• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.458-467
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was object to the effects of a resistance exercise combined with relaxation therapy on blood pressure, frequency of exercise and physical fitness in elderly women. Methods: Seventy three elderly women participated in an exercise program for 12 months. The exercise program consisted of stretching, massage and resistance training using thera-bands twice a week and 50 minutes in every sessions each week. Repeated measures ANOVA were performed using SAS. Results: After the exercise program there was a significant difference in systolic blood pressure, frequency of exercise, body fat, sitting to standing, walking 2 minutes, sitting on a chair and reaching, and standing on one leg with eyes opened. After 6 months, there was a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure and significant increase in frequency of exercise, body fat, sitting to standing and standing on one leg with eyes opened. In 12 months, there was a significant increase in body fat, 2 minutes walking, and sitting in a chair and reaching. Conclusion: Resistance exercise combined with muscle relaxation therapy would have a positive effect on elderly women. We found that it was helpful for the elderly women in terms of physical fitness.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.255-265
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• 2014

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate comfort levels of functional and non-functional chairs using subjective comfort rating, interface pressure measurement, muscle activity measurement, and skin temperature measurement. Background: Chairs are used for a prolonged period of time for sitting in many places such as the office, at university, at school, in industry, and so on. Almost all people use chairs in their everyday life. The functional properties of the chair are associated with comfort. Method: The subjective evaluation contains questions regarding chair comfort which can be rated with five point scale. The body-seat interface pressure was measured using a pressure mat system. The symmetry of sitting was measured using electromyography. The change in body part (thigh and buttock) temperature before and after sitting on a chair was measured with an infrared camera. Results: Participants rated significantly (p < 0.05) higher comfort scores for the functional chair in relation to the buttock and thigh region. Also, the participants felt a better cushion effect in the functional chair. When using the functional chair, lower interface pressure, better thermal comfort, and better symmetry of erector spinae muscle activity were observed. Conclusion: Overall, interface pressure measurement, muscle activity measurement, thermal imaging and subjective comfort score results showed that the functional chair was more comfortable than the non-functional chair. Application: The adopted methodologies could be used to measure the seating comfort of train seats.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.26-37
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• 2011

Although there have been various studies related to the body's movement from a sitting to a standing position (sit-to-stand task), there is limited information on the kinematic changes on the frontal and transverse planes. The purpose of this study was to ascertain how pelvic tilt affects kinematic changes in the frontal and transverse planes in the hip and knee joints during a sit-to-stand task. For this study, 33 healthy participants (13 female) were recruited. Each participant rose from a sitting to a standing posture at his or her preferred speed for each of three different pelvic tilt trials (anterior, posterior, and neutral), and the measured angles were analyzed using a 3-D motion analysis system. A one-way repeated measure analysis of variance was performed with Bonferroni's post hoc test. In addition, an independent t-test was carried out to determine the sex differences in hip and knee joint kinematic changes during the sit-to-stand tasks. The results were as follows: 1) The hip and knee joint angle in the frontal and transverse planes showed a significant difference between the different pelvic tilt postures during sitting in the pre-buttock lift-off phase (pre-LO) (p<.05). Compared to the posterior pelvic tilt posture, the anterior pelvic tilt posture involved significantly greater hip joint adduction and internal rotation, knee joint adduction, and reduced internal rotation of the knee joint. 2) Sex differences were found with significant differences for males in the initial and maximal angles in the frontal plane of the hip and knee joint (p<.05). Females had a significantly smaller initial abduction angle of the hip joint and a significantly greater maximal angle of the hip adduction joint. These results suggest that selecting a sit-to-stand exercise for pelvic tilt posture should be considered to control abnormal movement in the lower extremities.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.80-86
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• 2008

Cross-legged sitting postures are commonly assumed during computer work. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of leg crossing on trunk muscle activity while typing at a computer. Trunk muscle activity was measured in three 8 different sitting postures, in random order. These posture were: normal sitting with a straight trunk and both feet on the floor (NS), upper leg crossing (ULC), and ankle on knee (AOK). The right leg was crossed onto the left leg in both cross-legged postures. Twenty able-bodied male volunteers participated in this study. Subjects typed on a computer keyboard for one minute. Surface electromyography (EMG) was used to record bilateral muscle activity in the external oblique (EO). internal oblique (IO), and rectus abdominis (RA). The EMG activity of each muscle in the NS posture was used as a reference (100% EMG activity) in relation to the two cross-legged postures. Muscle activity in the right EO. right IO, and left IO was significantly lower in the ULC posture than in the NS posture. In contrast, muscle activity in the right RA was significantly higher in the ULC posture than in the NS posture. Muscle activity in the tight RA was significantly higher in the AOK posture, as compared to the NS posture, whereas activity in the left IO was significantly lower in the AOK posture, as compared to the NS posture. The right-left muscle activity ratios in the EO and IO showed significantly different patterns in the cross-legged postures, suggesting that asymmetrical right-left oblique muscle activity had occurred.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.1-11
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• 2016

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to assess the effects of local vibration on ankle plantarflexion spasticity and clonus in patients with spinal cord injury. METHODS: The subjects were 14 inpatients with complete or incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) whose scores were higher than 1 on the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) and Spinal Cord Assessment Tool for Spastic Reflexes (SCATS) scale of paraplegia. A randomized single-blind cross-over design was used. Vibration treatment involved a single application of vibration for 10 min in the sitting position, and placebo treatment involved the patient remaining in the sitting position for 10 min. One day after treatment, vibration and placebo treatments were crossed over. Spasticity was measured by using the MAS, and resistance force, by using a hand-held dynamometer; clonus was gauged by using the SCATS scale and clonus burst duration. Additionally, the burst maximal frequency and voluntary ankle dorsiflexion angle of the triceps surae were measured. RESULTS: The application of vibration treatment in the sitting position significantly reduced the MAS scores and resistance force, but significantly increased the dorsiflexion angle of the ankle joint (p<0.05). Furthermore, the vibration treatment diminished the clonus burst duration and SCATS score significantly (p<0.05). Although it reduced the burst maximal frequency of the lateral gastrocnemius and medial soleus, this was significant only for the lateral gastrocnemius. The placebo treatment did not significantly affect any of the test parameters. CONCLUSION: Vibration treatment in the sitting position was effective in cases of spasticity and clonus caused by SCI.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.11
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• pp.1574-1580
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• 2009

To evaluate the effect of different housing systems on sow behavior, 80 gilts were randomly allocated at puberty to four treatments: i) sow stall in gestation followed by farrowing crate (SC), ii) group housing with individual feeding in gestation followed by farrowing crate (GC), iii) ESF (Electronic Sow Feeding) system in gestation followed by farrowing crate (EC), and iv) ESF system followed by group farrowing pen (EG). Behavioral observations were carried out on a total of 16 animals per treatment at the following stages: first day of allocation to housing treatment, day of service, 80 days after service, 109 days after service on entry to farrowing accommodation, 24 h before farrowing, day of farrowing, 14, 27 and 28 days after farrowing, at weaning. On each occasion, individual animals were observed for a 24 period with one minute time sampling. There were significant differences (p<0.001) between stages of the reproductive cycle for all the behavior patterns in all treatments. On the first day in experimental housing treatments, sows spent more time rooting and dog-sitting. Activity and investigatory behavior decreased as pregnancy progressed. An activity peak was apparent just before farrowing, followed by a high level of inactivity on the day of farrowing. Time spent active, eating and drinking increased as lactation progressed, and greatest activity and locomotion was seen immediately following weaning. There were significant differences between housing treatments (p<0.01) for standing, moving, eating, drinking, dog-sitting and lying. During pregnancy SC sows spent more time standing, rooting, drinking and dog sitting, while EC sows spent less time rooting and drinking and more time lying. During lactation, GC sows spent more time standing, moving and eating, less time dog sitting and lateral lying. Nursing frequency was reduced in GC sows (p<0.001). The maternal and piglet behaviors were influenced strongly by environment during lactation. However, it was also shown that previous housing history can influence the maternal behavior in the pre-farrowing stage and during early lactation.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.722-727
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• 2009

The technology of distinguishing human motion states is required in the areas of measuring and analyzing biosignals changing according to physical activities, diagnosing sleep disorder, screening the effect of treatment, examining chronic patients' kinetic state, prescribing exercise therapy, etc. The present study implemented a fuzzy inference system based on fuzzy rules that distinguish human motion states (tying, sitting, walking, and running) by acquiring and processing data of LAA, TAA, L-MAD, and T-MAD using ADXL202AE of Analog Devices embedded in an armband. The membership degree and fuzzy rules in each area of input (LAA, TAA, L-MAD, and T-MAD) and output (tying, sitting, walking, and running) data used here were determined using numeric data obtained from experiment. In the results of analyzing data for simulation generated in order of tying$\rightarrow$walking$\rightarrow$running$\rightarrow$tying, the sorting rate for motion states tying, sitting, walking, and running was 100% for each motion.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.655-665
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• 2010

This study analyzed the effects of skinny jean on women's health by questionnaire survey and measuring the pressure experienced under the clothing and participants' subjective view of the pressure level. The average size women in their 20s' waists is 26 inches and so three pairs of jeans were prepared and worn by 4 female participants. A survey was conducted to investigate how often participants wear skinny jeans and whether they had had any feelings of discomfort as a result of this. Participants responded that they hadexperienced middle to high levels of discomfort due to the high pressure inside skinny jeans. For the maximum value of clothing pressures, jean f2 at the part of buttocks showed $48.7gf/cm^2$. The pressure inside the clothing was found to be highest around the buttocks followed by the knees and finally the belly. The mean values of 7 measuring parts are different according to the jean type; f3 $20.8gf/cm^2$ > f2 $16.4gf/cm^2$ > f1 $15.5gf/cm^2$, which is corresponding to the order of pressure sensation, but not corresponding to the order of ease amount of clothing pattern: f2 > f3 > f1. Mean pressure values were also measured according to the body posture: they were found to by highest when sitting on a chair (21.3gf/$cm^2$), second highest when sitting on the floor ($19.2gf/cm^2$) and lowest when standing ($15.0gf/cm^2$). This is not always same to the order of participants subjective perceptions of the pressure, which is, they estimated pressure to be highest when sitting on the floor followed by sitting on a chair and lowest in a standing position.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.191-202
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• 2014

Objective: This study is conducted on the differences between flat and curved displays with respect to location of focused points, posture and satisfaction as well as preferred tilt angles. Background: In order to avoid physical and eye fatigue caused by misplayed sitting posture, many studies have asserted that the display requires appropriate location, size and tilt angle as well as curvature. However, most studies have focused on the work environment and the results are varied in the extent. Method: Eye height data in sitting posture were collected from 30 participants. Participants selected the most comfortable viewing angle within the range from $0^{\circ}$ to $12^{\circ}$ while watching videos for both curved and flat display. Then, physical and eye fatigue and overall satisfaction were subjectively evaluated. Lateral diagram describing viewing display condition was set and used to develop linear models for expecting the preferred tilt angle. Results: Due to sitting in the natural viewing posture rather than upright, the eye height is lowered to about 4.6 centimeters, on average, for both displays showing no significant differences. In contrast, preferred angles for the two displays are significantly different and this can be interpreted that curvature vary the points focused. Two linear models as functions of sitting eye height are developed to expect preferred tilt angle for each display. Based on the result of overall satisfaction evaluation, curved display is statistically better than flat display. Conclusion: The results show that flat and curved displays are significantly different expect for the viewing posture. However, reasons for preferring curved display are not accurately factorized and the linear models are limited in the experiment condition such as size of display, distance between display and viewer and other physical environmental factors. Further studies on curved displays under more various conditions are required. Application: This study can contribute to use of the curved display in various way.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.93-102
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• 2015

Prolonged sitting can contribute to low back pain. The lumbar taping can be applied to correct the sitting posture. This study aimed to investigate the effect of lumbar taping on lumbar kinematics and the muscle activities of multifidus (MF) and internal oblique in the individuals with nonspecific chronic low back pain (NSCLBP) as they type for 30 minutes. Nineteen subjects with NSCLBP (9 people in non taping group and 10 people in taping group) were recruited. Lumbar taping was applied to the taping group before typing. Both groups started typing in a neutral sitting position with their feet on the floor. The change of posture and S2 posterior tilting (S2P) were measured to investigate kinematic data. Three sensors were attached on T12, L3, and S2 to identify the change of posture. Surface electromyography was used to measure the muscle activities. Palpation meter was used to standardize the angle of pelvic tilt in sagittal plane before typing. All instruments were used to measure each data before and after typing. Independent t-test was used to compare the changing values of lumbar kinematics and muscle activities before and after typing between both groups. The changing values of S2P and change of posture of L3 and S2 were significantly smaller in the taping group compared to the non taping group (p<.05). The changing value of muscle activities of MF between before and after typing was significantly smaller in the taping group compared to the non taping group (p<.05). In conclusion, the lumbar taping during the 30-minute typing task can be applied to maintain correct sitting posture in the lumbar and pelvis and to maintain activation of MF.