• Proceedings of the ESK Conference
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• 1996.10a
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• pp.21-25
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• 1996

The Electomyographic (EMG) signals of flexor-extensor muscle pairs were investigated to identify the neural excitation pattern of low-back pain (LBP) patients during a repetitive bending motion. New parameters and EMG normalization technique were developed to quantitatively represent the difference of temporal EMG patterns between ten healthy subjects and ten LBP patients. Flexor-extensor muscle pairs such as rectus abdominis(RA)-erector spinae (ES at LS), external oblique(EO)-internal oblique(IO), rectus femois (quadriceps: QUD)-biceps femoris(hamstrings:HAM), and tibialis anterior(TA)-gastrocnemius(GAS) pairs of muscles were selected in this study. Results indicated that the temporal EMG pattern such as the peak timing difference of QUD-HAM muscle pair and the duration of coexcitation of ES-RA muscle pair showed a statistically isgnificant difference between healthy subjects and LBP patients. These results indicated that the new technique and parameters could be used as a diagnostic tool especially for LBP patients with soft tissue injuries that are rarely dentified by traditional imaging techniques such as X-ray, CT scan or MRI. Improtantly, the new EMG technique did not require the maximal volutary contraction(MVC) measure for normalization that helped patients minimize the pain experience during and after the session. Further study needs to be made to validate and refine this method for clinical application.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.1746-1753
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• 2007

Steers (n = 335) of known genetic background from four fundamentally different growth types were subjected to two production systems to study differences in cooking loss (CL), tenderness, and chemical composition. Growth types were animals with genetic potential for large mature weight-late maturing (LL), intermediate mature weight-late maturing (IL), intermediate mature weight -early maturing (IE), and small mature weight-early maturing (SE). Each year, in a nine-year study, calves of each growth type were weaned and five steers of each growth type were developed on pasture or feedlot and harvested at approximately 20 and 14 mo of age, respectively. Data collected were CL and Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBS) for the Longissimus dorsi (LM), Psoas major (PS), and Quadriceps femoris (QF) muscles. Chemical composition was also determined from the right fore- and hindquarter. Data were analyzed using least squares analysis of variance for unequal subclass numbers. The beef growth $type{\times}production$ system interaction was significant for CL and WBS of the LM and ash in the lean trim of the forequarter. Growth types of LL and IL had greater (p<0.05) mean percentage CL in the PS and QF muscles than did IE and SE steers. Growth type LL had the highest (p<0.05) mean for both moisture and protein in the fore- and hindquarters; while SE had the lowest numerical mean value for moisture and protein in the fore- and hindquarters. Shear force of the PS did not differ (p>0.05) among steers of the four growth types. Increasing challenges to the cattle feeding industry may dictate that pasture development play a larger role in future production regimes. Producers should strive to match genetic growth type with available resources in order to remain viable and continue producing a quality product.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.67-75
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare Hip-Knee-Ankle(HKA) angle and muscle activation ratio between vastus medialis(VM), rectus femoris(RF), and vastus lateralis (VL), and by this, to examine their relationship. It is aimed to explore how the activation ratio among the muscles involved in patellofemoral kinetics would vary in relation with the frontal alignment of the lower extremity. Subjects and Methods: 26 healthy subjects were recruited for the study. The HKA angles were measured with radiograph. The VM, RF, VL muscle activation level were measured by surface electromyography while each participant performed 4 different types of movement (isometric knee extension, squat, ambulation, step-up) and VM/RF, VM/VL, RF/VL ratios were calculated. Pearson correlation was used to estimate the relationship between the HKA angle and the muscle ratio. Results: There was significant moderate correlation between HKA angle and VM: RF on the left side during ambulation (p<0.05). Moderate correlations were also observed during step-up and squat with less significance (p<0.1). Conclusion: The frontal alignment of the knee measured by the HKA angle was conditionally associated with muscle activation ratio between VM and RF (VM:RF); On the left, during ambulation, step-up, and squat, the more valgus knee tended to correlate with the more VM muscle activation ratio, which is expected to induce more stabilizing effect to the patella and its tracking. It suggests that the frontal alignement measured by the HKA-angle can affect PF kinetics. It also indicates a possibility that increase in valgus alignment of the knee, by the HKA measurement, may not act unfavorably to generate PFP.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.326-333
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• 2016

This case study identified the effects of joint mobilization on knee pain, isokinetic strength, muscle tone, and muscle stiffness in an elite volleyball player with a knee injury. The subject had experienced cartilage defects of the left knee joint and underwent surgery to correct the condition. The patient complained of continuous pain in the left knee joint in daily life in addition to pain during exercise. The study was conducted from August 5 to 12, 2015 and joint mobilization was applied to the left knee joint for 15 minutes once a day for 8 days. Knee pain was measured using a visual analogue scale, and the concentric peak torque of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles was measured using an isokinetic muscular strength measurement device. The muscle tone and stiffness of the rectus femoris muscle, vastus medialis, and vastus lateralis on the injured side were measured using a myotonometer. All the measurements were conducted before and after the intervention. Joint mobilization was effective in reducing knee pain on the injured side, increasing the concentric peak torque of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles on both sides, and increasing the muscle stiffness of the quadriceps muscle on the injured side. Concentric peak torque of the quadriceps muscle on the injured side increased a great deal as the number of joint mobilizations was increased, largely diminishing the difference in concentric peak torque between the normal side and injured side. On the other hand, joint mobilization was ineffective in improving the hamstring to quadriceps strength ratio on the injured side. While this study suggests that joint mobilization can be an effective intervention to improve the knee pain, isokinetic strength, and muscle stiffness of elite volleyball players, it should be performed alongside training for an appropriate strength ratio.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.165-176
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• 2011

The femoral nerve innervates the quadriceps muscles and its dermatome supplies anteromedial thigh and medial foot. Paralysis of the quadriceps muscles due to the injury of the femoral nerve results in disability of the knee joint extension and loss of sensory of the thigh. A child could walk independently even though he had injured his femoral nerve severely due to the penetrating wound in the medial thigh. We measured and analyzed his gait performance in order to find the mechanisms that enabled him to walk independently. The child was eleven-year-old boy and he could not extend his knee voluntarily at all during a month after the injury. His gait analysis was performed five times (GA1~GA5) for sixteen months. His temporal-spatial parameters were not significantly different after the GA2 or GA3 test, and significant asymmetry was not observed except the single support time in GA1 results. The Lower limb joint angles in affected side had large differences in GA1 compared with the normal normative patterns. There were little knee joint flexion and extension motion during the stance phase in GA1 The maximum ankle plantar/dorsi flexion angles and the maximum knee extension angles were different from the normal values in the sound side. Asymmetries of the joint angles were analyzed by using the peak values. Significant asymmetries were found in GA1with seven parameters (ankle: peak planter flexion angle in stance phase, range of motion; ROM, knee: peak flexion angles during both stance and swing phase, ROM, hip: peak extension angle, ROM) while only two parameters (maximum hip extension angle and ROM of hip joint) had significant differences in GA5. The mid-stance valleys were not observed in both right and left sides of vertical ground reaction force (GRF) in the GA1, GA2. The loading response peak was far larger than the terminal stance peak of vertical ground reaction curve in the affected side of the GA3, GA4, GA5. The measured joint moment curves of the GA1, GA2, GA3 had large deviations and all of kinetic results had differences with the normal patterns. EMG signals described an absence of the rectus femoris muscle activity in the GA1 and GA2 (affected side). The EMG signals were detected in the GA3 and GA4 but their patterns were not normal yet, then their normal patterns were detected in the GA5. Through these following gait analysis of a child who had selective injuries on the knee extensor muscles, we could verify the actual functions of the knee extensor muscles during gait, and we also could observe his recovery and asymmetry with quantitative data during his rehabilitation.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.113-121
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of three different plates($0^{\circ}$, $10^{\circ$}, $20^{\circ}$)under heels on the lower limb muscles and erector spinae during squat exercise. Ten high school korean traditional wrestling players(age: $18.5{\pm}0.7$, weight: $1972.2{\pm}128.5N$, height: $177.8{\pm}6.0cm$, weight of barbell: $1004.5{\pm}132.4N$) performed squat exercise using three different tilting plates under heels at a cadence of 40beats/sec with 80% one repetition maximum load. Surface electrodes were placed on the participants' left and right erector spinae, and rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, tibialis anterior, biceps femoris, medial gastrocnemius, and lateral gastrocnemius in the right lower extremity. One S-VHS camcorder(Panasonic AG456, 60fields/s) was placed 10m to the side of the participant. To synchronize the video and EMG data, a synchronization unit was used for this study. Average and Peak IEMG values were determined for each participant. For each variable, a one-way analysis of variance was used to determine whether there were significant differences among three different tilting plates under heels. When a significant difference was found in plates type, post hoc analyses were performed using the Tukey procedure. A confidence level of p<.05 was used to determine statistical significance. As a result of this study, maximum nEMG values of the tibialis anterior in $0^{\circ}$ plates was significantly higher than the corresponding values for the other plates during the knee extension. This increased activation in the tibialis anterior muscle indicates an increase in displacement of center of gravity of body. It is very likely that additional muscle activation are needed to stop the forward and backward movement. The results also showed that muscular activities of quadriceps femoris and erector spinae were decreased with increasing angle of plates. This suggests that increasing angle of plate may help to sustain the balance and posture of squat exercise. It is considered that very few significant differences were found among three different plates($0^{\circ}$, $10^{\circ}$, $20^{\circ}$) since elite players with much experience in squat exercise, were chosen as a participant of this study. In order to obtain meaningful results regarding the tilting angle of heel plates in squat exercise, kinetic and 3D kinematic analysis will be needed in the future study.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.484-489
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• 2004

Artificial joint replacement is one of the major surgical advances of the 21th century. The primary purpose of a TKA (Total Knee Arthroplasty) is to restore normal knee Auction. Therefore, ideally, a TKA should: (a) maintain the natural leverage of the knee joint muscles to ensure generating adequate knee muscle moments to accomplish daily tasks such as rising from a chair or climbing stairs;(b) allow the same range of motion as an complete knee; and (c) provide adequate knee joint stability. Four individuals (2 peoples after surgery one year and 2 peoples after surgery three years) participated in this study. All they were prescreened for health and functional status by the same surgeon who performed the operations. Two days of accommodation practice occurred prior to the actual strength testing. The isometric strength (KIN-COM III) of the quadriceps and hamstring were measured at 60$^\circ$ and 30$^\circ$ of knee flexion, respectively. During isokinetic concentric testing, the range of motion was between 10$^\circ$ to 80$^\circ$ of knee flexion (stand-to-sit) and extension (sit-to-stand). for a given test, the trial exhibiting maximum torque was analyzed. A 16-channel MYOPACTM EMG system (Run Technologies, Inc.) was used to collect the differential input surface electromyographic (EMG) signals of the vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis(VL), rectus femoris (RF) during sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit tests. Disposable electrodes (Blue SensorTM, Medicotest, Inc.) were used to collect the EMG signals. The results were as follows; 1. Less maximum concentric (16% and 21% less for 1 yew man and 3 years mm, respectively) and isometric (12% and 29%, respectively) quadriceps torque for both participants. 2.14% less maximum hamstrings concentric torque for 1 year man but 16% greater torque for 3 years mm. However, 1 year man had similar hamstring isometric peak torque for both knees. 3. Less quadriceps co-contraction by 1 year man except for the VM at 10$^\circ$-20$^\circ$ and 30$^\circ$-50$^\circ$ range of knee flexion.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.205-209
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• 2016

Objective: Children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy show weakness especially in the lower-extremity rather than upper-extremity muscles and display characteristics such as asymmetric alignment, deficits in postural control or balance ability, and slow walking speed. Various therapeutic interventions are applied to children with cerebral palsy, of which taping is widely used in the field of rehabilitation, however, there are few studies of the effects of kinesio taping on gait patterns of children with cerebral palsy. The present study investigated the effects of kinesio taping on gait parameters of children with cerebral palsy. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Four children with spastic diplegia participated in this study. The participants' gait parameters while walking 10 m with and without kinesio taping (tibialis anterior, quadriceps femoris, and gluteus maximus) were recorded. Gait parameters including gait velocity, cadence, step length, stride length, single support time, and double support time were evaluated using the GAITRite. Mean values were obtained after having the subjects walk three times in each condition with a 5-minute rest period between each condition. The order of each condition was assigned randomly. Results: There were significant improvements in gait velocity, step length, stride length, and single support time of the right leg with kinesio taping condition compared to the without kinesio taping condition taping (p<0.05). However, there were no significant differences in cadence, single support time of the left leg, or double support time. Conclusions: The results show that kinesio taping may have a positive effect for improving gait parameters of children with spastic diplegia. However, its usefulness in the rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy needs to be further investigated.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2016

Background: Investigation in gender differences of kinetics and kinematics for individuals with patellar femoral pain syndrome (PFPS) was not sufficiently performed. Objects: The purpose of this study is that whether there is a difference depending on gender from muscle activity and strength and knee valgus angle during controlled single-leg squat which is widely used as clinical movement test for the patient with PFPS. Methods: 20 young adults (10 men, $20.0\pm}2.1$years; 10 women, $20.4{\pm}2.1$years) with PFPS were voluntarily recruited in this study. Muscle activity and strength and knee valgus angle were collected during single-leg squat. Independent t-test and Mann-Whitney test were used to compare the differences between groups of male and female. Results: Rectus femoris (t=-2.204, p=.041) and vastus medialis oblique (t=-2.151, p=.045) muscle activity of women were significantly higher than male group. Normalized muscle strength of hip and knee muscles showed a significant difference between men and women (p<.05). Valgus angle of the knee in women (t=-2.450, p=.025) were increased significantly than men. Conclusion: The therapist would consider the characteristics of these gender differences during performing movement test, exercise, and education for the individuals with PFPS.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.195-201
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• 2019

PURPOSE: This study aimed to quantify the effects of whole body vibration (WBV) stimulation training on the muscle thickness and gross motor function in children with spastic cerebral palsy. METHODS: Twenty children diagnosed with spastic cerebral palsy were assigned randomly to the Whole Body Vibration (WBV) group (n=10) and control group (n=10). The WBV group received vibration therapy including five different therapy, and the control group received only five general physiotherapy sessions. After 10 weeks of intervention, the muscle thickness was measured using ultrasound, and the Gross Motor Function D and E items were evaluated. RESULTS: After the intervention, both groups showed a significant increase in muscle thickness and gross motor function (p<.05). The WBV group showed a significant increase in the quadriceps femoris and tibialis anterior muscles compared to the control group, whereas no significant increase in the gastrocnemius muscle was observed (p<.05). The WBV group showed significant improvement in the Gross Motor Function D and E scores compared to the control group (p<.05). CONCLUSION: WBV training may be a useful way of improving the lower extremity muscle strength in children with spastic cerebral palsy, which may help improve the gross motor function.