• International Journal of Control, Automation, and Systems
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.325-332
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• 2006

The dynamic responses of human standing postural control were investigated when subjects were exposed to long-term horizontal vibration. It was hypothesized that the motion of standing posture complexity mainly occurs in the mid-sagittal plane. The motor-driven support platform was designed as a source of vibration. The AC Servo-controlled motors produced anterior/posterior (AP) motion. The platform acceleration and the trunk angular velocity were used as the input and the output of the system, respectively. A method was proposed to identify the complexity of the standing posture dynamics. That is, during AP platform motion, the subject's knee, hip and neck were tightly constrained by fixing assembly, so the lower extremity, trunk and head of the subject's body were individually immovable. Through this method, it was assumed that the ankle joint rotation mainly contributed to maintaining their body balance. Four subjects took part in this study. During the experiment, the random vibration was generated at a magnitude of $0.44m/s^2$, and the duration of each trial was 40 seconds. Measured data were estimated by the coherence function and the frequency response function for analyzing the dynamic behavior of standing control over a frequency range from 0.2 to 3 Hz. Significant coherence values were found above 0.5 Hz. The estimation of frequency response function revealed the dominant resonance frequencies between 0.60 Hz and 0.68 Hz. On the basis of our results illustrated here, the linear model of standing postural control was further concluded.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.77-85
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• 2021

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the changes in muscle strength and walking ability in patients who complained of knee instability due to excessive pronation of the foot. METHODS: Twenty patients (ten men and ten women) who complained of instability of the knee joint due to excessive pronation of the foot participated in the experiment. In the experimental group, the internal rotation of the tibia caused by excessive adduction of the foot was maintained as external rotation, and the joint state was to recognize the movement of the joint position changed through maintenance of the muscle. This exercise was performed five times for each patient, and the muscle strength maintenance was performed for 20 seconds. In the control group, stretching and range of motion (ROM) exercises were performed. For the stretching exercise, one specific motion was performed for 20 second, and the ROM exercise was performed to confirm the change in muscle strength in the knee joint area and walking ability. RESULTS: The knee flexion and extension strength in the patients with excessive pronation of the foot differed significantly from those in the subjects from the control group (p<.05). Further, the before-after comparison of the step time and length in the evaluation of walking ability, which affects overall postural movement due to knee joint instability, revealed a significant difference between the experimental and control groups (p<.05). CONCLUSION: The patients that were subjected to manual therapy and ROM exercise for the knee joint showed improved knee joint muscle strength and walking ability compared to the subjects from the control group.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.321-326
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• 2019

Background: Performing cognitive tasks and muscular fatigue have been shown to increase muscle activity of the lower extremity during quiet standing. A common intervention to reduce muscular fatigue is to provide a softer shoe-surface interface. However, little is known regarding how muscle activity is affected by softer shoe-surface interfaces during static standing. The purpose of this study was to assess lower extremity muscular activity during erect standing on three different standing surfaces, before and after an acute workload and during cognitive tasks. Methods: Surface electromyography was collected on ankle dorsiflexors and plantarflexors, and knee flexors and extensors of fifteen male participants. Dependent electromyography variables of mean, peak, root mean square, and cocontraction index were calculated and analyzed with a $2{\times}2{\times}3$ within-subject repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: Pre-workload muscle activity did not differ between surfaces and cognitive task conditions. However, greater muscle activity during post-workload balance assessment was found, specifically during the cognitive task. Cognitive task errors did not differ between surface and workload. Conclusions: The cognitive task after workload increased lower extremity muscular activity compared to quite standing, irrespective of the surface condition, suggesting an increased demand was placed on the postural control system as the result of both fatigue and cognitive task.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2021

A weak or dysfunctional gluteus medius (Gmed) is related to several pathologies, and individuals with hip abductor weakness have Gmed weakness. This study aimed to systematically review the literature associated with the anatomy and function of the Gmed, and the prevalence, pathology, and exercise of Gmed weakness. Papers published between 2010 and 2020 were retrieved from MEDLINE, Google Academic Search, and Research Information Sharing Service. The database search used the following terms: (glut* OR medius OR hip abduct*) AND weak*. The Gmed plays an important role in several functional activities as a primary hip abductor by providing pelvic stabilization and controlling hip adduction and internal rotation. Weakness of the Gmed is associated with many disorders including balance deficit, gait and running disorders, femoroacetabular impingement, snapping hip, gluteal tendinopathy, patellofemoral pain syndrome, osteoarthritis, iliotibial band syndrome, anterior cruciate ligament injury, ankle joint injuries, low back pain, stroke, and nocturia. Overuse of the tensor fasciae latae (TFL) as a hip abductor due to Gmed weakness can also cause several pathologies such as pain in the lower back and hip and degenerative hip joint pathology, which are associated with dominant TFL. Similarly, lateral instability and impaired movements such as lumbar spine lateral flexion or lateral tilt of the pelvis can occur due to compensatory activation of the quadratus lumborum for a weakened Gmed while exercising. Therefore, the related activation of synergistic muscles or compensatory movement should be considered when prescribing Gmed strengthening exercises.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.1-9
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• 2022

Purpose : The purpose of this research is to propose a more efficient exercising method by measuring and comparing the movement of center of pressure (COP) while hemiplegic stroke patients perform kneeling squat exercise and squat exercise. Methods : 17 hemiplegic stroke patients were instructed to perform kneeling squat exercises and squat exercises, and the research was designed as a cross-over study. For data collection, a pressure distribution measurement platform (PDM) was used to measure the movement area, length, speed, and distance from the center of the X-axis of center of pressure. The data was then analyzed through a paired t-test. Results : Kneeling squat exercises have been found to have a significantly smaller center of pressure movement area compared to that of squat exercise(p<.001), and the center of pressure movement length of kneeing squat exercise has also been found to be relatively shorter (p<.001). Moreover, kneeling squat exercises have been found to have a significantly slower center of pressure movement speed than squat exercise (p<.001), and kneeing squat exercise center of pressure movement distance from the center of the X-axis has been found to be significantly small (p<.001). Conclusion : Kneeling squat exercises have significantly decreased amounts of center of pressure movement area, distance, and speed compared to squat exercises. Also, the center of pressure movement distance from the center of the X-axis was relatively closer. This result seems to derive from patients performing their motions with wide base surfaces while being refrained from using unstable ankle joints during kneeing squat exercise. Therefore, it can be concluded that kneeing squat exercises show relatively balanced center of pressure movements between the paralyzed and non-paralyzed sides because kneeling squats show smaller shakes in the center of pressure.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.34-43
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• 2020

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to assess changes in blood glucose level, blood pressure, and arterial stiffness after a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in elderly women aged over 65 years with hypertension and either normal glycemic control, impaired fasting glucose tolerance, or diabetes mellitus. We also wished to investigate the relationship between stages of diabetes and physical fitness. [Methods] A total of 24 elderly women with hypertension were assigned to a control group (CON; n=7), impaired fasting glucose group (IFG; n=9), and diabetes mellitus group (DM; n=8). In each group, blood glucose level, brachial ankle pulse wave velocity (PWV), and blood pressure were measured at baseline as well as 60 and 120 minutes after a 75 g OGTT. Physical fitness factors such as hand grip strength, balance test, 4 m gait speed test, chair stand test, short physical performance battery, and 6-minute walking test were subsequently assessed. [Results] In all three groups, blood glucose levels were significantly increased at 60 and 120 minutes after a 75 g OGTT. In the DM group, blood glucose levels were significantly higher before and after a 75 g OGTT than in the CON group. In the CON group, PWV was significantly increased at 60 minutes after a 75 g OGTT; however, there were no changes in other groups after glucose ingestion. In the CON group, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly decreased at 60 and 120 minutes after a 75 g OGTT compared to baseline. However, there was no change in blood pressure after ingestion in the DM group. The IFG group had greater grip strength than the CON group; however, there were no differences in other variables between the groups. [Conclusion] After a 75 g OGTT, elderly women with hypertension and diabetes maintain higher blood glucose levels compared to those with hypertension alone. Unlike elderly women with hypertension alone, those with hypertension and diabetes did not show changes in arterial stiffness and blood pressure after a 75 g OGTT. Therefore, elderly women with hypertension and diabetes may not be able to control their blood vessels following a 75 g OGTT due to impaired vascular endothelial function. Moreover, there was no association between diabetes stage and physical fitness in elderly women with hypertension.