• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.249-253
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of multi-directional dynamic stabilization exercise on the thickness of the external oblique abdominis, internal oblique abdominis, and transversus abdominis. Methods: For the study subjects, 40 adults were taken and divided into two groups and stabilization exercise was performed for 6 weeks. Changes in muscle thickness during the pre-experimental period, and at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks were analyzed using repeated ANOVA. Results: The thickness of the external oblique abdominis, internal oblique abdominis, and transversus abdominis in the multi-directional dynamic stabilization exercise group showed significant differences per period and an interaction was observed between period and group (p<0.01), while there were no significant differences in changes per group (p>0.05). Conclusion: The effects of multi-directional stabilization exercises on abdominal muscle thickness differed. The results presented herein can be utilized as basic data for future studies and in development of rehabilitation treatments.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.136-141
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• 2016

Purpose: In this study experiments were performed during 6 weeks with 40 adults, 20 subjects in the waist stabilization exercise with blood flow restriction group and 20 subjects in the waist stabilization exercise without blood flow restriction group, in order to determine the impact of waist stabilization exercise on White Area Index (WAI) followed by blood flow restriction. Methods: Thickness of external oblique abdominal muscle, internal oblique abdominal muscle, and transversus abdominis muscle, as well as density and WAI of external oblique abdominal muscle were measured, followed by performance of repeated ANOVA. Results: Significant difference in thickness of external oblique abdominal muscle according to periodical difference was observed between groups (p<0.05). Significant difference in thickness of internal oblique abdominal muscle and transversus abdominis muscle according to periodical difference was observed between groups (p<0.05). Significant difference in density and WAI of external oblique abdominal muscle according to periodical difference was observed between groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, significant difference was observed after waist stabilization exercise with blood flow restriction. These results can be used as basic data for future research on waist stabilization exercise and blood flow restriction exercise.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.354-358
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to verify the effects of bridge exercise with resistance to one hip joint adductor muscle on the thickness of external and internal oblique abdominal muscles, transversus abdominis muscle, and erector spinae muscle. Methods: The subjects were divided into two exercise groups: 15 for Bridge Exercise Group (BEG) and 15 for One Hip joint Adduction Bridge Exercise Group (OHABEG). The study used an ultrasonic instrument to measure trunk muscle thickness. OHABEG performed a bridge exercise with one hip Joint adduction. BEG performed a bridge exercise without resistance. Results: The external oblique abdominal, internal oblique abdominal, and the transversus abdominis muscles showed a significant increase by period and time in intra-group interactions (p<0.05), while there was no significant difference in inter-group changes (p>0.05). The erector spinae muscle had a significant increase in each period (p<0.05) but no significant difference in time, intra-group interactions, and in inter-group changes (p>0.05). Conclusion: These results demonstrated that bridge exercise with one hip joint adduction had positive effects on trunk muscle thickness. These results confirm that a bridge exercise with one hip joint adduction has a positive effect on the muscle thickness of trunk, suggesting the possibility of using it as a rehabilitation treatment for a lumbar stabilization exercise and as a basic data.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.63-76
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• 2003

This research was performed to compare spinal segment motion angle between low back pain (LBP) group and painless group during trunk flexion-extension and to investigate the effect of transversus abdominis strengthening exercise on spinal segment motion angle in LBP group. Nine subjects with LBP and ten subjects without LBP participated. Transversus abdominis strengthening exercise was performed in LBP group for three weeks, and spinal segment motion angles were compared before and after the exercise performance. Spinal segment motion angles were measured both in sitting and standing position. Results were as followed: 1) Subjects' average age was 24.79 years, height was 167.84 cm, and weight was 59.95 kg. 2) Spinal segment motion angle of T10/l1 was significantly higher in LBP group compared with painless group (p<.05) in sitting position during trunk flexion-extension. 3) In sitting position, whereas entire lumbar segment motion angles were lower in LBP group compared with painless group (p<.05), angle of L4/5 was higher in LBP group compared with painless group (p<.05). 4) There was no significant difference in thoracic segment motion angle in standing position. 5) After three weeks of transversus abdominis strengthening exercise, thoracic segment motion angle increased both in sitting and standing position (p<.05). 6) In painless group, there was no significant difference in entire spinal segment motion angles in sitting and standing position (p>.05). When spinal segment motion angles were compared between sitting and standing position, there were slight differences. In sitting position, there was no difference in spinal segment motion angle between LBP group and painless group while hip joint motion angle and sacral inclination angle of LBP group was lower than those of painless group (p<.05). In standing position, lumbar segment motion angle was significantly lower in LBP group than that of painless group. Transversus abdominis strengthening exercise influenced thoracic segment motion angle more significantly than lumbar segment motion angle.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.215-223
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the contraction ratios of the abdominal muscles and the preferential activation ratios of the transversus abdominis muscle (TrA) during the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) in the hook-lying, sitting, and standing positions. Methods: This study included 30 healthy participants. The thicknesses of the TrA, internal oblique muscle (IO), and external oblique muscle (EO) were measured at rest and during the ADIM in the hook-lying, sitting, and standing positions using B-mode ultrasound imaging. The contraction ratios of these muscles and the preferential activation ratios of the TrA were calculated for each position. Results: The contraction ratio of the TrA and preferential activation ratio of the TrA during the ADIM in the hook-lying position were significantly higher than those in the sitting and standing positions (p < 0.05). The contraction ratio of the TrA during the ADIM in the sitting position was significantly higher than that in the standing position (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The hook-lying position tended to facilitate TrA activity better than the sitting position. Furthermore, the sitting position tended to facilitate TrA activity better than the standing position. These findings suggest that the ADIM in the hook-lying position should be implemented before that in the sitting position and that the ADIM in the sitting position should be implemented before that in the standing position.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2016

Background: Prolonged sitting leads to low back discomfort and lumbopelvic muscle fatigue. This study examined the characteristics of body perceived discomfort and trunk muscle fatigue during 1 hour of sitting in three postures in office workers. Methods: Thirty workers sat for 1 hour in one of three sitting postures (i.e., upright, slumped, and forward leaning postures). Body discomfort was assessed using the Body Perceived Discomfort scale at the beginning and after 1 hour of sitting. Electromyographic (EMG) signals were recorded from superficial lumbar multifidus, iliocostalis lumborum pars thoracis, internal oblique (IO)/transversus abdominis (TrA), and rectus abdominis muscles during 1 hour of sitting. The median frequency (MDF) of the EMG power spectrum was calculated. Results: Regardless of the sitting posture, the Body Perceived Discomfort scores in the neck, shoulder, upper back, low back, and buttock significantly increased after 1 hour of sitting compared with baseline values ($t_{(9)}=-11.97$ to -2.69, p < 0.05). The MDF value of the EMG signal of rectus abdominis, iliocostalis lumborum pars thoracis, and multifidus muscles was unchanged over time in all three sitting postures. Only the right and left IO/TrA in the slumped sitting posture was significantly associated with decreased MDF over time (p = 0.019 to 0.041). Conclusion: Prolonged sitting led to increased body discomfort in the neck, shoulder, upper back, low back, and buttock. No sign of trunk muscle fatigue was detected over 1 hour of sitting in the upright and forward leaning postures. Prolonged slumped sitting may relate to IO/TrA muscle fatigue, which may compromise the stability of the spine, making it susceptible to injury.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.23-39
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• 2001

Dysfunction of the anterior and dorsal muscles of the trunk have been studied in relation to low back pain of many years. Many muscles of the trunk are capable of contributing to the stabilization and protection of the lumbar spine, recent evidence has suggested that transversus abdominis may be critically involved and has been the focus of rehabilitation. The delay in onset of contraction of trunk muscles associated with movement of the upper or lower limb in patients with low back pain indicates a significant deficit in the automatic motor command for control of disturbance to the spine. The function of transversus abdominis has been largely ignored in the evaluation of spinal stabilization and protection. The most essential stabilizing muscles for the lumbar column are the transversus abdominis and the multifidus. Sling exercise therapy(SET) concept consists of a system of diagnosis and treatment. The system of diagnosis involves testing the muscle's tolerance through progressive loading in open and close kinetic chains. The SET system contains elements such as relaxation, increasing the range of movement, traction, training the stabilizing musculature, sensorimotor exercises, training in open and close kinetic chains, dynamic training of the mobilizing musculature, cardiovasc+ular exercises, group exercise, personal exercise at home. Sensorimotor training is an essential element of the SET concept. The emphasis is on closed kinetic chain exercises on an unstable surface, thereby achieving optimum stimulation of the sensorimotor apparatus.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.415-425
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• 2000

It is well known that the lifetime incidence of low back pain is extraordinarily high, but those who incur the majority of the cost, both personally and financially, are the chronic pain. Stabilization programmers attracted our interest, with their aims of using the muscle system to protect spinal joint structures from further repetitive microtrauma, recurrent pain and degerative change. In overviewing the stabilizing role of the trunk and back mucles our attention became focused on muscles which controlled the lumbar and lumbosacral joints rather than on muscles which span the spine from the thorax to pelvis. It was considered that muscles such as the lumbar multifidus, transversus abdominis, and possibly also parts of the obliquus internus abdominis, would most likely function to stabilize the segments of the lumbar spine. In order to check if these muscles were functioning in low back pain patients, it was necessary to devise specific muscle tests. The new concept involves exercises using only relatively low activity levels in the muscles. More emphasis is placed on a motor skill which has to be relearned, practised and then gradully incorporated back into functional movement.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.295-300
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to determine whether the abdominal muscles, which are the major lumbar stabilizers along with the respiratory muscles, are affected by smoking. We compared abdominal muscle activity between smokers and non-smokers during the sit-to-stand movement. Methods: A total of 28 healthy adult males (14 smokers and 14 non-smokers) in their 20s-30s voluntarily participated in the study. The subjects performed the sit-to-stand movement, and then their abdominal muscle activity was measured. The surface electromyography system was employed to measure the maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) values of the subjects' rectus abdominis, external oblique abdominal, internal oblique abdominal, and transversus abdominis muscles. Then, the values were quantified into %MVIC. Results: The activity of the rectus abdominis muscle was higher in the smokers than in the non-smokers. Conversely, the activity of the internal oblique abdominal and transversus abdominis muscles, which are deep abdominal muscles, was higher in non-smokers than in smokers, but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Smoking can inhibit the activity of smokers' deep abdominal muscles and increase the activity of their superficial muscles, thus making it detrimental to their musculoskeletal system.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.155-161
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• 2016

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the reliability and validity of a personal computer-based muscle viewer (PC-BMW) compared with that of a portable ultrasound (P-US) for measuring upper trapezius (UT) and transversus abdominis (TrA) muscle thickness at rest and during contraction. Design: Observational inter-rater reliability study. Methods: Fifty-five healthy participants (25 men, 30 women) participated in this study. PC-BMW and P-US were randomly measured at the UT and TrA muscles. Two examiners randomly obtained the images of all participants in 3 test sessions lasting 2 days. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs), standard error of measurement, contraction ratio, and correlation were used to estimate reliability and validity. Pearson's correlation coefficients were used to analyze the relationship between muscle thickness measures taken from PC-BMW and P-US. Results: The intra-rater reliability ICCs of UT and TrA muscle thickness for the PC-BMW were >0.995, indicating excellent reliability. Inter-rater reliability ICCs for the PC-BMW ranged from 0.963 to 0.987. The P-US also exhibited high reliability. A high correlation was found between the measurements of the two muscles in PC-BMW and P-US (p<0.01). Conclusions: PC-BMW provides clear and excellent images, is pocket-sized and less expensive than a conventional ultrasound imaging system. PC-BMW can be utilized variously and has the advantage of rehabilitative ultrasound imaging. More research is needed to evaluate the utility of PC-BMW for rehabilitation.