• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.881-887
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• 2005

A total knee replacement is an extremely 'position-sensitive' operation; a malposition or a malalignment of the components will lead to a breakage of the component, a fracture around the knee prosthesis, and the limitation of range of the motion, etc. In a conventional total knee replacement, surgeons have to select an appropriate prosthesis according to the shape of the surgical region. A wrong selection may give rise to side effects or to need re-operation. Nevertheless, it is so difficult to choose the most proper prosthesis out of various kinds of prosthesis. This paper presents a surgical planning system for the total knee replacement with an operation simulating method in order to determine the parameters for the total knee replacement operation. We select an alignment axis and a resection angle as major operation parameters in the total knee replacement operation, and introduce the method to determine the major operation parameters with the operation simulator we developed. The simulator is used to determine operation parameters for optimized operations, to select the most appropriate prosthesis, and to analyze the prospective problems of the operation.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.276-282
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• 2021

Objective: To investigate effects of Fibular Repositioning Taping (FRT) on lower extremity joint stiffness and angle during drop-landing. Method: Twenty-eight participants (14 healthy, 14 with chronic ankle instability [CAI]) performed drop-landings from a 60 cm box; three were performed prior to tape application and three were performed post-FRT. Three-dimensional kinematic and kinetic data were collected using an infrared optical camera system (Vicon Motion Systems Ltd. Oxford, UK) and force-plate (AMTI, Watertown, MA). Joint stiffness and sagittal angle of the ankle, knee, and hip were analyzed. Results: The hip [Healthy: p<.05; M ± SD: 29.43 ± 11.27 (pre), 33.04 ± 12.03 (post); CAI: p<.05; M ± SD: 31.45 ± 9.70 (pre), 32.29 ± 9.85 (post)] and knee [Healthy: p<.05; M ± SD: 53.44 ± 8.09 (pre), 55.13 ± 8.36 (post); CAI: p<.05; M ± SD: 53.12 ± 8.35 (pre), 55.55 ± 9.81 (post)] joints demonstrated significant increases in sagittal angle after FRT. A significant decrease in joint angle was found at the ankle [Healthy: p<.05; M ± SD: 56.10 ± 3.71 (pre), 54.09 ± 4.31 (post); CAI: p<.05; M ± SD: 52.80 ± 6.04 (pre), 49.86 ± 10.08 (post)]. A significant decrease in hip [Healthy: p<.05; M ± SD: 1549.16 ± 517.53 (pre), 1272.48 ± 646.73 (post); CAI: p<.05; M ± SD: 1300.42 ± 595.55 (pre), 1158.27 ± 550.58 (post)] and knee [Healthy: p<.05; M ± SD: 270.12 ± 54.07 (pre), 239.13 ± 64.70 (post); CAI: p<.05; M ± SD: 241.58 ± 93.48 (pre), 214.63 ± 101.00 (post)] joint stiffness was found post-FRT application, while no difference was found at the ankle [Healthy: p>.05; M ± SD: 57.29 ± 17.04 (pre), 59.37 ± 18.30 (post); CAI: p>.05; M ± SD: 69.15 ± 17.63 (pre), 77.24 ± 35.05 (post)]. Conclusion FRT application decreased joint angle at the ankle without altering ankle joint stiffness. In contrast, decreased joint stiffness and increased joint angle was found at the hip and knee following FRT. Thus, participants utilize an altered shock absorption mechanism during drop-landings following FRT. When compared to previous research, the joint kinematics and stiffness of the lower extremity appear to be different following FRT versus traditional ankle taping.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.259-268
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• 2022

Objective: The purpose of this study was to measure the immediate effect of hip hinge exercise stretching on hamstring flexibility, pelvic tilting angle, proprioception, and dynamic balance in individual with tightness of the hamstring. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Methods: A total of 35 healthy young adults (27 males, 8 females) volunteered for this study and randomly divided into three groups (Hip hinge exercise stretching group, passive stretching group, and PNF stretching group). The hamstring flexibility, pelvic tilting angle, knee joint proprioception, dynamic balance was conducted for 3 times. In order to evaluate the hamstring flexibility, the active knee extension test was performed. Forward bending test was performed to examine pelvic tilting angle.The proprioception was tested by the joint position sense test and dynamic balance was evaluated by Y balance test. Results: The hamstring flexibility, pelvic tilting angle and dynamic balance were significantly improved between three groups before and after intervention (p<0.05). Dynamic balance was significantly difference between the three groups in the posterolateral direction (p<0.05). Conclusions: This study result showed that hip hinge exercise stretching was the most effective method for increasing hamstring flexibility, pelvic tilting angle and dynamic balance. In addition, it is necessary to study whether hamstring stretching is effective in low back pain patient with hamstrings tightness.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.275-280
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• 2023

Background: Although warm-ups before exercise are widely accepted, research on sex differences in improving hamstring flexibility is limited. Differences in the physical and physiological characteristics between males and females may result in different responses to warm-ups. Objects: This study aimed to examine sex differences in the effects of specific warm-up on hamstring flexibility. Methods: This study included 24 young adults with hamstring tightness. The participants performed five maximal knee extensions and flexions at 90° flexion of the hip, and the maximal knee extension angle was measured in real-time using a smartphone clinometer application. Results: The groups did not significantly affect the maximal knee extension angle but showed a significant effect for repetition (p = 0.002) and group-repetition interaction (p = 0.002). Males had no significant change in hamstring flexibility; however, females showed a significant increase in flexibility in the 5^th trial compared with the 1^st trial (p = 0.041). These results demonstrated sex-specific differences in flexibility improvement over time. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that specific warm-up can successfully improve hamstring flexibility in females. This may be due to various factors, such as muscle stiffness of the lower extremity, estrogen levels, and temperature sensitivity. In clinical settings, specific warm-up might be helpful for females who participate in sports or activities, such as running or jumping, which require a full range of motion in the hip and knee joints.

• Journal of Naturopathy
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2023

Background: Despite the positive effects of the self-gravity acupressure program on genu varum correction, no systematic observation has yet to be made. Purpose: In this study, the effect of the self-gravity acupressure program on varus knee correction was confirmed retrospectively by comparing the medial angle of the knee before and after the self-gravity acupressure program. Methods: Fifty people with varus knees were subjected to a 75-minute acupressure program while lying on an acupressure tool, and then the medial knee angles were compared before and after the program. Results: The average angle of the inside of the knee of the study subjects increased by 7.29±3.85° (p<.000) on the left side and 7.08±3.86° (p<.000) on the right side after the acupressure program was implemented, indicating that the study subject's varus knee significantly improved even after applying for a short period time. It was confirmed. Conclusion: This study confirmed that the self-gravity acupressure is a valuable program for correcting the genus varus. However, to use the results of this study clinically in the future, further studies are required to optimize the mechanism and clinical effects of the self-gravity acupressure program on the improvement of the genu varus knee.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.145-152
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• 2000

Pcak torque. angle of peak torque occurrence. total work, average power. endurance of the ankle plantar flexors were studied with the knee positioned $0^{\circ}\;and\;90^{\circ}$ flexion. Plantar flexors of 20 students were tested on Cybex 6000 dynamometer. The results were as fallows ; 1. The peak torque values were significantly higher with knee extension than knee $90^{\circ}$ flexion. 2. The angle of peak torque occurrence were earlier with knee extension than knee $90^{\circ}$ flexion, but no significant. 3. The total work were significantly higher with knee extension than knee $90^{\circ}$ flexion. at$30^{\circ}/sec$, but no significant at $90^{\circ}/sec$ 4. The endurance ratio were higher significantly with knee $90^{\circ}$ flex ion than knee extension 5. The mean average power were significantly higher with knee extension than knee $90^{\circ}$ flextion

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.363-367
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• 2003

Contact area and pressure are important factors which directly influence a life of knee implants. Since implant's mechanical functions should be experimentally evaluated for clinical use, many studies using a knee simulator and a pressure sensor system have been conducted. However it has not been reported that the contact pressure's distribution of a knee implant motion was estimated in real-time during a gate cycle. Therefore. the objective of this study was to analyze the contact pressure distribution for the motion of a joint using the knee simulator and I-scan sensor system. For this purpose, we developed a force-controlled dynamic knee simulator to evaluate the mechanical performance of artificial knee joint. This simulator includes a function of a soft tissue and has a 4-degree-of-freedom to represent an axial compressive load and a flexion angle. As axial compressive force and a flexion angle of the femoral component can be controlled by PC program. The pressure is also measured from I-scan system and simulator to visualize the pressure distribution on the joint contact surfaces under loading condition during walking cycle. The compressive loading curve was the major cause for the contact pressure distribution and its center move in a cycle as to a flexion angie. In conclusion, this system can be used to evaluate to the geometric interaction of femoral and tibial design due to a measured mechanical function such as a contact pressure, contact area and a motion of a loading center.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.948-956
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a prototype KAFO (Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis) powered by two artificial pneumatic muscles during walking. We had previously built powered AFO (Ankle-Foot Orthosis) and KO (Knee Orthosis) and used it effectively in studies on assistance of plantaflexion and knee extension motion. Extending the previous study to a KAFO presented additional challenges related to the assistance of gait motion for rehabilitation training. Five healthy males were performed gait motion on treadmill wearing KAFO equipped with artificial pneumatic muscles to power ankle plantaflexion and knee extension. Subjects walked on treadmill at 1.5 km/h under four conditions without extensive practice: 1) without wearing KAFO, 2) wearing KAFO with artificial muscles turned off, 3) wearing KAFO powered only in plantaflexion under feedforward control, and 4) wearing KAFO powered both in plantaflexion and knee extension under feedforward control. We collected surface electromyography, foot pressure and kinematics of ankle and knee joint. The experimental result showed that a muscular strength of wearing KAFO powered plnatarfexion and knee extension under feedforward control was measured to be lower due to pneumatic assistance and foot pressure of wearing KAFO powered plnatarfexion and knee extension under feedforward control was measured to be greater due to power assistance. In the result of motion analysis, the ankle angle of powered KAFO in terminal stance phase was found a peak value toward plantaflexion and there were difference of maximum knee flexion range among condition 2, 3 and 4 in mid-swing phase. The current orthosis design provided plantaflexion torque of ankle jonit in terminal stance phase and knee extension torque of knee joint in mid-swing phase.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2005.10b
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• pp.376-378
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• 2005

In this study, we have evaluated and classified arthritic pathology using the acoustical analysis of knee joint sounds. Six normal subjects and 11 patients with knee problems were enrolled. Patients were divided into the 1st patient group which required an orthopeadic surgery and the 2nd patient group of osteoarthritis. During sitting and standing periods, subjects' active knee flexion and extension were monitored. Fundamental frequency, mean amplitude of pitch, jitter and shimmer were analyzed according to the position and the joint angle. The result showed that the fundamental frequency of the 2nd patient group and standing position was higher than the others, and that the pitch of sounds changed unstably.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.1919-1931
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• 2005

Human joint motion can be kinematically described in three planes, typically the frontal, sagittal, and transverse, and related to experimentally measured data. The selection of reference systems is a prerequisite for accurate kinematic analysis and resulting development of the equations of motion. Moreover, the development of analysis techniques for the minimization of errors, due to skin movement or body deformation, during experiments involving human locomotion is a critically important step, without which accurate results in this type of experiment are an impossibility. The traditional kinematic analysis method is the Angular-based method (ABM), which utilizes the Euler angle or the Bryant angle. However, this analysis method tends to increase cumulative errors due to skin movement. Therefore, the objective of this study was to propose a new kinematic analysis method, Position-based method (PBM), which directly applies position displacement data to represent locomotion. The PBM presented here was designed to minimize cumulative errors via considerations of angle changes and translational motion between markers occurring due to skin movements. In order to verify the efficacy and accuracy of the developed PBM, the mean value of joint dislocation at the knee during one gait cycle and the pattern of three dimensional translation motion of the tibiofemoral joint at the knee, in both flexion and extension, were accessed via ABM and via new method, PBM, with a Local Reference system (LRS) and Segmental Reference system (SRS), and then the data were compared between the two techniques. Our results indicate that the proposed PBM resulted in improved accuracy in terms of motion analysis, as compared to ABM, with the LRS and SRS.