against the alteration of the environment. Adjusting muscle activity can control the impedance properties of the musculo-skeletal system. To quantify the changes in human arm viscoelasticity on the vertical plane during interaction with the environment, we asked our subject to hold an object. By utilizing surface electromyographic(EMG) studies, we determined a relationship between the perturbation and a time-varying muscle co-activation. Our study showed when the subject lifts the object by himself the muscle stiffness increases while the torque remains the same just before the lift-off. These results suggest that the central nervous system(CNS) simultaneously controls not only the equilibrium point(EP) and the torque, but also the muscle stiffness as themotor command in posture control during the contact task.

• 정형스포츠물리치료학회지
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.127-133
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• 2018

Purpose: This study investigated the effects of changing the tilt angle of the exercise bed on physiological characteristics of trapezius, multifidus, and hamstring muscle function. Methods: Twenty elderly who complains of back and lumbar pain or discomfort participated in this study (average age: $64.70{\pm}4.55$ years). The physiological characteristics, including muscle tone (F), dynamic stiffness (S), and elasticity (D) of trapezius, multifidus, and hamstring muscles were measured by a Myoton device at three tilt angles (0, 15, and 30 degrees) during exercise. Results: The muscle tone, dynamic stiffness, and elasticity of the right trapezius and left hamstring muscle showed significant differences (p<0.05) according to exercise bed tilt angle, while the other muscles showed no significant differences. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that physiological characteristics of the upper and lower extremity muscles are affected ipsilaterally, according to the tilt angles of the exercise bed.

• PNF and Movement
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.181-189
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the effect of sling-applied plank exercise on the frequency, stiffness, and decrement of the rectus abdominis and longissimus muscles of the trunk according to the stability of the base of support. Methods: Thirty-three young adults volunteered to participate and were randomly assigned to one of three groups (SS, stable support; LES, lower extremity support; and ULES, upper and lower extremity support) according to the stability of the base of support. The muscular properties of the rectus abdominis and longissimus muscles during sling-assisted plank exercise according to the stability of the base of support. were measured by using Myoton PRO (Myoton AS, Tallinn, Estonia). Statistical analysis was performed MANOVA to determine the effect of sling-assisted plank exercise on the muscular properties of the rectus abdominis and longissimus muscles according to the stability of the base of support. Post hoc analysis was conducted using Bonferroni. The level of statistical significance was set at α = 0.05. Results: When comparing the muscular properties, the muscle frequency and stiffness of the left rectus abdominis of ULES were significantly decreased compared to that of SS (p < 0.05). In the measurement time, the muscle frequency and the muscle stiffness of the right rectus abdominis increased significantly after the intervention (p < 0.05). Conclusion: It was concluded that the more unstable the base of support (ULES), the higher the exercise strength, and the muscle frequency and stiffness decreased on the rectus abdominis at rest.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제66권5호
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• pp.1069-1078
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• 2024

Woody breast (WB) is one of muscle myopathy found in chicken breast, characterized with enlarged size and extremely stiff texture. The WB condition is one of the most prevalent quality issues in the modern poultry industry. WB has been shown to be heritable, but no effective detection method of WB severity in live birds exists for the selection purpose. The objective of this study was to determine potential of a non-invasive, portable digital palpation device as WB detection method that can be used for the selection to estimate the heritability of WB. The physical and functional properties of WB was also investigated in comparison with normal breast (NB). Two hundred ten breast muscles were obtained from a local processing plant one day after harvest and sorted based on WB scoring (1 for NB and 2 and 3 for WB). The samples were subjected to physical and physicochemical analyses, determining biomechanical properties (muscle tone, stiffness, elasticity, relaxation, and creep), pH, color, cooking yield, and texture (firmness and compression energy were used for raw meat and shear force and energy for cooked meat). The least squares means of the following variables were significantly different between WB and NB (p < 0.01): stiffness (603.4 vs 565.8; N/m), and elasticity (1.40 vs 1.55). However, relaxation and creep were not significantly different (p > 0.05). These results collectively showed that biomechanical properties of WB differ from NB. The degree of muscle stiffness in WB can be considered as a trait to be selected. The WB score showed strong negative correlations with cooking yield (-0.77) and cooked L^*(-0.74), which means that as the breast becomes harder, the cooking yield decreases, and the color becomes darker after cooking. The WB score showed high correlations with physical and functional characteristics and exhibited strong correlations with the biomechanical properties measured by the device. Therefore, the results indicated that the digital palpation device has potential to detect the WB severity (degree of stiffness) of breast muscle.

• 한국임상수의학회지
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• 제37권5호
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• pp.273-277
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• 2020

A 12-year-old, female Maltese was referred with uncontrolled hyperadrenocorticism (HAC). Despite well management of HAC through treatment with trilostane and serial monitoring with ACTH stimulation tests for over three years, stiffness of the neck and limbs progressively worsened over time. Neurological test was performed, which showed no abnormalities of cranial nerves. Proprioception was delayed but the cause appeared to be due to stiffness of limb muscles. Muscle tone had increased over time and stiffness had worsened to the extent where it made walking difficult. MRI scans showed no orthopedic or spinal diseases, and pituitary microadenoma was confirmed with pituitary gland measurement of 6 × 6.4 × 4.5 mm (H × W × L). Electromyography presented random discharges with fluctuating amplitude and frequency, which were consistent with myotonic discharges. There were no improvements of myotonic signs despite treatment for HAC with trilostane. Supplementation of L-carnitine and coenzyme Q-10 to mitigate muscle stiffness, following diazepam and methocarbamol to help with muscle rigidity, failed to show any positive effect and the dog died a sudden death, 1,182 days after the initial visit.

• 대한물리의학회지
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.29-35
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• 2020

PURPOSE: This study examined the immediate effects of Graston instrument-assisted soft-tissue mobilization (GIASTM) and self-stretching on the muscular properties of the gastrocnemius in athletes. METHODS: Thirty subjects (All in their 20 s) were distributed randomly and evenly into two groups of 15 each: GIASTM and stretching. The subjects had no history of gastrocnemius damage in the previous three months. The muscle tone, stiffness, elasticity, and mechanical stress relaxation time (MSRT) of the gastrocnemius were blind-tested. RESULTS: The GIASTM group showed significant changes in all categories, while only MSRT changed significantly in the self-stretching group after intervention. A comparison of the two groups revealed significant differences in stiffness, elasticity, and MSRT (Time required for the muscle to recover after distortion after intervention in the GIASTM group. CONCLUSION: In this study, significant decreases in muscle tone and stiffness, as well as significant increases in elasticity, were observed in the gastrocnemius of the GIASTM group. On the other hand, sSelf-stretching showed significant differences in MSRT. Therefore, GIASTM is more effective in the recovery of the gastrocnemius muscle from fatigue than self-stretching. This study suggests that GIASTM can help prevent damage to the gastrocnemius in athletes and contribute to their training and rehabilitation programs.

• 대한물리의학회지
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.99-111
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• 2018

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to identify the effects of sympathetic conversation on stress, anxiety and depression, and muscle tone in chronic stroke patients. METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (EG, n=7) or control group (CG, n=7). Both groups participated in a pretest before intervention. Subjects were asked to undergo: 1) electroencephalogram, 2) Stress Response Inventory, 3) Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, 4) muscle tone and stiffness testing. After the pretest, EG received sympathetic conversation and CG received a simple explanation about stroke recovery and rehabilitation. Following the intervention, both groups were immediately administered a post test. RESULTS: In EG, the electroencephalogram relative alpha power was significantly increased (p<.05), while the electroencephalogram relative gamma power was significantly decreased (p<.05). The Stress Response Inventory and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scores decreased significantly in both groups (p<.05). In addition, muscle tone and stiffness decreased significantly in the EG (p<.05) CONCLUSION: The results of the present study indicate that sympathetic conversation had a positive effect on stress, anxiety and depression, and muscle tone in patients with chronic stroke. Therefore, sympathetic conversation could be used to improve not only psychological problems in chronic stroke patients including stress and anxiety, but also physical conditions including muscle tone.