• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.23-29
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• 2007

The purpose of this study were to investigate the differences between female and male basketball players in knee neuromuscular biomechanical factors during basketball rebound jump. Twelve high school female ($17.9{\pm}0.8years$) and twelve male ($19.0{\pm}1.6years$) basketball players rebound jumped for maximal vertical height to sufficiently stress the anterior cruciate ligament. Kinematic and ground reaction data were collected and combined with inverse dynamics to estimate the knee extensor and abductor torque. The EMG data from the biceps femoris and rectus femoris was used to estimate the ratio of quadriceps muscle activity. Female athletes showed more reduced knee flexion at foot contact, more increased knee abduction, extensor and abductor knee joint torque at foot contact, and quadriceps ratio at stance phase than those of male athletes. In conclusion, Female athletes showed differences in knee neuromuscular biomechanical factors than male athletes during basketball rebound jump.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.2221-2228
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• 2020

Background: Shoes cover the feet and ankle joints and come into contact with the ground directly during walking, and the shape of shoes is related to the muscle tone of the lower extremity muscles. However, no study has been conducted on the muscle tone of the lower extremity after wearing combat boots. Objectives: To compare and analyze the effects of walking in combat boots and in athletic shoes on muscle tone and stiffness, to identifying the effect of the characteristics of shoes on the muscle tone. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Thirty subjects were randomly divided into a combat boots group and an athletic shoes group, and interventions were implemented. Both groups walked for 30 minutes on a treadmill at 4.2 km/h. MyotonPRO was used to measure the muscle tone and stiffness of the lower extremity. The measuring sites were set to five muscles on both legs. Results: In the combat boots group, muscle tone and stiffness of the medial gastrocnemius on the dominant side, the muscle tone and stiffness of rectus femoris, and the muscle stiffness of hamstring on the non-dominant side significantly decreased after walking. In the athletic shoes group, there was no significant change in the muscle tone and stiffness. Conclusion: The results of this study can be used to inform the wearing combat boots while walking on a treadmill reduces the muscle tone and stiffness of the lower extremity compared to athletic shoes. It indicates that the restriction of joint movement occurring when wearing combat boots influences reducing muscle tone and stiffness.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.142-150
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine EMG activities and VMO/VL ratio of the vastus medialis oblique, vastus lateralis, and rectus femoris during squat exercise (knee angle: 15, 45, and 60 degrees; tibial rotation: internal rotation, neutral, and external rotation). Methods: Twelve subjects performed squat exercise at each knee angle and tibial rotation while electromyographic (EMG) activity was collected. Statistical analysis consisted of two-way repeated measures analysis of variance with post hoc analysis. Results: There were significant main effects of knee angles and foot positions and interaction effect on EMG activities of vastus medialis oblique and vastus lateralis. VMO/VL ratios were significantly different by tibial rotations and there was an interaction effect. A neutral position produced significantly more VMO/VL activity ratio than that from internally rotated position and externally rotated position at 60 degrees. Conclusion: Considering the interaction effects for EMG activity across quadriceps muscles tested, the 60 degrees knee angle with a neutral foot position may provide the most effective condition for patients with acute patellofemoral syndrome.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.33-42
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• 2023

Objective: This study aims to analyze the effect of regular exercise through the combined walking-oriented aerobic and resistance exercises using EX1 in young adults. Design: Experimental one group pre and post test Methods: Participants comprised17 healthy young adults. All subjects performed a combined exercise program for 10 times using EX1. We measured quadriceps muscle thickness using ultrasound. Additionally, the hand grip strength test, and sit and reach test were performed before and after the exercise. Through paired t-test, we investigated whether there was a statistically significant difference in the measurement results after exercise program. Results: The rectus femoris muscle contraction ratio showed significant difference after exercise(P< 0.01). In the sit and reach test, flexibility showed significant difference after exercise(P < 0.01). The hand grip strength test also showed significant difference after exercise(P < 0.05). Conclusions: Healthy young adults can effectively perform various exercises commonly performed in daily life using EX1.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.479-486
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• 2021

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of agility training with kinesio taping (ATKT) on muscle tone, muscle strength lower extremity and dynamic stability of women softball players. Design: Two groups pre-post randomized controlled design Methods: 34 softball players were recruited randomly assigned into the ATKT group and agility training with sham kinesio taping (control group). All subjects performed agility training for 30 min/day, 5 times/week for 4 weeks. The subjects in the ATKT group underwent agility trainingwith kinesio taping on vastus madialis, vastus medialis, rectus femoris, and vastus lateralis where the subects in the control group underwent agility trainingwith sham kinseio taping. Muscle tone was measured using myotonPRO. A Hand dynamometer was used to evaluate muscle strengthening of lower -extremity. Dynamic stability was measured using the side hop test. Results: Muscle tone of lower-extremity was significantly more increased in the ATKT group (mean change 0.39 ± 0.31) than in the control group (mean change 0.19 ± 0.31) (p<0.05). Muscle strength of lower-extremity was significantly more increased in the ATKT group than in the control group (p<0.05). Dynamic stability was significantly more increased in the ATKT group (mean change -1.39 ±0.45) than in the control group (mean change -0.60 ± 0.46) (p<0.05). Conclusions: We confirmed that the benefits that ATKT is effective for increasing in softball players and suggested that knee joint kinesio taping. Also, it was observed improvement of muscle tone, muscle strength and Dynamic stability.

• Journal of Advanced Technology Convergence
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.31-38
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• 2023

This study compares the correlation between muscle thickness (abdominal, quadriceps muscle) and how the muscle thickness affects the static balance when the static balance is measured in a standing position. The subjects of study were to select 29 subjects to find out what relationship muscle thickness had on the static balance when measuring muscle thickness and static balance. rectus femoris muscle thickness showed a significant correlation in statically balanced weight distribution index. In this study, only healthy men in their twenties were selected, and the results could not be generalized to other age groups. As a limitation of this study, muscle strength and peripheral vision were not measured, so it seems difficult to express the accuracy of the study and generalize the results. In future studies, the number of subjects and muscle strength should be measured to proceed with the study.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.363-370
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of speed variations in treadmill training on the thickness of lower extremity muscles. A total of 36 university students were divided into three groups: MVTG (n=12), HVTG (n=12), and ATG (n=12). Subjects in MVTG underwent treadmill training with their own average speed; those in HVTG underwent treadmill training with 130% speed of their own average speed; and those in ATG underwent treadmill training with alteration of speed, between 100% and 130% of their own average speed. Treadmill training was performed for 60 minutes a day, three times per week, for a total of 6 weeks. Ultrasonography was used to compare the muscle thickness between rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, gastrocnemius, and tibialis anterior. The result was as follows: The rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, and gastrocnemius were significantly increased after the training period, and they also were statistically significant in interaction. Moreover, tibialis anterior was also significantly increased. Therefore, compared to the average-speed treadmill training, speed variations had a greater effect on thickening the lower extremity muscles. In the near future, we will conduct a study applying the findings from this study in a rehabilitation program for patients with gait disturbance due to nervous or musculoskeletal system disease.

• 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.

• 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.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.606-611
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• 2013

It has been reported that tight sportswear could have complicated influence on physiological function of human body. The purpose of this present study was to investigate the effect of wearing gradient compression tights (GCT) on muscle strength and EMG activity during repeated isokinetic muscle contractions. Four healthy male undergraduate students performed maximal voluntary isokinetic concentric muscle contractions on biomechanical test and training systems with GCT and loose pants as control (Cont) respectively. During each test, the peak torque of extensor and flexor contractions and the surface electromyography (sEMG) of the rectus femoris and medial gastrocnemius was recorded simultaneously, the peak torque was recorded as an indicator of muscle strength, and the average amplitude and mean power frequency of sEMG were calculated as indicators of EMG activity. The results showed that: the peak torque decreased gradually during continuous muscle contractions both when the Cont and GCT were worn, average sEMG and mean power frequency declined along with the repetitions of muscle contractions for both wearing conditions, and the change tendency was consistence with that of peak torque. There was no obvious difference between the peak torque recorded wearing the Cont or wearing GCT, but when GCT were worn, average sEMG was lower and mean power frequency was higher than the Cont condition. In 24 samples obtained from four subjects, 80% of results showed the same trend. So we could make a conclusion that wearing GCT had no obvious effect on the improvement of muscle strength, but it would affect the EMG activity positivly.