• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.246-254
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• 2013

This study is purposed to verify the safety of the floor of the children's playground using polyolefin foam waste and rubber paving. The critical fall height, walking suitability, long term physical fatigue expectation and slipperiness were tested. Polyolefin foam wastes in thickness of 30mm, 50mm and 70mm were prepared with paving the rubber paving materials in 12mm and 15mm thickness respectively. The test on the critical fall height was carried out according to KS G 5758:2009. The floor hardness test equipment (O-Y HMA) was used for the test on hardness of the floor from a viewpoint of walking suitability and fatigue. A portable slipperiness tester (ONO PPSM) was used for slipperiness test. It was revealed from the test that the floor made of the polyolefin foam waste and rubber paving were considerably safe from a viewpoint of impact absorption. With regards to the hardness of the floor, it was shown the excellent performance in the aspects of walking and fatigue for male. But it was not suitable with walking on the shoes(middle heels) for female. And they will be very fatigue if they were in a long time walking or standing. As far as the slipperiness is concerned, it was shown that it was comparatively safe for the ordinary motions even though the surface was wet.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.238-243
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• 2013

This paper analyzes a virtual work of the knee and hip joints of bipedal walking robots. For the purpose, we consider a model of bipedal leg mechanism with a compliant foot and a typical walking pattern. We also check the torque characteristics at the joint space propagated from the space of the foot contacting a flat and stiff surface, and present the works accumulated at the joint space. As a result, it is shown that this analysis is useful for evaluating the fatigue of the leg mechanism by the physical walking contact between the foot and the surface, and it is applicable for improving the compliant characteristics at the foot space by employing a proper footgear.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.347-352
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• 2012

This paper presents a robotic foot mechanism based on truss structure for walking robots and analyzes its effectiveness for compliant walking. The specified foot mechanism has been modeled by observing the structure and behavior of human foot. The frame of bone used in the human foot is considered as a truss, and the ligaments of the human foot are represented as a simple stiffness element. So such a robotic foot has an advantage to moderate the impact of foot when a walking robot takes a step. As a result, it is practically expected that the proposed robotic foot mechanism can contribute to reduce the physical fatigue of walking robots.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.115-120
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• 2015

Objective: To examine the effects of different shoe weights on lower leg muscle fatigue when walking by electromyographic (EMG) analysis due to the most effective weight for loading not being established. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Thirty healthy university students (15 male, 15 female) were enrolled and randomly assigned into three conditions, which included wearing athletic shoes with an addition of 300 g, 500 g, and 1,000 g weights respectively. Prior to walking, all subjects were instructed to sit in a chair for 10 minutes. All subjects walked at a speed of 3.6 m/s on a treadmill for 20 minutes without rest. EMG measurements were taken using the median power frequency to assess for the effect of the different weight of shoes on muscle fatigue of the soleus, gastrocnemius, and tibialis anterior while walking on a treadmill in an upright posture. EMG measurements were taken during the first and last 30 seconds of walking. Results: In terms of muscle fatigue, for the soleus, the median power frequency was significantly lower with 1,000 g compared with 300 g and 500 g (p<0.05). For the tibialis anterior, the median power frequency was significantly lower with 1,000 g than 300 g and 500 g (p<0.05). For the gastrocnemius, the median power frequency was significantly lower with 1,000 g compared with 300 g (p<0.05). Conclusions: Increased shoe weight increases soleus, gastrocnemius, and tibialis anterior muscle fatigue during ambulation.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.167-174
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• 1994

In this paper, a DSP and microcomputer-based EMG controlled functional electrical stimulation (FES) system, for restoring walking of paraplegics at the patients' own command, is presented. The above-lesion EMG is a time-varying nonstationary signal and its autoregressive (AR) parameters are identified by the nonstationary identification algorithm using a DSP chip. The identified AR parameters are used for the cloassification of the function and the control of the movement. The below-lesion response-EMG signal is used as a measure of muscle fatigue. This FES system is designed to measure muscle fatigue and control the stimulation intensity according to the amplitude of the response-EMG signal. While the automatic electrical intensity control is obtained by identifying the movement, the proposed FES system is suitable for the automatic control of paraplegic walking.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.2203-2211
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• 2020

Background: Backpacks are one of the most widely used accessories in modern society. However, previous studies have shown that carrying a backpack can cause various musculoskeletal problems. Objectives: To investigate the effects of a body-adhesive backpack on craniovertebral angle, sagittal shoulder angle and the muscle fatigue in the upper extremity. Design: Randomized cross-over design. Methods: For this study, 36 healthy university students participated in this study. The experiment was conducted three times using common backpack, and body-adhesive backpack condition. The angles of the cervical spine and shoulder joints of the subjects were calculated without the backpack. Electrodes were placed at upper trapezius, lower trapezius, rectus abdominis and erector spinae to check for muscle fatigue. Subjects carried a backpack and walked on a treadmill for 15 minutes at 4 km/h. The muscle fatigue signal was also measured while walking. After walking, the craniovertebral and sagittal shoulder angles were measured again while subjects carried backpack. Results: As a result of this study, body-adhesive backpack condition showed significant decrease and significant increase in craniovertebral angle and sagittal shoulder angle than common backpack (P<.05). Body-adhesive backpack condition showed significant decrease in upper trapezius, lower trapezius, erector spinae, and rectus abdominis when compared to a common backpack (P<.05). Conclusion: This study suggests that a body-adhesive backpack is more beneficial in correcting body posture than a common backpack.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.108-112
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• 2024

The pronation foot can increase muscle activity, and may result in muscle fatigue and overuse syndromes. This paper aims to examine the relationships between muscle fatigue indices and pronation angles (PRA) larger than 20° for pronated foot subjects. Twelve subjects in the 15-61 age range were participated, and EMG of their biceps femoris were measured during treadmill walking at 4.5 km/h for 30 seconds. Slopes of the median frequency and the magnitude in the low frequency band were estimated respectively as muscle fatigue indices (MFIs). We hypothesized that the relationships between MFIs and PRA for the subjects in this paper be similar to those for normal ones. The test results demonstrated that we could obtain the significant correlation coefficients between MFIs and PRA (r>0.60; p<0.05).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.127-133
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• 2019

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to obtain detailed and quantified data concerning the effects of plantarflexor fatigue induced to the non-paretic side on muscle activities of the bilateral lower extremities during walking in chronic stroke patients. METHODS: In this study, chronic stroke patients were evaluated for six months after the onset of stroke. To induce the non-paretic plantarflexor fatigue, 20 chronic stroke patients were asked to perform their given fatigue affecting assignments, which were presented in a forced contraction fatigue test method, until the range of motion of the plantarflexor was reduced to less than 50%. The muscle activities of the rectus femoris, tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius in the paretic and non-paretic lower extremities were measured using a wireless surface EMG before and after muscle fatigue induction. RESULTS: The findings showed that after plantarflexor fatigue was induced on the non-paretic side, a significant decrease in muscle activities of the rectus femoris on the paretic side was noted (p<.05). The muscle activities of the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius were also observed to decrease, but, these results were not statistically significant (p>.05). In the non-paretic side, there was a significantly decrease in the muscle activities of the rectus femoris, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius (p<.05). CONCLUSION: These finding suggest that the muscle fatigue of the non-paretic plantarflexor affects not only the muscle activity of the ipsilateral lower extremity but also the muscles activity of the contralateral lower extremity. This highlights the necessity of performing exercise or training programs that do not cause muscle fatigue in clinical aspects.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.239-245
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to compare the electromyography signal's power spectrum mean and median tendencies appearing in the lower extremity during walking while wearing roller shoes. 9 male subjects volunteered who have no experience riding inline-skate or roller-skate, and have no record of musculoskeletal disorder. Subjects walked on treadmill twice for an hour (Once a week, one trial with the roller on and the other without roller, Walking velocity = 1.39 m/s). Electromyography was measured every 15 minute (0, 15, 30, 45, 60 minutes). Surface electrode sticked muscle at rectus femoris(R.F.), vastus lateralis(V.L.), vastus medialis(V.M.), biceps femoris(B.F.), tibialis anterior(T.A.), gastrocnemius lateralis(G.L.), gastrocnemius medialis(G.M.). At Rectus femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Vastus medialis, and Biceps femoris showed no statistically significant decrease of median frequency or mean edge frequency as time passes. Also, between two treatments (wearing the roller shoes vs not wearing the roller shoes), no statistically significant difference. After 60 minutes, mean edge frequency showed statistically significant decrease at tibalis anterior and after 45 minutes, mean edge frequency showed statistically significant decrease compared to wearing roller shoes without the wheels at gastrocnemius lateralis. At gastrocnemius medialis after 30 minutes, median frequency showed statistically significant decrease, and showed statistically significant difference compared to the control group. Wearing the roller shoes with wheels for a long time resulted in statistically significant decrease of mean edge frequency and median frequency in lower extremity, especially in shank muscles. Increase of wearing time of roller shoes and walking on a bumpy road wearing roller shoes with wheels result fatigue and thus, danger of injury.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.562-565
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• 2013

The fact that flip-flops, one of many different types of unstable shoes, are light and relatively easy to put on, accounts for their popularity among people. But because flip-flops rely heavily on the support of a single thong between your first and second toes, they impose a huge amount of pressure onto lower leg. Thus in the following experiment we tried to examine the different effects of flip-flops and running shoes in terms of their effect on muscle activity and fatigue of tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius during walking. In order to measure an electromyogram we used Free EMG system. 10 men and 10 women in running shoes ran on treadmills for 15 minutes at 4.8km/h, 2 days later the same experiment was carried out, but this time, in flip-flops. p value turned out to be greater than .05 and thus there was no considerable difference between the effects of flip-flops and running shoes on muscle activity and fatigue during walking. Therefore we conclude that despite the fact that flip-flops are considered unstable, their effects on muscle activity and fatigue of tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius are negligible.