• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2023

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of different frequency on of knee extensors muscle function during electrical muscle stimulation (EMS). Method: In this research, 40 subjects who have no musculoskeletal disorder, and less than a year workout experience were recruited in order to analyze effects of EMS with different stimulus frequency. Forty subjects were randomly divided into four groups of ten subjects in each group. A EMS training program with different frequencies (without EMS [WE], EMS with frequency 30 Hz [E30], EMS with frequency 60 Hz [E60], EMS with frequency 90 Hz [E90]) was assigned to each group. Throughout eight weeks of training, test subjects were simultaneously carried out knee extension exercises such as squat, leg extension, and leg-press while using EMS with different frequency (20 min, pulse width 250 ㎲, on-off ratio 1:1). Isokinetic knee extension strength, muscle activity of the rectus femoris (RF), the vastus medialis (VM), and the vastus lateralis (VL), and the median frequency of the RF, the VM, and the VL were collected and compared between pre and post training in order to find effects of applying EMS with different frequencies. For each dependent variable, a one-way ANOVA was to determine whether there were significant differences among four different conditions (p<.05). When a significant difference was found, post hoc analyses were performed using the contrast procedure. Results: When compared to WE and E90, E30 causes significant increase in isokinetic knee extension strength. No significant differences were found in EMG values across different EMS conditions. However, the median frequency of the VM in E30 was significantly increased than the corresponding value for WE. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that EMS training with 30 Hz frequency had positive effect on knee extensor. Based of the findings of the present study, EMS training with lower frequency may help the performer to focus on developing strength in knee extensor muscles.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.49-57
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• 2023

Background: This study aims to investigate the effect of lower limb strengthening training combined with electro muscle stimulation on the quadriceps femoris muscle activity of soccer players. Methods: Thirty university soccer players were selected as study subjects and divided into a lower limb strengthening training group combined with EMS (Group I) and a general lower limb strengthening training group (Group II), and 15 subjects were randomly assigned. After receiving general soccer training, subjects in this study additionally mediated lower limb strengthening training combined with EMS and general lower limb strengthening training for 26 minutes, 3 times a week for 8 weeks. Quadriceps femoris muscle activity was analyzed before mediation. Vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and rectus femoris were measured with maximum isometric contraction in the manual muscle test position in order to analyze leg muscle activity. The same items as above were re-measured and a between-group analysis was conducted after 8 weeks of mediation. Results: As a result of comparative analysis of lower extremity muscle activity between groups, the lower limb strengthening training group combined with EMS showed a statistically significant difference in lower extremity muscle activity compared to the general lower limb strengthening training group. Conclusion: As a result, it was found that lower limb strengthening training combined with EMS was more effective in improving quadriceps femoris muscle activity. Based on this study, we are going to provide basic data on the possibility of using EMS in the field of sports rehabilitation for soccer players.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.336-345
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• 2023

The present study was designed to evaluate changes in neuromuscular properties and the structural and qualitative characteristics of muscles during submaximal isometric contractions at low-to-relatively vigorous target forces and to determine their influence on force steadiness (FS). Thirteen young adult males performed submaximal isometric knee extensions at 10, 20, 50, and 70% of their maximal voluntary isometric contraction using their non-dominant legs. During submaximal contractions, we recorded force, EMG signals from vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), and rectus femoris (RF), and ultrasound images from the distal RF (dRF). Force and EMG standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV) values were used to measure FS and EMG steadiness, respectively. Muscle thickness (MT), pennation angle (PA), echo intensity (EI), and texture features were calculated from ultrasound images to assess the structural and qualitative characteristics of the muscle. FS, neuromuscular properties, and texture features showed significant differences across different force levels. Additionally, there were significant differences in EMG_CV among the quadriceps at the 50% and 70% force levels. The results of correlation analysis revealed that FS had a significant relationship with EMG_CV in VM, VL, and RF, as well as with the texture features of dRF. This study's findings demonstrate that EMG steadiness and texture features are influenced by the magnitude of the target force and are closely related to FS, indicating their potential contribution to force output control.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2024

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the lower extremity muscle activity and knee joint load according to movement speed conditions during the barbell back squat. Method: Nine males with resistance training experience participated in this study. Participants performed the barbell back squat in three conditions (Standard, Fast, and Slow) differing movement speed. During the barbell back squat, muscle activity of the rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL), vastus medialis (VM), biceps femoris long head (BFL), semitendinosus (ST), gluteus maximus (GM), gastrocnemius (GCN), and tibialis anterior (TA) was collected using an 8 channel wireless EMG system. The peak flexion angle of the lower extremity joints and the peak resultant joint force in each direction of the knee joint were calculated using eight motion capture cameras and ground reaction force plates. This study was to used the Friedman test and the Wilcoxon signed rank test, to compare lower extremity muscle activity and peak resultant joint force at knee joint according to movement speed conditions during the barbell back squat, and the statistical significance level was set at .01. Results: In the downward phase of the barbell back squat, the RF and TA showed the higher muscle activity in the fast condition, and in the upward phase, RF, VL, VM, BFL, ST, GM, and TA showed the higher muscle activity in the fast condition. As a results, analyzing of the load on the knee joint, in the downward phase, and in the upward phase, the higher peak compressive force of the knee joint was showed in the fast condition. Conclusion: The barbell back squat with fast movement speed was more effective due to increased muscle activity of lower extremity, but one must be careful of knee joint injuries because the load on the knee joint may increase during the barbell back squat with fast movement speed.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.103-111
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• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect for running shoes with resilience of midsole on biomechanical properties. Methods : 10 healthy males who had no history of injury in the lower extremity with an average age of 26.5 year(SD=1.84), height of 172.22 cm(SD=4.44) and weight of 67.51 kg(SD=6.17) participated in this study. All subjects ran on the treadmill wearing three different running shoes. Foot pressure data was collected using Pedar-X system(Novel Gmbh, Germany) operating at 100 Hz. Surface EMG signals for biceps femoris, rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, medial lateralis, tibialis anterior, medial gastrocnemius, soleus and peroneus longus were acquired at 1000 Hz using Bignoli 8 System(Delsys Inc., USA). To normalize the difference of the magnitude of muscle contractions, it was expressed as a percentage relative to the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). The impact resilience of the midsole data was collected using Fastcam SA5 system(Photron Inc., USA). Collected data was analyzed using One-way ANOVA in order to investigate the effects of each running shoes. Results : TPU midsole was significantly wider in contact area than EVA, TPE midsole in midfoot and higher in EMG activity than EVA midsole at biceps femoris. TPE midsole was significantly wider in contact area than EVA midsole in rearfoot and higher in peak pressure than EVA midsole in forefoot. EVA midsole was significantly higher in EMG activity than TPU midsole at tibia anterior. In medial resilience of midsoles, TPE midsole was significantly higher than EVA, TPU midsole. Conclusion : TPU midsole can reduce the load on the midfoot effectively and activate tibialis anterior, biceps femoris to give help to running.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.484-489
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• 2004

Artificial joint replacement is one of the major surgical advances of the 21th century. The primary purpose of a TKA (Total Knee Arthroplasty) is to restore normal knee Auction. Therefore, ideally, a TKA should: (a) maintain the natural leverage of the knee joint muscles to ensure generating adequate knee muscle moments to accomplish daily tasks such as rising from a chair or climbing stairs;(b) allow the same range of motion as an complete knee; and (c) provide adequate knee joint stability. Four individuals (2 peoples after surgery one year and 2 peoples after surgery three years) participated in this study. All they were prescreened for health and functional status by the same surgeon who performed the operations. Two days of accommodation practice occurred prior to the actual strength testing. The isometric strength (KIN-COM III) of the quadriceps and hamstring were measured at 60$^\circ$ and 30$^\circ$ of knee flexion, respectively. During isokinetic concentric testing, the range of motion was between 10$^\circ$ to 80$^\circ$ of knee flexion (stand-to-sit) and extension (sit-to-stand). for a given test, the trial exhibiting maximum torque was analyzed. A 16-channel MYOPACTM EMG system (Run Technologies, Inc.) was used to collect the differential input surface electromyographic (EMG) signals of the vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis(VL), rectus femoris (RF) during sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit tests. Disposable electrodes (Blue SensorTM, Medicotest, Inc.) were used to collect the EMG signals. The results were as follows; 1. Less maximum concentric (16% and 21% less for 1 yew man and 3 years mm, respectively) and isometric (12% and 29%, respectively) quadriceps torque for both participants. 2.14% less maximum hamstrings concentric torque for 1 year man but 16% greater torque for 3 years mm. However, 1 year man had similar hamstring isometric peak torque for both knees. 3. Less quadriceps co-contraction by 1 year man except for the VM at 10$^\circ$-20$^\circ$ and 30$^\circ$-50$^\circ$ range of knee flexion.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.107-112
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• 2015

PURPOSE: This study investigated the effects of lower limb and trunk muscles activation on seat angle and height during sit to stand and stand to sit. METHODS: Subjects were instructed to sit and stand on different angles and heights; $0^{\circ}$(43cm), $5^{\circ}$(48cm), $10^{\circ}$(51cm) and $15^{\circ}$(58cm). Measurements were conducted from sit to stand and stand to sit for external oblique, transversus abdominis, rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscle activation by surface EMG. The muscle activation was measured three times for five seconds in each posture, and the %RVC value was calculated after the exclusion of one second before and after this measurement. This calculation standardized the data from each participant so it could be comparatively analyzed. RESULTS: The external oblique, tibialis anterior, and erector spinae muscles showed significant difference in $10^{\circ}$(51cm), $15^{\circ}$(58cm) and $0^{\circ}$(43cm), rectus femoris, in $15^{\circ}$(58cm) and $0^{\circ}$(43cm)(p<.05) during sit to stand. The external oblique, tibialis anterior, and rectus femoris muscles showed significant difference in $0^{\circ}$(43cm) and $15^{\circ}$(58cm), erector spinae and vastus medialis muscles showed significant difference in $10^{\circ}$(51cm), $15^{\circ}$(58cm) and $0^{\circ}$(43cm)(P<.05) during stand to sit. CONCLUSION: The present study findings indicate that the toilet seat angle and height could affect muscle activities of the lower limb and trunk.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.308-315
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• 2014

The aims of this study are to analysis about surface muscle activity of lower and upper musculus erector spinae according to walkers form. The subjects of the current step is inconvenient to use a walker and five people over the age of 65 valid samples were selected as final. All the subjects were measured in three forms. Wireless EMG muscle activity is a measure of surface measurements were measured using a system, both musculus vastus lateralis, outside the erector spinae muscle, musculus biceps femoris, gastrocnemius muscle was attached to the channel electrodes. According to the results, First, gastrocnemius muscle activity showed significant differences by type of gait. Second, the muscle activity of the erector spinae muscle walking showed significant differences by type, side grip type showed the lowest muscle activity. Consequently, the present study is the efficient use of the four-wheel walker will provide the baseline data.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.357-363
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• 2011

Objective: The aim of this study is to set the design direction of the lift chair's tilting seat for development. Background: Great attention has been shown to the development of senior friendly product, because of increasing elderly population rapidly in Korea. Therefore, we need to study on sit-to-stand(STS) motion of elderly systematically for developing lift chair that is one of senior friendly products. Method: In this study, we analyzed joint moment(knee, hip) and muscle activity (Erector spinae, Rectus femoris, Vastus lateralis) on STS motion of elderly(female, 60~70: 7) and young people(female, 20~30: 7) using 3 dimension motion capture camera, force plate, wireless EMG. Results: The results of muscle activity showed a similar trend but the results of joint moment were a lot of differences between the young and the elderly. Conclusion: The results of knee joint moment suggest the angle(10~30deg)-adjustable seat that can be better than to find the optimal seat's angle. Application: The method and results of this study are expected to develop senior friendly product and verification as well as be available to various application.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.55-62
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• 2014

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to determine the effects of virtual reality training on muscle activation in the elderly. METHODS: The subjects were 32 healthy elderly people aged between 65 and 80, who were divided into the VR(virtual reality) training group(n=17) and the control group(n=15). The Virtual reality training group engaged in a 30-minute exercise session using Wii Fit three times a week for eight weeks. Virtual reality training group used the Ski Slalom, Table tile, Balance bubble programs. low-extremity muscle activation of the two groups were measured before and after the intervention. RESULTS: To investigate the effects of the training on lower-extremity muscle activation, biceps femoris, gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior, vastus lateralis were measured. The results revealed that the activation of gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior significantly increased(p<.05), which indicates virtual reality training is effective in improving the activation of the muscles involved in the movement of the ankle joint. CONCLUSION: Virtual reality training is effective in improving the healthy elderly's activation of the muscles involved in the movement of the ankle joint. Thus, virtual reality training can be proposed as a form of fall prevention exercise for the elderly.