• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.573-582
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• 2023

Muscle atrophy is characterized by the loss of muscle function. Many efforts are being made to prevent muscle atrophy, and exercise is an important alternative. Methylglyoxal is a well-known causative agent of metabolic diseases and diabetic complications. This study aimed to evaluate whether methylglyoxal induces muscle atrophy and to evaluate the ameliorative effect of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise in a methylglyoxal-induced muscle atrophy animal model. Each mouse was randomly divided into three groups: control, methylglyoxal-treated, and methylglyoxal-treated within aerobic exercise. In the exercise group, each mouse was trained on a treadmill for 2 weeks. On the last day, all groups were evaluated for several atrophic behaviors and skeletal muscles, including the soleus, plantaris, gastrocnemius, and extensor digitorum longus were analyzed. In the exercise group, muscle mass was restored, causing in attenuation of muscle atrophy. The gastrocnemius and extensor digitorum longus muscles showed improved fiber cross-sectional area and reduced myofibrils. Further, they produced regulated atrophy-related proteins (i.e., muscle atrophy F-box, muscle RING-finger protein-1, and myosin heavy chain), indicating that aerobic exercise stimulated their muscle sensitivity to reverse skeletal muscle atrophy. In conclusion, shortness of the gastrocnemius caused by methylglyoxal may induce the dynamic imbalance of skeletal muscle atrophy, thus methylglyoxal may be a key target for treating skeletal muscle atrophy. To this end, aerobic exercise may be a powerful tool for regulating methylglyoxal-induced skeletal muscle atrophy.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.300-309
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• 2023

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of gastrocnemius neuromuscular electrical stimulation training on ankle mobility and gait in patients with stroke. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Methods: 31 patients with stroke were selected and classified into an experimental group (n=16) and a control group (n=15). Both groups were assessed for ankle mobility using the Knee to Wall Test and gait parameters using G-walk before and after the intervention. The intervention was applied five times a week for four weeks. The experimental group performed gastrocnemius neuromuscular electrical stimulation followed by ankle control exercises, while the control group only applied NMES to the tibialis anterior muscle of the paretic side for 30 min per session five times a week for 4 weeks. Results: Experimental group showed significant improvements in Knee to wall test. and lumbar flexibility after the intervention. both group showed significant improvements in gait parameters after the intervention. However, when comparing between the two groups, the experimental group showed a more significant effect than the control group. Conclusions: Gastrocnemius neuromuscular electrical stimulation training can be considered an effective approach to improve ankle mobility and gait ability in patients with stroke.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.47-50
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• 2011

Equinus contracture of the gastrocnemius-soleus complex is associated with many foot and ankle diseases. We introduce a new simple technique that can be performed using a minimal incision with simple devices. Briefly, 0.5 cm sized medial and lateral longitudinal skin incisions are made at the level of the distal one third of the calf. The musculotendinous junction of the gastrocnemius is gently transected using an Arachnoid blade. The skin is, then, closed with non-absorbable sutures.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.104-110
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• 2001

Muscle rupture is not a common disease. But it is known that partial muscle rupture commonly occurs to active sports athletes or heavy workers who receive severe physical stress. Gastrocnemius muscle rupture(this is called ‘tennis leg’)is often caused by sudden overstretching of the muscle through concomitant ankle dorsiflexion and knee extension. This rupture may result in a swelling and pain that is easily confused with other diseases like thrombophlebitis. Ultrasonography can confirm the clinical suspicion of tennis leg and the assessment of the size of the lesion, and can discriminate from other diseases. So it is a useful, noninvasive, low-cost modality to diagnose and follow up tennis leg. We experienced 2 cases of partial gastrocnemius muscle rupture patients who were treated by conservative methods or acupuncture therapy and followed up with Ultrasonography, and arrived at some interesting results, which we report along with a review of some relevant literature.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.778-783
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• 2012

We report a rare case of non-traumatic spontaneous intramuscular mass of blood stasis, especially gastrocnemius muscle, associated with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. A 53-year-old man with alcoholic liver cirrhosis was admitted to our hospital for ICH. It was improved by Korean Medicine treatments, however, he was complaint of severe pain in left calf. Ultrasound revealed intramuscular hypoechoic mass at the left gastrocnemius muscle and we diagnose it as mass of blood stasis, which is similarly called 'hematoma' in Western medicine. Herbal extracts, acupuncture and indirect moxibustion reduced it, but the effects could not be compared as there were no reports of these kinds. It seems important to consider intramuscular mass of blood stasis as a complication of alcoholic liver cirrhosis and Ultrasound seems to be very useful in diagnosis and observation of intramuscular mass of blood stasis.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.9-15
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• 2010

Purpose : This study aimed to investigate the effect of differing ground contact conditions on the eletromyographic(EMG) activity in rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius medialis during step-up activity in patients with hemiparesis. Methods : 10 hemiparetic patients performed step-up activity on three different ground contact conditions: entire ground contact, 2/3 ground contact, 1/3 groud contact. Result : The EMG activities of gastrocnemius medialis significantly changed on 1/3 ground contact(p<.05). However, no significant changed rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior between three differing ground contact conditions (p>.05). Conclusion : This study provides that EMG activities of gastrocnemius medialis significantly changed on different ground contacts. Therefore, this method can be used to strengthen the gastrocnemius medialis.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.1486-1489
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• 2018

This study aimed to investigate the influence of walking on crural muscle tone and stiffness in individuals with bilateral pronated foot. This study consisted of 16 healthy male. Subjects were divided into a pronated foot group (n = 8) and a normal foot group (n = 8). The navicular drop test on both foot and muscle tone and stiffness in tibialis anterior muscle, medial gastrocnemius muscle, and peroneus longus muscle of both lower extremities were measured before and after 30 min of walking. In this study, the measured navicular drop test before walking was significantly different between pronated foot group and a normal group(p < .05). After 30 min of walking, significantly, increased medial gastrocnemius muscle stiffness of the non-dominant leg was found in the pronated foot group (p < .05). However, there was no significant difference in medial gastrocnemius muscle stiffness between the two groups (p > .05). Based on this study, pronated foot needs to be managed to prevent the abnormally increased medial gastrocnemius muscle stiffness.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.36 no.7
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• pp.1232-1241
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• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of cerebral ischemia on Type I(soleus) and Type II(plantaris, gastrocnemius) muscles, and to determine the effects of isometric contraction training by electro- stimulation on Type I and II muscles in cerebral ischemia model rats. Method: Twenty-five male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: ST(stroke), STES(stroke+electrostimulation), SH(sham) and SHES (sham+electrostimulation). The ST and STES groups received a transient right middle cerebral artery occlusion operation. The SH and SHES groups received a sham operation. The STES and SHES groups had daily isometric contraction training by electrostimulation(100Hz, 45mA, 7.5V) on hindlimb muscles for 7days. Result: Plantaris and gastrocenmius muscle weight, myofibrillar protein contents of soleus and gastrocnemius, and the muscle fiber cross-sectional area of gastrocnemius in the ST group significantly decreased compared with the SH group. Soleus, plantaris, gastrocnemius muscle weight, myofibrillar protein contents of soleus and gastrocnemius, and the Type I muscle fiber cross-sectional area of soleus and the Type II muscle fiber cross-sectional area of gastrocnemius in the STES group significantly increased compared with the 57 group. Conclusion: Hindlimb muscle atrophy occurs after acute stroke and isometric contraction training by electrostimulation during early stages of a stroke attenuates muscle atrophy of Type I and Type II muscles.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.77-84
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• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of lower limb muscle activity on postural stability and ground type in elderly women subjects. Method : Forty two subjects participated in the experiment (high group - age: $74.29{\pm}4.13yr$, height: $152.44{\pm}5.54cm$, weight: $57.43{\pm}6.16kg$, BMI: $24.77{\pm}2.99$, low group - age: $77.67{\pm}5.16yr$, height: $151.40{\pm}3.93cm$, weight: $60.92{\pm}6.40kg$, BMI: $26.59{\pm}2.57$). Wireless EMG with eight channels was used. Ground types were classified as flat and cushion. Results : In the double-support phase, left and right rectus femoris, left biceps femoris, left and right tibialis anterior, and left gastrocnemius did not show a significant difference in postural stability according to ground type. However right biceps femoris and gastrocnemius showed higher muscle activity in the elderly women group with lower postural stability. In the single-support phase, left and right rectus femoris, right biceps femoris, and left and right tibialis anterior did not show a significant difference in postural stability according to ground type. In addition, left biceps femoris had higher muscle activity in the elderly women group with lower postural stability. Left gastrocnemius had higher muscle activity in the elderly women group with higher postural stability and right gastrocnemius had higher muscle activity in the elderly women group on cushion ground. Conclusion : In a dynamic postural stability and cushion ground, biceps femoris and gastrocnemius muscle activity were high. As a result, biceps femoris and gastrocnemius muscle strengthening exercise on cushion ground could be beneficial in the prevention of falling.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.35 no.7
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• pp.729-736
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of glucuronic acid (isolated from xylan) on antioxidative defense system in rat after aerobic exercise. The glucuronic acid was isolated from xylan. Sprague-Dawley male rats weighing 150$\pm$10 g were randomly assigned to one normal group and three exercise training groups. Exercise training groups were classified to T (glucuronic acid free diet), TU (250 mg glucuronic acid/kg bw) and 2TU (500 mg glucuronic acid/kg bw) according to the level of glucuronic acid supplementation before exercise training. The experimental rats in exercise training groups (T, TU and 2TU) were exercised on glucuronic acid supplementation or rats in normal group (N) were confined in cage for 4 weeks. And rats were sacrificed with an overdose of pentobarbital injection just after running. Body weight, food intakes and food efficiency ratio (FER) were lower in the exercise training group than in the normal group. White gastrocnemius xanthine oxidase (XOD) activity in the T group was 85% greater than that of the normal group, whereas in the TU and 2TU groups it did not differ from the normal group. White gastrocnemius superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in T group, that was decreased by 22% compared with that of N group, but those of TU and 2TU groups were increased by 38% and 42%, respectively, compared with that of T group. White gastrocnemius glutathione peroxidase (GSHpx) activity in T group, that was decreased by 42% compared with that of N group, but those of TU and 2TU groups were increased by 67% and 68%, respectively, compared with that of T group. Glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity of white gastrocnemius in N group was not significantly different from that in the T and TU groups, but 2TU group were increased by 12%. Contents of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) in T group was increased by 54%, compared with that of normal group but those of TU group and 2TU group were lower 44% and 36% than that of T group. In conclusion, the effects of glucuronic acids in exercise training rats would appear to reduce peroxidation of tissue as an antioxidative defense mechanism.