• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1975-1980
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• 2020

Background: It has been argued that changes in muscle activity in the upper trapezius and serratus anterior may or may not cause shoulder joint pain and dysfunction. Objective: To investigate the effects of active vibration exercise on muscle activity regarding scapular stabilization using a flexi-bar. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Methods: A total of 24 subjects were randomly assigned to a flexi-bar group with active vibration and general stick group with non-active vibration. Both groups performed the same four action programs for 6 weeks, three times a week for 30 minutes at a time. The upper trapezius muscle, middle trapezius muscle, lower trapezius muscle and serratus anterior muscle of the dominant side was measured by electromyography before and after the 6 weeks of exercise. The independent t-test and paired t-test were used to analyze data. Results: There was a significant difference between groups in upper trapezius muscle and serratus anterior muscle activity after exercise (P<.05). Also, there was a significant difference in upper trapezius muscle and serratus anterior muscle activity before and after exercise in the flexi-bar group (P<.05). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that active vibration exercise using a flexi-Bar contribute to reduce the activity of the upper trapezius muscle and promote the activity of the serratus anterior muscle.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.140-146
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• 2014

Purpose: Differences in scapular kinematics and muscle activity appear in the forward head and rounded shoulder posture (FHRSP). Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the following effects according to different postures on scapular kinematics and muscle activity around scapular region in individuals with and without FHRSP during overhead reaching task. Methods: Thirty pain-free subjects with/without FHRSP participated in this study. All subjects were positioned into three positions: habitual head posture (HHP), self-perceived ideal head posture (SIHP) and therapist-perceived neutral head posture (TNHP). Muscle activities of upper trapezius (UT), lower trapezius (LT) and serratus anterior (SA) were measured during overhead reaching task. Results: Muscle activity of trapezius muscle (UT and LT) during HHP was significantly higher than SIHP and TNHP in FHRSP group (p<0.05), but there was no difference between SIHP and TNHP. SA also significantly increased muscle activity in HHP more than SIHP and TNHP in FHRSP group (p<0.05), but there was no significant difference between SIHP and TNHP. In Non-FHRSP group, although there was a tendency of different muscle activities among three postures, it was not statistically significant. Conclusion: This result demonstrates that muscle activity associated with overhead reaching task is increased in HHP which affects the scapular kinematics and SIHP contributes changed scapular kinematics and proper recruitment of muscle activity in FHRSP similarly to TNHP.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.194-199
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• 2022

Background: Older adults use different ankle muscle activation patterns during difficult static balance conditions. It has been suggested that this is related to a decline in proprioception with age, resulting in reduced postural balance. However, the association between proprioception and ankle muscle activity during quiet standing has not been directly assessed. Objects: This study aimed to investigate the effects of age and sensory condition on ankle muscle activity and the association between ankle proprioception and ankle muscle activity. Methods: We recruited 10 young women and 9 older women. Ankle proprioception was evaluated using joint position sense (JPS) and force sense (FS) divided by dorsiflexion and plantarflexion. The electromyographic activity of the tibialis anterior (TA) and gastrocnemius (GCM) muscles was collected during quiet standing. Results: Older women activated GCM muscle more than young during quiet standing and when performing difficult tasks. Older women had more errors in JPS dorsiflexion and FS plantarflexion than did young. The GCM muscle activity is related to JPS dorsiflexion and FS plantarflexion. Conclusion: Lower proprioception of the GCM with age leads to increased muscle activity, resulting in reduced postural balance. There was no difference in TA proprioception or muscle activity among older women with frequent physical activity.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.19-33
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• 2000

For the purpose of disclosing the effects of progressive low intensity exercise on the activity of the elderly, questionnaire survey and physical fitness examination were performed on the subjects who were 65 years old or older. The subjects were assigned into two groups using paired matching on gender and age: experimental group (33 persons) and control groups (35 persons). The subjects in experimental group was put on the low intensity exercise program (exercising upper and lower limbs for 12 weeks using dumbbell and lead-packed weight). The results showed that the difference of physical and social behavior scores among activities before and after exercise were significantly higher in all variables of general characteristics, health habits and status, perception, and physical fitness. The findings of this research suggested that the progressive low intensity exercise improves the activities of the elderly, physical activity, self assessed activity, activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, social behavior of the elderly be affected by general characteristics, health habits and status, perception, and physical fitness.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2009

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to find the effect of ankle joint angle on knee extensor electromyographic activity following knee extension exercise. Methods : Ten male university students participated in the study. The subjects performed isometric maximal voluntary knee extensor contractions (MVC) and knee extensor EMG activity measured in with three different ankle joint angle. The EMG activity of rectus femoris(RF), vastus medialis(VM), vastus lateralis(VL) were measured using surface electromyography. Results : EMG activity of vastus lateralis following the change of ankle joint angle was shown statistically significant difference. Conclusion : Ankle plantar flexion position increase EMG activity of vastus lateralis during knee extension exercise.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.14-20
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• 2007

To improve abdominal muscles strengthening, double straight leg lowering (DSLL) has been widely used in physical therapy, fitness program, and athletic program. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the lumbar stabilization maneuver with a pressure biofeedback unit on the muscle activity of rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and internal oblique (IO) during DSLL. Fourteen healthy young men were recruited from university population. The electromyography (EMG) activity was recorded from the RA, EO, and IO of both sides. The normalized EMG activity was compared using a paired t-test. The study showed that EMG activity in the RA, EO, and IO was significantly higher during DSLL with lumbar stabilization (DSLL-LS) compared to performed DSLL (p<.05). These results suggest that DSLL-LS is recommended as an effective method for strengthening exercise for the abdominal muscles.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2015

Purpose: Stress, depending on its intensity and duration, results in either adaptive or maladaptive physiological and psychological changes in humans. Also, it was found that stressful experiences increase the signs of behavioral despair in rodents. On the other hand, exercise and melatonin treatment is believed to have many beneficial effects on health. Thus, this study was designed to evaluate the anti-depressant effects of physical activity and melatonin against chronic stress-induced depression in rats. Methods: Adult male Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats(200-250g, 7 weeks of age) were subjected to depression induced by chronic stress. Chronic depression was induced with forced-swim stress (FSS) and repeated change of light-dark cycle for 4 weeks. In the last 2 weeks, some rats were confined in a cage enriched with a running wheel, seesaw and chewed a ball from 19:00 to 07:00 every day. Melatonin was injected intra-peritoneally (I.P), and the rats received intraperitoneal injections of melatonin (15 mg/kg). The Forced Swim Test (FST) was performed to evaluate the immobility behaviors of rats for a 5 min test. Results: It was found that, the immobility time in FST was significantly (p<.05) lower in physical exercise ($M=58.83{\pm}22.73$) and melatonin ($M=67.33{\pm}37.73$) than in depressive rats ($M=145.93{\pm}63.16$) without physical activity. Also, TPH positive cell in dorsal raphe was significantly (p<.05) higher in exercise ($M=457.38{\pm}103.21$) and melatonin ($M=425.38{\pm}111.56$) than in depressive rats ($M=258.25{\pm}89.13$). Conclusion: This study suggests that physical activity and melatonin produces antidepressant-like effect on stress-induced depression in rats. So, physical exercise and melatonin may be a good intervention in depression patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.171-179
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• 2014

PURPOSE: The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of physical therapy provided at home on the motor function, activity of daily living (ADL), and level of pain in veterans men with disabilities, and to provide the information. METHODS: The participants were 108 patients men with disabilities living in the cities Seoul, Pusan, Daegu, Gwangju and Daejeon; they performed physical therapy at home-provided by physical therapy services- that included therapeutic exercise for 50 minute, 1~2 times a week for 24 weeks. The motor function was measured by using motor assessment scale (MAS) and ADL, the level of pain were recorded both before and after physical therapy. The data form both before and after physical therapy were analyzed by using the paired t-test. All statistical tests in this study were performed with the level of significance set at .05. RESULTS: After 24 weeks of physical therapy, we observed significant improvement in the MAS and ADL scale, as well as significant decrease in the level fo pain in the participants (p<.01). Significant improvement was also observed in the MAS and ADL scale, as well as a decrease in the level of pain among participants with stroke and spinal disease (p<.05). CONCLUSION: The findings of this study show that physical therapy provided at home can lead to an improvement in the motor function as well as improved ADL and pain control; physical therapy also has positive effects in relieving symptoms of veterans with disabilities.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.40-48
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• 2003

This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between alcohol consumption, physical activity and breast cancer risk in Korean women. Newly histologically identified cases (N = 108) were selected at Hanyang and Soonchunhyang University Hospitals in Seoul, from January 1998 to August 1999. Hospital-based controls (n = 121) were the patients who visited at the same hospital in the department of plastic surgery, general surgery and opthalmology. Subjects were asked informations on demographic, reproductive, and history of breast feeding as well as physical activity, exercise habit, alcohol consumption by individual interview. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were calculated by using unconditional logistic regression after adjusted for confounding factors. Among postmenopausal women, the risk of breast cancer increased with increasing alcohol drinking: relative risk for the highest group ( $\geq$ 150 g per week) compared with the lowest group (never drinking) was 2.05 (CI=1.74-3.79). Association of exercise and high physical activity for breast cancer appeared to be limited to women with high physical index among postmenopausal women. We observed decreasing risk of breast cancer with increasing physical activity index among postmenopausal women (OR=0.49,95% CI=0.56-0.92). Results of this study support a protective effects of physical activity during adulthood for breast cancer. (Korean J Nutrition 36(1): 40-48, 2003)

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.101-107
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• 2021

Background: Studies suggest that induced emotional changes can affect the sensory-motor system involved in the practice of muscle activity and movement in physical aspects. Previous studies have shown focused on effects just feedback on muscle activity associated with emotions but rarely have focused induced emotional change on gross motor function such as muscle activity. Objects: The purpose of this study was to compare biceps activity and emotion that before and after viewing a video was induced positive or negative emotion. Methods: The study enrolled 34 healthy male and female who scored at normal points on the Center for Epidermiological Studies-Depression Scale. The study measured over two weeks, showing subjects pleasant and sad videos one by one in a week. We performed to measure the biceps brachii activity which is maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) and the visual analog mood scale (VAMS) scores before and after one week. The significance level was set to α = 0.05. Results: There was no significant difference in muscle activity of the biceps brachii before and after each video was viewed (p > 0.05). However, the visual analogue mood scale showed an increase in VAMS after viewing each video (p < 0.05). Conclusion: We figured out induced emotional changes are cause actual emotional changes but there are no differences in muscle activity. In this research, watching the video with a short time looks like insufficient to change muscle activity. Nevertheless, there might be different when we check various muscles with sufficient time for viewing the video. Further study is needed to measure a variety of muscles with more time for viewing the video.