• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.647-653
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• 2013

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the lower extremities muscle activation between squatting exercise with gym ball and wall for improving muscle strengthening in lower extremities. METHODS: Participants were 21 university students (males 10, females 11) who didn't have any problem with orthopedic surgery. Participants performed squatting exercise with gym ball and wall. Squatting exercise with gym ball were performed using by gym ball behind back, and the gym ball were fixed in back and wall. We asked participants to push back the gym ball slightly to prevent fall of ball. Wall squatting exercise, we ask participants to contact their back in wall slightly in order to prevent trunk flexion during performed squatting exercise. Each squatting exercise had performed until knee joint were flexed at 60 degree, and maintained five seconds. We collected data from E.M.G of Biceps femoris, Gastrocnemius, Vastus medialis and lateralis, Tibialis anterior of lower extremity in isometric phase of knee joint angle 60 degree of each squatting exercise. We analysed data using by ANOVA and independent t-test of SPSS PC ver.20.0 in order to compare the muscle activation between squatting exercise with gym ball and wall. RESULT: All of lower extremities muscle activation showed more higher value in squatting exercise with gym ball than squatting exercise with wall, especially there was significantly difference of muscle activation in vastus medialis, tibialis anterior between squatting exercise with gymball and with wall. CONCLUSION: On comprehensively considering the results of the present study, we suggested that squatting exercise with gym ball was more effective method improving lower extremity muscle strengthening.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.11-15
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• 2007

Purpose: This study examined the various patterns of standing to squatting activities, and reports the testing standard and phases for examining the standing to squatting position. Methods: One thousand, normal college students (500 males, 500 females) volunteered for this study. The patterns are performed by naked eye analysis with two video cameras. Results: The patterns from the standing to squatting position are as follows 1. parallel with the heel on the pattern: 2. parallel with the heel off the pattern: 3. closed with the heel on the pattern: 4. closed with the heel on the pattern: 5. open with the heel on the patternand 6. open with the heel on the pattern. Conclusion: The phases of the standing to squatting position are as follows: phase I from standing to the anterior parts of the knees reaching the anterior limit of the BOS, phase II from phase I until the height of the hip and knee joints are the same, phase III from phase II until there was no full squatting and the heels broke contact with the floor and phase IV from phase III full squatting on the heels in contact with the floor.

• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.167-173
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• 1998

Many workers like welders work in squatting postures with the object on the ground during an entire work shift. It is suspected that such prolonged squatting without any supporting stool would gradually cause musculoskeletal injuries to workers. This study is to examine the physical stress caused by the prolonged squatting and to recommend a safe work/rest schedule for a welding task with squatting posture based on the lab experiments. In this study, 8 healthy student subjects participated in the experiment. They maintained a squatting work posture for 16 minutes with 4 different stool height conditions: no stool; 10cm height; 15cm height; and 20cm height. Every 2 minutes, the discomfort was subjectively assessed with the magnitude estimation method for the whole body, lower back, upper leg and lower leg. Based on discomfort ratings, we found that a 10cm height stool relieved the workload most. Discomfort rating results also indicated that a 20cm height stool showed the highest workload, and the there were no difference in workload between a 15cm height stool and no stool. We recommend to use low height stools and to maintain such working postures no longer than 6 minutes for prolonged squatting tasks.

• IE interfaces
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.288-296
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• 2005

Many jobs and activities in our daily lives require squatting postures. The fore part includes housekeepers, farmers, and welders and the latter includes a wide variety of activities such as housekeeping; planting, cultivating and harvesting various agricultural products; grinding, welding, etc. It is speculated that prolonged squatting postures without any supporting stool would gradually cause musculoskeletal injuries to workers. This study is conducted to examine the proper height of stools according to the position of the working materials and to develop wearable stools for workers with squatting posture. Forty male and female subjects participated in the experiment to find the proper height of stools according to the position of the working materials. Subjects were asked to squat and work with 3 different working positions: floor level; ankle level; shank level of 3 different stool height conditions: 10cm height; 15cm height; and 20cm height. After 5 minutes of maintaining a squatting work posture while sitting on the different height stools, Likert summated rating method as well as pairwise ranking test was applied to evaluate the user preferences for provided stools under the conditions of different working positions. The results of statistical analysis show that the subjects preferred 10cm height stool for floor level, 15cm height stool for ankle level, 20cm height stool for knee level. We thus strongly recommend to use appropriate height stools in accordance with the different working positions. Moreover, a prototype wearable stool was designed such that workers with squatting posture do not need to move the stool while they are moving about. The purpose of developing wearable stool was to decrease the physical stress and hence promote worker's health who work with squatting posture.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 2015

Background : The purpose of this study was find out more effective method for improving muscle strengthening in lower extremities according squatting exercise method among knee joint angle 45, 60, 90 degree and between gym ball behind back and wall. Methods : Participants were 21 university students(males 10, females 11) who didn't have any problem with orthopedic surgery. We divided participants to two groups with gym ball group and wall group. Gym ball group were performance squatting exercise with gym ball behind back. Each group had performance squatting exercise according knee joint angle 45, 60, 90 degree. We collected data from E.M.G of Biceps femoris, Gastrocnemius, Vastus medialis and lateralis, Tibialis anterior in lower extremity according knee joint angle 45, 60, 90 degree of each groups. We analyzed data using by ANOVA and ANCOVA of SPSS PC ver. 12.0 in order to determine more effective method according various squatting exercise. Results : Each groups show significantly difference value of biceps femoris, vastus lateralis and medialis, tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius lateralis and medialis among knee joint angle 45, 60, 90 degree. But there was no significantly difference value between gym ball group and wall group according knee joint angle. Conclusions : We suggested that squatting exercise with gym ball was more effective method improving lower extremity muscle strengthening, and changing knee joint angle was more effective compared than continued knee joint angle.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.235-245
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• 2004

The purposes of this study are to develop 'Squat Scoring Scale' and identify relationship between squatting score and flexibility of the lower extremity muscles such as quadriceps femoris and soleus in terms of relationship between squatting and functions of lower extremity. Subjects have normal gait patterns only with or without musculoskeletal problems of lower extremities, lumbar and pelvis and gender. There are sixty subjects who participated in this study. The scoring are checked after squatting posture according to 'Squat Scoring Scale', and measured ROM of the ankle dorsiflexion and knee flexion for flexibility of the soleus and quadriceps femoris, respectively. Fourteen of sixty subjects have 10 score, seventeen subjects have 9 score, seven subjects have 8, 7 and 6 scores, three subjects have 5 score, and five subjects have 4 score. The gap between 10 to 9, 9 to 8 and 8 to 7 score in all values of angles has the statistical significance for t-test(p<.05). This information indicates that flexibility of quadriceps femoris and soleus acts as important factors in squatting.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.37-41
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• 2005

Work related musculoskeletal disorders became a hot issue in Korea since many workers reported musculoskeletal disorder problems. Korean government enacted a law to require companies to take measures to prevent musculoskeletal disorders at work. This study found workers' WMSDs symptoms in squatting work posture which the rate of the occurrence was relatively high among work types to bring about WMSDs in railroad cars maintenance works and analyzed to compare the hazardous jobs in the industrial safety health law in South Korea with the caution jobs in Washington State in U.S. The hazardous jobs in South Korea were more effective in squatting work posture from this study result and this study data will be a great help to plan and carry out an effective prevention program about WMSDs.

• International Journal of CAD/CAM
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2012

This study analyzes the characteristics of two different kinds of squat exercise through physical experiments and a computer simulation, i.e. one with a free weight and the other with a Smith machine are studied. This study also proposes a new design for the Smith machine, which has both the advantages of each type based on the results of the analysis. The muscle force and level of stimulation of the lower extremities during squatting were calculated by running an inverse dynamics analysis program on a musculoskeletal model together with the measured motion data. The calculated results were verified by comparing with the measured EMG data. The analysis showed that squatting using free weight is more effective than squatting using the Smith machine. Meanwhile, in order to design an improved Smith machine, which is the final goal of this study, the trajectory of the barbell of the subjects during free weight squatting was measured on the sagittal plane. The measurement showed that the average slope of the trajectory of the barbell is tilted backward by $10.7^{\circ}$. Based on this measurement, this study proposes a tilted design for an improved Smith machine.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1435-1441
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• 2018

The main focus of this study was to investigate effects of lumbar central posteroanterior (PA) mobilization on isometric knee extension (IKE) ability and patellar tendon reflex amplitude (PTRA) in healthy university students. University students aged 19-26 (male; 10, female; 10) without any neurological disorders participated voluntarily and excluded the subjects with abnormal reflexes. The participation had an average body mass of $64.25{\pm}13.52kg$, an average height of $1.66{\pm}0.08m$, and an average Body Mass Index (BMI) of $23.07{\pm}3.21$. Every student was randomly assigned to be received squatting exercise and PA mobilization sequentially with 5 days of wash out period. IKE and PTRA were not significantly different between the two groups after the intervention. All the outcome measures were arranged into two data groups; PA mobilization and squatting exercise data group. In the PA mobilization data group, IKE and PTRA significantly increased after the intervention, however, these aspects were decreased in the squatting exercise group. These findings suggest that IKE and PTRA increase immediately after PA mobilization, therefore PA mobilization could be a valuable topic for controlled clinical trials.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.259-266
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• 2017

Purpose: This study aimed to compare muscle activities in the right leg during squatting on an angle-adjustable inclined wooden plate at three different angles. Methods: The subjects were 19 healthy adult men and women. An angle-adjustable inclined wooden plate was used for the experiment, and the subjects performed squatting at three adjusted angles of $0^{\circ}$ ankle angle, $10^{\circ}$ ankle flexion, and $10^{\circ}$ plantar flexion. Squatting was randomly performed without a sequence. The knee angle was set at $45^{\circ}$, and a goniometer was used to measure the angles accurately. Electromyography was employed to measure and compare muscle activity in the right leg in each condition. The measured data were converted to root mean square values to calculate the muscle activities. Results: This study showed no statistically significant difference at a $0^{\circ}$ ankle angle, but a statistically significant difference was found in the vastus medialis at $10^{\circ}$ of ankle flexion. Moreover, statistically significant differences were observed in the vastus medialis and lateralis at $10^{\circ}$ of plantar flexion. Conclusion: This study showed a statistically significant difference in the vastus medialis at $10^{\circ}$ of ankle flexion and statistically significant differences in the vastus medialis and lateralis at $10^{\circ}$ of plantar flexion. Therefore, it may be effective to perform squatting at $10^{\circ}$ of ankle flexion when intending to selectively strengthen the vastus medialis and at $10^{\circ}$ of plantar flexion when intending to strengthen both the vastus medialis and lateralis.