• International Journal of Costume and Fashion
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.35-48
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• 2009

Therapeutic garments are an undeveloped area and yet they have the potential to generate considerable profit for the fashion industry. In traditional Chinese medicine, there are spots and pathways on the body through which energy flows and practitioners consider that disease results when this energy flow is hindered. Clothes which stimulate the spots can therefore potentially help to cure disease. In addition, clothes are worn every day and can therefore offer prolonged treatment certainly in comparison with other treatments. Obesity is a big problem nowadays and one which is caused by poor energy circulation (according to TCM). A garment which stimulates the spots can assist energy flow and therefore cause the wearer to lose weight. In the process, it can also alleviate side effects of obesity such as diabetes and high blood pressure. The was to stimulate spots include acupuncture, acupressure, moxibustion etc. There are lots of products to press spots which improve energy flow both in the Western and Chinese markets. The basic principle of circulation is in fact the same in both Western and Chinese medicine. However, most of these are products are footwear ones because they can easily provide the necessary stimulation to reduce tiredness and improve circulation. For garments, to press the spots effectively it is best to use tight clothes such as corsets and leggings. The important point is to tighten the body and to make energy flow and yet feel comfortable at the same time. Choice of fabric is therefore an important issue. Although the idea has been introduced, it will be necessary to develop a technique which will allow the necessary amount of pressure to be applied. It could be concluded that this area has a lot of possibility for the future but further research will need to be done before the idea becomes workable.

• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.157-165
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• 2007

The Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) can be occurred by various factors such as repetition, forceful exertions and awkward postures. Especially, occurrences of the WMSDs on the waist and lower limb are reported in workplaces, demanded standing postures for a long time, in service and manufacturing industry. The static and standing postures without movement for a long time increase work loads to the lower limb and the waist. Accordingly, anti-fatigue mat or anti-fatigue insole is used as a preventing device of the WMSDs. However anti-fatigue mats are limited in space and movement. In this study, multi-elastic insoles are designed and shown the effects of the workload reduction for a long time under the standing work. The foot pressures and EMG (Electromyography) are measured at 0 hour and after 2 hours by 6 health students in their twenties. The 6 prototype insoles are designed with three elastic (Low, Medium and High). These insoles are compared with no insole (insole type 7) as control group. The EMG measurement was conducted to waist (erector spinae muscle), thigh (vastus lateralis muscle) and calf (gastrocnemius muscle). The foot pressure is analyzed by mean pressure value and the EMG analysis is investigated through MF (Median Frequency), MPF (Mean Power Frequency) and ZCR (Zero Crossing Rate). The results of the foot pressure show that the multi-elastic insoles had smaller foot pressure value than that of no-insole. Moreover, Insole 2 and Insole 3 have the smallest increasing rate in foot pressure. The EMG results show that the multi-elastic insoles had smaller EMG shift value than that of no-insole in 2 hour, and then shift value shows the smallest value in Insole 2. Therefore, this study presents that the multi-elastic insoles have reducing effects of the work load for a long time standing work in both side of foot pressure and EMG.