• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.11-19
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• 2005

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is often attributed to malalignment and maltracking of patella within the patellofemoral joint. Most exercise for PFPS has focused on selectively strengthening the vastus medialis oblique muscle (VMO). This study was designed to identify the effect of medial, lateral wedge and difference of Quadriceps angle (Q-angle) on vastus medialis oblique/vastus lateralis muscle (VL) activity ratios. The subjects were twenty young adult males who had not experienced any knee injury. They were asked to perform isometric contraction exercises in three postures using medial and lateral wedge. The EMG activity of the VL and VMO were recorded in three postures by surface electrodes and normalized by %MVC values derived from seated, isometric knee extensions. The normalized EMG activity levels (%MVC) of the VL and VMO for the three postures of the lower extremities were compared using 2-way repeated measures ANOVA with 1 between-subject factor (group), and 1 within-subject factor (wedge). Results of repeated measures of ANOVA's revealed that the medial wedge isometric contraction exercise produced significantly greater EMG activity of VMO/VL ratios in Group I (Q-angle $18^{\circ}$ or less) (p<.05). But, the medial wedge isometric contraction exercise was no significant difference of VMO/VL ratios in Group II (Q-angle $19^{\circ}$ or more) (p>.05). These results have important implications for selective VMO muscle strengthening exercises in PFPS patients.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.11-21
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences of kinematics and muscle activities depending on the changes of angle approaching balls during backhand drive in squash. The results are as follows. Stride time took the longest at AD2 and step lengths were the biggest at AD1 of left foot contact and right foot contact and AD2 of impact and follow-through. The center of gravity and the speed of racket head were the highest at AD3 and at AD2. Angle of shoulder joint were the biggest at AD1 of left foot contact, right foot contact and impact and AD3 of follow-through. Angle of elbow joint were the biggest at AD3 of left foot contact, right foot contact and follow-through and AD2 of impact. Angle of pelvis joint were the biggest at AD2 of left foot contact, AD1 of right foot contact and AD3 of impact and follow-through. Angle of knee joint were the biggest at AD2 of left foot contact, AD1 of right foot contact and AD3 of impact and follow-through. Angle of ankle joint were the biggest at AD1 of left foot contact and AD3 of right foot contact, impact and follow-through. According to the analysis results of triceps brachii, latissimus dorsi, brachioradialis muscle and flexor carpi ulnaris muscle activities were high at AD1 of all phases. Analysis results of vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius medial muscle activities were high at AD2 of phase1 and phase3. Those of vastus lateralis, vastus medialis and tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius medial were high at AD3 of Phase 2 and AD1 of phase2.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.311-319
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• 2019

Purpose: This study was conducted to determine the structural change in knees caused by quadriceps angle and the muscle activity in lower limbs. Indirect intervention was provided by using taping for stability in the ankle joints, which affected patellofemoral pain. Methods: The subjects in this study were 20 patients with patellofemoral pain who visited ${\bigcirc}{\bigcirc}{\bigcirc} $ Hospital in Busan. The visual analogue scale measured the dynamic quadriceps angle and the degree of pain felt by the patients while walking down stairs, which was a known factor of patellofemoral pain. In addition, muscle activities in the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, tibialis anterior, peroneus longus, and biceps femoris, which affect the knees and ankles, were measured using surface electromyography. The muscle activities were converted into %RVC for this study. The data obtained in this study were analyzed with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test using the SPSS Ver. 25.0 statistical program. The significance level ${\alpha}$ was 0.05. Results: The study results showed that the pain and dynamic quadriceps angle were significantly reduced statistically when applying the calcaneus fixation taping (p<0.05). Muscle activity in the lower limbs was significantly decreased in the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and tibialis anterior (p<0.05). Conclusion: The summary of the study results verified that the calcaneus fixation taping reduced the pain and dynamic quadriceps angle by providing stability in the ankle joints. It also produced efficient movement due to the difference in lower-limb muscle activity.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.11-26
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• 2001

In rehabilitation programs involving muscle re-education and endurance exercise, it is necessary to confirm when fatigue occurs. It is also necessary to quantify fatigue, to confirm whether the muscle has been exercised sufficiently. In general, as fatigue occurs, the force-generating ability of the muscle is reduced. If the median frequency (MDF) obtained from electromyogram (EMG) power spectrum is correlated highly with work, then the timing and degree of fatigue may be confirmed. This study examined the relationship between work and MDF obtained from the EMG power spectrum during repetitive isokinetic exercise. Surface EMG signals were collected from biceps brachii and vastus lateralis of 52 normal subjects (26 males, 26 females) at $120^{\circ}/sec$ and $60^{\circ}/sec$ while performing an isokinetic exercise. The exercise was finished at 25% of peak work. MDF data was obtained using a moving fast Fourier transformation (FFT), and random noise was removed using the inverse FFT, then a new MDF data was obtained from the main signal. There was a high correlation between work and MDF during repetitiv isokinetic exercise in the biceps brachii and vastus lateralis of males and the biceps brachii of females (r=.50~.77). However, there was a low correlation between work and MDF in the vastus lateralis of females (r=.06~.19).

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2018

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to confirm changes in the muscle activity of the quadriceps femoris with changes in the ankle and hip joint angles during the transition from sitting to standing. Method : Twenty-five healthy 20-30-year-old women participated in the study. The subjects performed standing-up movements in four positions: standard posture (hip = $90^{\circ}$/ankle = $0^{\circ}$); posture on a decline board (hip > $90^{\circ}$/ankle < $0^{\circ}$), posture on a footboard (hip > $90^{\circ}$/ankle = $0^{\circ}$); and posture on a decline board with a higher chair (hip = $90^{\circ}$/ankle < $0^{\circ}$). Then, the muscle activities of the rectus femoris, vastus medialis and vastus lateralis were measured using surface electromyography. Result : The muscle activities of the rectus femoris, vastus medialis and vastus lateralis in the footboard application were statistically significantly higher than in the application of the decline board with a higher chair. Conclusion : This study confirms that the flexion of the hip joint has a greater effect than the plantar flexion of the ankle joint on the muscle activity of the quadriceps during a sit-to-stand movement.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.1-9
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• 2004

Most exercise for Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) has focused on selectively strengthening the vastus medialis oblique muscle (VMO). Although open chain knee extension exercises are effective for increasing overall quadriceps strength, they are not always indicated for PFPS rehabilitation. This study was designed to identify the effect of combined posture of lower extremity on Electromyographic (EMG) activity of the vastus lateralis muscle (VL) and VMO during static squat exercises. The subjects were twenty young adult males who had not experienced any knee injury and their Q-angle was within a normal range. They were asked to perform static squat exercises in five various postures using their lower extremities. The EMG activity of the VL and VMO were recorded in five exercises by surface electrodes and normalized by %MVC values derived from seated, isometric knee extensions. The normalized EMG activity levels (%MVC) of the VL and VMO for the five postures of the lower extremities were compared using one way ANOVA with repeated measures. Results of repeated measures of ANOVA's revealed that exercise 3 and exercise 5 produced significantly greater EMG activity of VMO/VL ratios than exercise 1 (p<.05). When the static squat exercise was combined with hip adduction and toes pointed outwardly, the EMG activity of VMO/VL rates was increased. The EMG activity of VMO/VL ratio was highest during static squat exercises performed on a decline squat. These results haveimportant implications for progressive and selective VMO muscle strengthening exercises in PFPS patients.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.361-368
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of isometric hip adduction and abduction on the muscle activities of vastus medialis oblique(VMO) and vastus lateralis(VL) during leg squat exercises. This study consisted of 21 healthy subjects who had no medical history of anterior knee pain or lower extremity disorders. The ball and belt were used to isometrically adduct and abduct the hip joint during the leg squat exercise, respectively. The surface electromyograms of VMO and VL were analyzed, and the findings were used to calculate the VMO:VL ratio during 3 different quadriceps-strengthening exercises(leg squat, LS leg squat with isometric hip adduction, LSHD leg squat with isometric hip abduction, LSHB). The muscle activities of VMO and VL and the VMO:VL ratios were compared using the paired t-test with Bonferroni adjustment. The results showed that the muscle activities of VMO and VL during LSHD were greater than those during LSHB. The VMO:VL ratio was the highest during LSHD. This finding suggests that LSHD using a ball is more effective than LS and LSHB in selectively increasing the muscle activities of VMO. Therefore, we suggest that leg squat exercise with isometric hip adduction using a ball would be useful for maintaining correct patella tracking and for selectively strengthening VMO.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.121-129
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• 2020

PURPOSE: This study aimed to propose an exercise technique that helps improve the skeletal muscle function while suppressing the symptoms of respiratory distress, by mediating squat exercises in whole-body vibration for patients with severe COPD, and comparing the post intervention pulmonary function and activity of quadriceps. METHODS: Totally, 21 patients with severe COPD were randomly assigned to two groups through clinical sampling: experimental group I included 11 patients (Squat exercise combined with whole-body vibration exercise), and experimental group II included 10 patients (Only squat exercise). Before intervention, we measured pulmonary function using a pulmonary function tester, muscle activity of quadriceps using surface EMG, and gait ability using the 6MWT. RESULTS: Comparison of intra-group changes in both experimental groups showed a significant increase in the activity of rectus femoris, vastus medialis, and vastus lateralis, and also in the 6MWT. Intra-group comparisons also revealed significant difference in the activity of rectus femoris, vastus medialis, and vastus lateralis (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Squat exercise combined with whole-body vibration significantly increased the activity of the quadriceps muscle, suggesting that this intervention helps maintain the function of skeletal muscles and prevent muscle atrophy. Therefore, studies to develop protocols using whole body vibration in clinical practice as an exercise method can safely be performed in severe COPD patients, as considered necessary.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.65-72
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of knee exercises on the onset times of vastus medialis oblique muscle (VMO) and vastus lateralis muscle (VL) and in healthy subjects. Fifteen subjects (7 men, 8 women) in a mean age of 26.4 years participated in the study. Electromyographic (EMG) signals were recorded from the VMO and VL under four exercises. Knee exercises consisted of open kinematic terminal knee extension, straight leg raising, isometric hip adduction exercise, and closed kinematic terminal knee extension. No significant differences were found in the onset times of EMG activities of VMO and VL in the four exercises. There were also no significant differences among the exercises. These results coincided with previous studies that found no difference between onset of VMO and VL. However, it is difficult to say that there is no difference between onset of VMO and VL in healthy subjects. To confirm this results, further researches that follow same on set determination metod and exercises are needed. Not only is the study of onset time of muscle needed, but also the studies of the amount of activation and the rate of increase of muscle activation are needed.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.141-149
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• 2003

Median frequency can be regarded as a valid indicator of local muscle fatigue. As local muscle fatigue develops, the muscle fiber conduction velocity decreases, the fast twitch fibers are recruited less, and consequently the median frequency shifts toward the lower frequency area. The aim of this study was to test the characteristics of the median frequency according to exercise load (30% and 60% of MVC on the biceps brachii, 40% and 80% of MVC on the vastus lateralis) during the fatiguing isometric exercise. Thirteen healthy male volunteer students of Yonsei University were recruited. After the testing maximal voluntary isometric contraction, three variables (initial median frequency, regression slope, fatigue index) from the regression line of MDF data were measured in each exercise load. The results showed that the regression slope and fatigue index were significantly different for the biceps brachii, but not for the vastus lateralis initial MDF was not significant difference according to the exercise load on both muscles. The regression slope and fatigue index could monitor physiologic muscle change during fatiguing isometric exercise. The results showed that two MDF variables reflect the local muscle fatigue according to the exercise load.