• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.16-23
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of the study was to compare the acceleration and shock attenuation (SA) of the runners with/without low back pain (LBG vs. NLBG) while running at 2.5 m/s, 3.0 m/s, 3.5 m/s and 4.0 m/s. Method: 15 adults without low back pain (age: 23.13±3.46 years, body weight: 70.13±8.94 kg, height: 176.79±3.68 cm, NLBG) and 7 adults with low back pain (age: 27.14±5.81 years, body weight: 73.10±10.74 kg, height: 176.41±3.13 cm, LBG) participated in this study. LBG was recruited through the VAS pain rating scale. All participants ran on an instrumented treadmill (Bertec, USA). Results: The LBG shows statistically greater vertical acceleration at the distal tibia during running at 3.5 m/s and 4.0 m/s and greater shock attenuation from the distal tibia to the head during running at 3.5 m/s compared with the NLBG during running (p<.05). As the speed increased, there was a statistically significant increase in vertical/resultant acceleration and shock attenuation for both groups. Conclusion: The findings indicated that the runners with low back pain (LBG) experience greater impact and shock attenuation compared with non-low back pain group (NLBG) during fast running. However, it is still inconclusive whether high impact on the lower extremity during running is the main cause of low back pain in the population. Thus, it is suggested that the study on low back pain should observe the characteristics of impact during running with individuals' low back pain experience and clinical symptoms.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.171-179
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• 2017

Objective: The purpose of this study was to perform a kinematic and kinetic analysis of double-under jump rope technique according to skill level and sex. Method: Participants comprised a skilled group of 16 (9 males, 7 females), and an unskilled group of 16 with 6 months or less of experience (9 males, 7 females). Five consecutive double-under successes were regarded as 1 trial, and all participants were asked to complete 3 successful trials. The data for these 3 trials were averaged and analyzed after collecting the stable third jump in each trial. The variables used in the analysis included phase duration, total duration, flight time, vertical toe height, stance width, vertical center of mass displacement, and right lower limb ankle, knee, and hip joint angles in the sagittal plane during all events. Results: The skilled group had a shorter phase and total duration and a shorter flight time than the unskilled group. The vertical center of mass displacement and ankle dorsiflexion angle were significantly smaller in the skilled group. The male group had a shorter phase duration than the female group. The vertical toe height was greater, the stance width was smaller, and the ankle and hip flexion angles were smaller in the male group. Conclusion: Variables that can be used to distinguish between skill levels are phase and total duration, flight time, vertical center of mass displacement, and ankle dorsiflexion angle. Differences between sexes in double-under jump rope technique may be related to lower limb flexion angle control.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.59-67
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• 2018

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of gluteus medius strength exercise on the ankle stability of high school student with chronic ankle sprains. Methods: A total of 30 participants were divided two groups. Experimental group was 15 participants applied gluteus medius strength exercise. Control group was 15 participants performing ankle strength exercise. This study was performed for 50 minutes per day, three a week for 6 weeks. All measurements were taken to a pre and post test. Strength was measured using Power Track ll. Balance was measured using Biodex balance system for Limits of Stability and Postural Stability. Ankle Stability was measured using Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT). Results: In the case of gluteus medius strength, there were statistically significant differences between the experimental group and the control group. For ankle stability were statistically significant differences within the experimental group according to measurements taken by Limits of Stability, Postural Stability, and CAIT. A between group comparison showed a statistically significant difference for CAIT only. Conclusion: According to our measurements it appears that gluteus medius strength training was effective in benefiting muscular strength, balance and ankle stability among the physical education.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.101-108
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• 2018

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate gender differences in ground reaction force (GRF) components among different speeds of running. Method: Twenty men ($age=22.4{\pm}1.6years$, $mass=73.4{\pm}8.4kg$, $height=176.2{\pm}5.6cm$) and twenty women ($age=20.7{\pm}1.2years$, $mass=55.0{\pm}8.2kg$, $height=163.9{\pm}5.3cm$) participated in this study. All participants were asked to run on an instrumented dual belt treadmill (Bertec, USA) at 8, 12, and 16 km/h for 3 min, after warming up. GRF data were collected from 30 strides while they were running. Hypotheses were tested using one-way ANOVA, and level of significance was set at p-value <.05. Results: The time to passive peaks was significantly earlier in women than in men at three different running speeds (p<.05). Further, the impact loading rates were significantly greater in women than in men at three different running speeds (p<.05). Moreover, the propulsive peak at 8 km/h, which is the slowest running speed, was significantly greater in women than in men (p<.05), and the vertical impulse at 16 km/h, which is the fastest running speed, was significantly greater in men than in women (p<.05). The absolute anteroposterior impulse at 8 km/h was significantly greater in women than in men (p<.05). In addition, as the running speed increased, impact peak, active peak, impact loading rate, breaking peak, propulsive peak, and anteroposterior impulse were significantly increased, but vertical impulse was significantly decreased (p<.05). Conclusion: The impact loading rate is greater in women than in men regardless of different running speeds. Therefore, female runners might be exposed to the risk of potential injuries related to the bone and ligament. Moreover, increased running speeds could lead to higher possibility of running injuries.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.373-380
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of balance training on gait stability. The study population included 17 male high school students who were divided into 3 groups, each of which underwent one of the following types of balance-training programs for 8 weeks: 1 foot standing on cushion foam, trunk muscle training, and inverted body position training. 0, 4, and 8 weeks, the following experiment was performed: The participants were asked to close their eyes and take 17 steps; the stability of forward and sideward movement was determined, and the direction linearity was measured. The results revealed that all the training programs caused a decrease in stride deviation and an increase in the and the stride length, thereby improving the stability of forward movement. All the programs decreased the variation in step width and were thus also effective in improving the stability of sideward movement. The inverted body position training program was considered very effective because the cross point appeared on post hoc graphic analysis after 4 weeks, and the deviation length for 10 m was low, i.e., below 4 cm. All the programs were effective with respect to direction linearity because they decreased the deviation in direction widths. The results indicate that whole-body neurocontrol training is more effective than simple muscle training and local focused balance training, although this neurocontrol training-in the form of inverted body position training-required a longer training period than did the other programs.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.151-162
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency of sports injury among Korean junior elite golf players. The survey was made through the questionnaire which consist of eight categories and 280 valid answers were used to perform frequency analysis. The results indicated that 197 out of 280 participants experienced golf injuries (30%: during a game, 70%: during a practice) and 70% of them also experienced injuries within a year. The frequency analysis for the site of injury has shown that back was the most vulnerable area for all players(33%), followed by the right wrist, left shoulder and elbow for male players. Among female players, left wrist was the second weak site of injury, followed by the right wrist, right thoracic spine, and left shoulder. A few of them also have shown abnormal symptoms of ruptured lumbar disk, scoliosis, and lordosis and these injuries might be caused by the lack of flexibility and the fatigue due to over-practice. High frequency of wrist injury also demonstrated that excessive chopping or punching shot and poor environmental course conditions may cause this injury to be common. Overall, lack of warm up time, lack of strength and flexibility, and excessive amount of practice were the major reasons of injury for the junior elite golfers in Korea. The study also proved that these young Korean golfers actually had more chances to be faced with the injury than average. Thus, it is necessary to develop systematic and scientific methods of training, and prevention, treatment of these injuries with medical professionals.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.397-405
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• 2016

Objective: Pilates is a low/mid-intensity exercise that can be easily performed by elderly individuals as it is an individual body-oriented exercise. It is also a cardio workout that can be performed anywhere to develop strength and flexibility. Therefore, we investigated the effects of 8 week Pilates program on the balancing ability of elderly individuals. Method: The research participants were selected from elderly residents in B city. Ten individuals voluntarily signed an agreement to undergo free measurements as well as to participate in the workout program. (Height: $157.1{\pm}11.9cm$, Weight: $61.7{\pm}8.0kg$). The Pilates exercise was performed 60 minutes a day, three times a week for a total of eight weeks. The measurement variables used to test balance were the vestibular test, 5 m habitual and maximum walk test and 3 m tandem walk test. A series of paired t-test were conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics 23.0 to analyze all the research data collected in order to determine the balance ability of the participants before and after the Pilates program. Additionally, the statistically significant level for all analysis was set to ${\alpha}=.05$. Results: In the vestibular test, some meaningful changes were observed in the length envelope area (ENV) while standing on one foot, but there were no significant differences in the ENV, rectangle(REC), root mean square, and total length. Results also revealed that statistically significant differences existed in the 5 m habitual and maximum walk test, as well as the 3 m tandem walk test. Conclusion: To summarize the findings, the 8 week Pilates program employed in this study significantly improved the dynamic balance of the elderly participants. Thus, elderly individuals that frequent perform Pilates are expected to enjoy positive benefits such as increased balance and fewer falling accidents.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.133-139
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• 2021

Objective: This study aims to verify the conventional deadlift motions using by two different grips, thereby elucidating the grounds for effective training methods that can minimize the risk of injury. Method: Total of 18 healthy young adults were recruited for this study (age: 25.11±2.19 yrs., height: 175.67±5.22 cm, body mass: 78.5±8.09 kg, 1-RM: 125.75±19.48 kg). All participants were asked to perform conventional deadlift with two types of grips which are overhand grip (OG) and underhand grip (UG). In each grip, participant perform the deadlift with 50% and 80% of the pre-measured 1-RM. A 3-dimensional motion analysis with 8 infrared cameras and 3 channels of EMG was performed in this study. A two-way ANOVA (group × load) with repeated measure was used for statistical verification. The significant level was set at α=.05. Results: There were significant differences in grip type and weight on the right shoulder joint, and only significant difference in grip on the left shoulder joint (p<.05). The hip joint ROM was significantly increased as the weight increased in both types of grips on phase 1, while the ROM of hip joint was significantly decreased as the weight increased only in the case of OG on phase 2 (p<.05). In case of the OG, as the weight, increased significantly increased L1 ROM and L3 ROM were revealed on phase 1 and phase 2, respectively (p<.05). Moreover, as the weight increased, UG revealed significantly decreased L5 ROM on phase 1, while both grips showed significantly increased ROM on phase 2 (p<.05). In addition, the erector spinae and the biceps femoris, which are synergist for the motion, showed a significant difference in both types of grip according to the weight (p<.05). The muscle activity ratio of gluteus maximus/biceps femoris showed a significant difference only in the UG according to the weight (p<.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, beginners might be suggested to use the UG for maintaining the neutral state of the lumbar spine and focus on the gluteus maximus muscle, which is the main activation muscle. For the experts, it may recommend alternative use of the OG and UG according to the training purpose to minimize the compensation effect.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.351-363
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Pilates exercise on the back pain index, pelvic tilt angle, and physical fitness of pregnant women with low back pain. Methods: All study participants, all of whom had pregnancy-induced back pain, were randomly assigned to either a Pilates exercise group (PG, n = 8) or control group (CG, n = 7). The PG performed a Pilates exercise for 50 minutes three times a week for eight weeks. The back pain scale and pelvic tilt angle were measured using a visual analogue scale and angulometer, respectively. Cardiopulmonary endurance, flexibility, and grip strength were measured to examine the physical fitness. The variables were analyzed using two-way repeated-measures ANOVA with the Holm-Sidak post hoc procedure. Results: Back pain in the PG significantly decreased from 4.69 ± 1.28 to 1.06 ± 0.94, whereas the CG showed significantly increased back pain from 2.63 ± 2.20 to 4.71 ± 2.56. The left pelvic angle in the PG showed a significant decrease from 13.94 ± 3.70° to 12.29 ± 2.95°, while the CG showed a non-significant difference from 13.07 ± 4.42° to 17.37 ± 3.13°. The right pelvic angle in the PG showed a significant decrease from 13.50 ± 4.47° to 10.34 ± 3.66°, while a non-significant difference in the CG from 44 ± 4.98° to 15.30 ± 3.61° was found. These results showed that the regular participation in Pilates exercise was effective in reducing the pelvic tilt angle. In terms of physical fitness, the PG showed a significant increase in cardiopulmonary endurance, flexibility, and grip strength. However, the CG showed any significance increase in those variables. Conclusion: Eight weeks of Pilates exercise was associated with a decrease in lower back pain, a maintained or reduced pelvic tilt angle, and increased cardiopulmonary endurance, grip strength, and flexibility in pregnant woman with lumbar pain.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.83-90
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• 2017

Objective: To investigate the effect of short-term vibration frequencies on muscle force generation capabilities. Method: Six healthy participants were recruited for this study and only their dominant leg was tested. The subjects were tested under five conditions of vibration frequencies with constant amplitude: 0 Hz (no vibration), 30 Hz, 60 Hz, and 90 Hz, and the vibration amplitude was 10 mm for all frequency conditions. The vibration was applied to the rectus femoris (RF). The subjects were then instructed to maintain a steady-state isometric knee joint torque (100 Nm) for the first 6 s. After the steady-state torque production, the subjects were required to produce isometric knee joint torque by leg extension as hard as possible with a start signal within the next 3 s. The vibration was applied for ~4 s starting from 1 s before initiation of the change in the steady-state knee joint torque. Results: The results showed that the maximum voluntary torque (MVT) of the knee joint increased with the vibration frequencies. On average, the MVTs were 756.47 Nm for 0 Hz (no vibration) and 809.61 Nm for 90 Hz. There was a significant positive correlation (r = 0.71) between the MVTs and integrated electromyograms (iEMGs). Further, the co-contraction indices (CCIs) were computed, which represent the ratio of the iEMGs of the antagonist muscle to the iEMGs of all involved muscles. There was a significant negative correlation (r = 0.62) between the CCIs and MVTs, which was accompanied by a significant positive correlation (r = 0.69) between the iEMGs of the vibrated muscle (RF). There was no significant correlation between the MVTs and iEMGs of the antagonist muscle. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the short-term vibration on the muscle increases the level of muscle activation possibly owing to the increased Ia afferent activities, which enhances the muscle force generation capability.