• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.413-420
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• 1997

In this paper, we analyzed the contraction patterns of active elbow muscles during isometric, concentric and eccentric contraction. The analysis parameters consist of frequency domain parameters (mean frequency, median frequency, peak frequency, peak power, skewness, kurtosis) and time domain paraseters (zero crossing, positive maxima, integrated EMG). The results of this study were as follows; The BR/BB of isometric contraction appeared to be Venter as the elbow joint was more extended. The BR /BB during concentric and eccentric contraction tended to increase with more extension of the elbow joint angle, but there was no significant difference between concentric and eccentric contraction. Further, the EMG power spectrum due to the type of contraction were different betwen eccentric and concentric contraction. According to the results, it was found that the activation pattern in elbow flexor muscles was different during three different muscle contraction pattern. Therefore, elbow flexor muscles should not be considered a single functioning unit. Especially, at the time domain analysis, IEMG is a dominant parameter for analysis of activation patterns, and the skewness kurtosis can be useful parameters in functional recognition for prosthesis control purpose.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.1140-1147
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• 2003

We have examined the effect on neck-muscle activation of altering whole body posture. A Rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) was trained to produce sinusoidal (0.25 Hz) head tracking movements in the sagittal plane when seated with trunk and head vertical or while standing in the quadrupedal position. Video-fluoroscopic images of cervical vertebral motion, and electromyographic (EMG) responses were recorded simultaneously. Results demonstrated that vertebral motion varied with body posture, occurring synchronously between all joints in the upright position and primarily at skull-$C_1$ when in the quadrupedal position. Muscle EMG activation was significantly greater (P<0.001) in the quadrupedal position than when upright for all muscles except semispinalis cervicis. Peak activation of all the muscles occurred prior to peak head extension in the quadrupedal position, suggesting synchronous activity between muscles. Data suggest that, when upright, muscles were activated in functional groupings defined by their anatomical arrangement. In the quadrupedal position, gravity acting on the horizontally oriented head produced greater activation and a collective response of the muscles.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.710-720
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• 2014

Movements of the upper and lower limb muscles during five common gardening tasks were analyzed by using electromyography (EMG). Twenty adults aged in their twenties (mean age, $24.8{\pm}2.4$ years) were recruited. On two separate occasions, subjects visited a garden plot to perform digging, raking, troweling, weeding, and hoeing; all tasks were performed three times with 20 s intervals for each trial. To measure muscle activation during the five gardening tasks, surface EMG was used. Bipolar surface EMG electrodes were attached to eight upper limb muscles (bilateral anterior deltoid, biceps brachialis, brachioradialis, and flexor carpi ulnaris) or eight lower limb muscles (bilateral vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, biceps femoris, and gastrocnemius) on both sides of the body, for a total of 16 muscles. During the five tasks, photographs were taken of movement phases using a digital video camera. The right flexor carpi ulnaris and brachioradialis showed higher activation than the other upper and lower limb muscles measured during the tasks. All 16 upper and lower limb muscles were actively used only during digging. According to movement analysis of each activity, digging was classified into four movement phases, whereas raking, troweling, weeding, and hoeing each were divided into three movement phases. In each activity, there were high-impact phases in terms of muscle activation; the flexor carpi ulnaris and brachioradialis were identified as major muscles in each impact phase. This analysis may be used to generate biomechanical profiles of gardening tasks for practitioners when designing efficient gardening interventions for physical health or rehabilitation.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.304-310
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• 2021

Objective: This study aimed to investigate effective cueing methods for selective muscle activation of gluteus medius muscles. Design: Cross sectional study design. Methods: Using the inclusion criteria for this study, 20 healthy adults, both males and females were selected for the measurement of muscle activation of gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and tensor fascia latae muscles while performing clamshell exercise, basic movements in leg raise in side-lying, and 3 different cueing methods. Electromyogram was used to measure muscle activation, and both muscle activation and muscle ratio were compared during the basic movements and different cueing methods. Results: Gluteus medius activation was highest using "try not to make your body rotate" (cueing method 2) in both clamshell exercise and leg raise side-lying (F=5.533, p<0.05, F=7.771, p<0.05), and muscle ratio was highest in clamshell exercise using cueing method 2 (p<0.05) and "don't move your tensor fascia late" (cueing method 1) in leg raise side-lying (p<0.05). This study showed that cueing method 1 in leg raise side-lying and cueing method 2 in clamshell exercise were the most effective cueing methods for selective muscle activation of gluteus medius muscle. Conclusions: The results of this study may be used as basic information for future studies on muscle activation and muscle ratio for different cueing methods and different muscles in various exercises.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.496-508
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• 2020

This study reviews studies on the core stabilization of respiratory muscle training for the elderly health. Previous research data and presenting basic literature data suggest that respiratory activation is an important mechanism for core strengthening via exercise interventions for the elderly. The review found that first, the mechanism of improving the respiratory muscles weakened by aging to address the loss of core function due to old age sarcopenia among the elderly results entails promoting the autonomic nervous system by focusing on the respiratory muscle activation pattern, the core muscle sensation mobilized for body centering. Second, nerve roots, intraperitoneal pressure, and deep muscles in the trunk of the body can be promoted while controlling respiratory stimulation with cognitive feedback. Effortful inspiration increases the activation of respiratory assistive muscles and effortless exhalation can improve the core muscle mobilization by involving abdominal muscles. Third, through respiratory muscle training, the elderly can increase their awareness of spinal centering and improve the ability to control the deep core muscles that must be mobilized for core stabilization. In conclusion, respiratory muscle training to increase the utilization of the trunk muscles seems to be a useful core stabilization exercise for the elderly with chronic tension and joint degeneration.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.101-108
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• 2015

PURPOSE: This study researched the effects of the changes of elbow joint angle and of arm position in PNF pattern on muscle activation of the contralateral shoulder muscles while performing PNF pattern exercise. METHODS: The research subjects were 16 male physical therapists who had no neuromuscular or neurological disorders. To measure the muscle activation of the contralateral shoulder muscles, EMG electrodes were attached to the muscle valley of the middle and posterior areas of the deltoid and triceps muscles of the arm. Muscle activation while performing the ulnar thrust PNF pattern exercise was measured with the elbow joint positioned at angles of $30^{\circ}$, $45^{\circ}$, and $60^{\circ}$. Resistance points were at the initial, middle, and end ranges of PNF pattern exercise. RESULTS: Muscle activation of the middle and posterior portions of the deltoid muscle increased significantly according to the changes of elbow joint angle. In each resistance point the middle range was significantly higher than at other points. A significant difference on muscle activation was demonstrated throughout each range depending on the type of muscle. Muscle activation of the middle and posterior portions of the deltoid muscle was higher than muscle activation of the triceps. CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrate that the PNF pattern exercising method used in this study is a selective exercising method focusing on the deltoid muscle over the triceps muscle. In order to increase the muscle strength to the maximum level, it is necessary to provide the maximum level of resistance in the middle range of the elbow joint.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.15-24
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• 2017

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of supplementary verbal encouragement according to the gender on the activation of abdominal muscles during performance of crunch exercise in healthy subjects. METHODS: A Total of 32 healthy subjects (15 male and 17 female) were randomly allocated to two conditions, crunch exercise with Ki-hap and verbal encouragement with same gender (CKVS) and crunch exercise with Ki-hap and verbal encouragement with different gender (CKVD). The interventions were conducted over three trials in each condition, and measurements were performed on each subject by one examiner in three trials. The activation of rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, and transverse abdominis muscles were evaluated using electromyography (EMG) during performance of crunch exercise with Ki-hap and verbal encouragement with same gender or different gender, respectively. RESULTS: The results showed that there were no significantly difference in the activation of all abdominal muscles in those of the CKVS compared with the CKVD (p>.05). The results also showed that there were no significantly difference in the ratio of muscle activation at global muscle to that at local muscle between two conditions (p>.05). CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrated that application of the supplementary verbal encouragement by gender does not affect to activate the abdominal muscles of subject to perform a movement, at the same time, it would suggest positive evidence for improving activation of abdominal muscles.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.167-176
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• 2023

Purpose: Due to the high incidence of shoulder injuries, including shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS), among CrossFit practitioners due to frequent overhead movements, serratus anterior exercises are considered crucial for scapular stabilization in both intervention and prevention. Objective: The objective of this study is to compare the muscle activity and ratios of scapular stabilizing and shoulder girdle muscles between individuals with and without SIS during serratus punch and wall slide exercises, both targeting the serratus anterior muscle, in CrossFit training practitioners. Methods: Surface electromyography was used to compare the muscle activity and activity ratio of scapular stabilizing muscles and shoulder muscles during serratus punch and wall slide exercises in two groups of 20 CrossFit practitioners: ten with SIS and ten without symptoms. Results: The group with SIS showed higher activation of the pectoralis major, upper trapezius, and a higher pectoralis major/serratus anterior and upper trapezius/serratus anterior muscle activation ratio during the serratus punch exercise compared to the group without SIS. Similarly, during the wall slide exercise, the group with SIS exhibited higher activation of the upper trapezius and a higher upper trapezius/serratus anterior muscle activation ratio compared to the group without SIS. However, no significant difference in serratus anterior muscle activation was observed between the two groups. Conclusions: This study highlights the higher activation of the pectoralis major and upper trapezius muscles in CrossFit practitioners with SIS during the serratus anterior exercise, suggesting the importance of minimizing the overactivation of these muscles to prevent impingement syndrome in this population.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.275-282
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• 2012

Purpose : Bridge exercise has been commonly used in clinical rehabilitation settings to improve trunk control, and hip adductor muscles were a related muscle that may affect trunk muscle activation. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the co-contraction of hip adductor muscles may affect trunk muscle activation during bridge exercises. Methods : Thirty-eight healthy young subjects (19 men and 19 women) performed bridge exercises (with and without hip adduction movement). Surface electromyography (EMG) data were collected from the dominant-side internal oblique (IO), rectus abdominis (RA), multifidus (MF) and erect spine (ES) during bridge exercises to compare trunk muscles activation patterns. Result : The EMG activities of IO and RA appeared to be significantly higher during bridge exercise with hip adductor co-contraction than during bridge exercise alone (p<.01), but there were no significant differences in those of MF and ES. Furthermore, there were significant differences in the IO:RA EMG ratio during bridge exercise with hip adductor co-contraction (p<.05). Conclusion : These findings suggest that integration of hip adduction during bridge exercise may be beneficial in increasing deep muscles' activity for trunk stabilization.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.156-162
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate muscle activation related to postural stability depending on different head positions with whole body vibration (WBV) in standing. Methods: Eighteen healthy subjects voluntarily participated in this single-group, repeated-measures study in which the surface electromyography (EMG) data from upper trapezius, rectus abdominis, external oblique abdominis, erector spinae, gluteus maximus, rectus femoris, semitendinosus, medial gastrocnemius were collected over 3 different frequencies (0-10-20Hz) and 4 different head positions (neutral, flexion, extension, chin tuck) for each subject on WBV while standing. Results: The results of this study demonstrated that the EMG activity of all recorded muscles shows significant difference between three different frequencies and four head positions of WBV while standing (p<0.05). In the multiple comparison, significant differences could be observed for most of different frequency conditions except 0-10Hz of RA, 10-20Hz of ST. In contrast, no significant difference showed the comparison of the EMG activity depending on different head positions (p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that different head positions on WBV do not activate muscles related to postural stability. However, higher frequency on WBV is highly effective to activate whole body muscles included postural muscles regardless of different head positions.