• 한국안전학회지
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.95-101
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• 2013

This study tried to develop a basis for quantitative index of working postures associated with WMSDs(Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders) that could overcome realistic restriction during application of typical checklists for WMSDs evaluation. The baseline data for this study was obtained from automobile manufacturing company(A total of 603 jobs were observed). Specifically, data for shoulder postures was analyzed to have a better and more objective method in terms of job relevance than typical methods such as OWAS, RULA, and REBA. Major statistical tools were Clustering, Logistic regression and so on. The main results in this study could be summarized as follows; 1) The relationships between working postures and WMSDs symptoms at shoulder were statistically significant based on the results from logistic regression. 2) Based on clustering analysis, three levels for WMSDs risk at shoulder were produced for both flexion and abduction were statistically significant. Specific results were as follows; Shoulder flexion: low risk(< $37.7^{\circ}$), medium risk($37.7^{\circ}{\sim}70.0^{\circ}$), high risk(> $70.0^{\circ}$) Shoulder abduction: low risk(< $26.5^{\circ}$), medium risk($26.5^{\circ}{\sim}56.8^{\circ}$), high risk(> $56.8^{\circ}$). 3) The sensitivities on risk levels of shoulder flexion and abduction were 64.0% and 20.6% respectively while the specificities on risk levels of shoulder flexion and abduction were 99.1% and 99.3% respectively. The results showed that the data associated with shoulder postures in this study could provide a good basis for job evaluation of WMSDs at shoulder. Specifically, this evaluation methodology was different from the methods usually used at WMSDs study since it tried to be based on direct job relevance from real working situation. Further evaluation for other body parts as well as shoulder would provide more stability and reliability in WMSDs evaluation study.

• Journal of information and communication convergence engineering
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.74-83
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• 2019

This study designs a squat posture recognition system that can provide correct squat posture guidelines. This system comprises two modules: a Kinect camera for monitoring users' body movements and a Wii Balance Board(WBB) for measuring balanced postures with legs. Squat posture recognition involves two states: "Stand" and "Squat." Further, each state is divided into two postures: correct and incorrect. The incorrect postures of the Stand and Squat states were classified into three and two different types of postures, respectively. The factors that determine whether a posture is incorrect or correct include the difference between shoulder width and ankle width, knee angle, and coordinate of center of pressure(CoP). An expert and 10 participants participated in experiments, and the three factors used to determine the posture were measured using both Kinect and WBB. The acquired data from each device show that the expert's posture is more stable than that of the subjects. This data was classified using a support vector machine (SVM) and $na{\ddot{i}}ve$ Bayes classifier. The classification results showed that the accuracy achieved using the SVM and $na{\ddot{i}}ve$ Bayes classifier was 95.61% and 81.82%, respectively. Therefore, the developed system that used Kinect and WBB could classify correct and incorrect postures with high accuracy. Unlike in other studies, we obtained the spatial coordinates using Kinect and measured the length of the body. The balance of the body was measured using CoP coordinates obtained from the WBB, and meaningful results were obtained from the measured values. Finally, the developed system can help people analyze the squat posture easily and conveniently anywhere and can help present correct squat posture guidelines. By using this system, users can easily analyze the squat posture in daily life and suggest safe and accurate postures.

• 대한물리의학회지
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.71-77
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the level of muscle activation on the cervical erector spinae (CES), lumbar erector spinae (LES), and upper trapezius (UT) according to the sitting postures while using a smartphone in the bathroom. Method: Thirty-two healthy subjects were recruited for this study. The CES, LES, and UT were evaluated by surface electromyography according to two sitting postures while using a smartphone on the toilet seat. A paired t test was performed for the root mean square of reference voluntary contraction (%RVC) comparisons between two sitting postures, and one-way ANOVA was used to compare the three muscle activations within each posture. Results: A comparison between the two sitting postures revealed the muscle activation of both CESs in sitting posture 2 and both LESs in sitting posture 1 to be significantly higher than those of the others. In sitting posture 1, the muscle activation of both LESs was significantly higher than those of the CES and UT. In sitting posture 2, the muscle activation of both CESs was significantly higher than those of the LES and UT. Conclusion: High muscle activation of the CES and LES was observed according to the sitting postures when using smartphone in the restroom. Therefore, long time use of smartphones on a toilet seat should be avoided.

• 대한통합의학회지
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• 제8권4호
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• pp.39-47
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• 2020

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate a comparative study on the effects of maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV) and thickness of the abdominal muscles through two Kegel exercise postures. Methods : Twenty eight (male= 7, female= 21) subjects participated in this experiment. They performed Kegel exercise in sitting and hooklying. The order of exercise was conducted in the order chosen by the subjects to exclude the learning effect. The MVV was measured using a spirometer. The thickness of the abdominal muscles were measured by ultrasound. The MVV and thickness of the abdominal muscles were measured according to the manual in a sitting and hooklying position before the experiment. After each exercise, the MVV and thickness of the abdominal muscles were also measured in the same way. A one way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the MVV and thickness of the abdominal muscles according to two postures and post hoc analysis, Bonferroni was used. Results : As a result of this study, significant differences in the MVV were observed after exercise than before exercise (p<.05). However, as a result of post hoc analysis, there was no difference in the MVV according to the postures (p>.05). Significant differences in thickness of the abdominal muscles were observed after exercise than before exercise (p<.05). However, as a result of post hoc analysis, there was no difference in thickness of the abdominal muscles according to the postures (p>.05). Conclusion : Based on the results of this study, the MVV and the thickness of the abdominal muscles were confirmed in the sitting and hooklying posture after Kegel exercise. However, further studies on vital capacity and abdominal muscles according to Kegel exercise postures should be conducted.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.12-17
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• 2022

Purpose: Ankle dorsiflexion is an essential element of normal functions, including walking, activities of daily living and sport activities. The tibialis anterior (TA) muscle functioned as a dorsiflexor and as a dynamic stabilizer of the ankle joint during walking and jumping. This study aimed to compare TA muscle thickness using ultrasonography according to the four different toe and ankle postures for the selective TA strengthening exercise. Methods: This study were recruited 26 (males: 15, females: 11) aged 20-30 years, with no injury ankle and calf in the medical history, had normal dorsiflexion and inversion range of motion (ROM). The thickness of the TA muscle was measured by ultrasonography in the four different toe and ankle postures: 1. Ankle dorsiflexion with all toe extension and ankle inversion (ITEDF); 2. Ankle dorsiflexion with all toe flexion and ankle inversion (ITFDF); 3. Ankle dorsiflexion with all toe extension and neutral position (NTEDF); 4. Ankle dorsiflexion with all toe flexion and neutral position (NTFDF). One-way repeated analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni correction were used to confirm the significant difference among conditions. The level of statistical significance was set at α=0.01. Results: TA muscle thickness with ITFDF was significantly greater than in any other ankle positions, including ITEDF, NTFDF, and NTEDF (p<0.01). Conclusion: Among the four toe and ankle postures, isometric contraction in ITFDF postures showed the greatest increase in thickness of TA rather than ITEDF, NTEDF, and NTFDF postures. Based on these results, ITFDF can be recommended in an efficient way to selectively strengthen TA muscle.

• 한국전문물리치료학회지
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.18-28
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• 2024

Background: Lateral instability of the ankle is one of the most common causes of musculoskeletal ankle injuries. The peroneus longus (PL) and peroneus brevis (PB) contribute to ankle stability. In early rehabilitation, isometric exercises have been selected for improvement of ankle stability. To effectively train the peroneal muscles during eversion, it is important to consider ankle and body posture. Objects: This study aimed to compare activation of the PL, PB, and biceps femoris (BF) muscles during eversion in different ankle postures (neutral [N], plantarflexed [PF]) and body postures (sitting and side-lying). Methods: Thirty healthy individuals with no history of lateral ankle sprains within the last 6 months were included in the study. Maximal isometric strength of eversion and muscle activation were measured simultaneously. Muscle activation at submaximal eversion was divided by the highest value obtained from maximal isometric eversion among the four postures (percent maximal voluntary isometric contraction [%MVIC]). To examine the differences in muscle activation depending on posture, a 2 × 2 repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted. Results: There were significant interaction effects of ankle and body postures on PL muscle activation and evertor strength (p < 0.05). The PL muscle activation showed a significantly greater difference in the side-lying and PF conditions than in the sitting and N conditions (p < 0.05). Evertor strength was greater in the N compared to the PF condition regardless of body posture (p < 0.05). In the case of PB and BF muscle activation, only the main effects of ankle and body posture were observed (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Among the four postures, the side-lying-PF posture produced the highest muscle activation. The side-lying-PF posture may be preferred for effective peroneal muscle exercises, even when considering the BF muscle.

• 한국의류학회지
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.415-427
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• 1993

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the thermoregulatory responses to postures under different environmental conditions and to obtain the basal information for standard clothing weight, indoor climates, and working condition. Two adult female (22.5yrs, 46kg) were participated in this study. The experimental conditions were divided into three groups ; 1) comfort($27{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, $60{\pm}10%$), 2) hot($34{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, $60{\pm}10%$), and 3) cold($21{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, $50{\pm}10%$) condition. The postures performed were as follows; standing, sitting on the chair, sitting on the floor, and supine on the floor. At each condition, subjective sensations, 12 points skin temperature, rectal temperature, total and local sweat rate, pulse rates, blood pressure, skin blood flow rate were measured. The results were as follows : 1. Rectal temperature was high significant among groups in order of supine, sitting on the floor, sitting on the chair, standing posture(p<0.01). 2. Skin temperature was high in part of contact with the surface of the floor or wall and the effect of posture was greater in peripheral temperature than torso temperature. Sitting on the chair and sitting on the floor posture showed higher peripheral temperature than standing and supine posture. And peripheral temperature was lower in supine posture than any other postures. 3. Total and local sweat rate were decreased in order of standing, sitting on the chair, sitting on the floor, supine posture. 4. Pulse rate and disastolic blood pressure were higher in standing posture than supine posture, and there was significant difference between two postures(p<0.001). 5. Blood flow rate of thigh was high in sitting on the chair and sitting on the floor posture and low in standing posture. Blood flow rate of leg was low in standing posture significantly(p<0.01). 6. In comfort and hot condition, temperature sensation and comfort sensation were higher in standing posture and lower in supine posture than any other postures. In cold condition, temperature sensation was lower and comfort sensation was higher in standing and supine posture than any other postures. And supine posture was appeared positive in hot condition and negative in cold condition. From this study, we confirmed the effects of posture on human thermoregulatory responses. Results indicate that even under same conditions and clothing weight, the insulation of clothing will be different to postures.

• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제30권6호
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• pp.695-703
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• 2011

Objective: This study was to investigate the effects of coordinated upper-limb body postures on the subjective discomfort rating, heart rate, and muscle activities. Background: Although generally many checklists such as OWAS, RULA, and REBA were applied to evaluate various body postures, the body postures were might be overestimated or underestimated because each body part(i.e., back, shoulder, and elbow etc.) was evaluated separately, and then added all rates of individual body parts to assess an overall risk level for the body posture in these methodologies. Methods: A total of 20 participants maintained 14 postures which were combinations of back, shoulder, and elbow flexion angles and then muscle activities, subjective discomfort, and heart rates were collected every three minute during a sustained 15 minute and 0.5kg weight holding task. Four muscle groups were investigated: erector spine, anterior deltoid, upper trapezius, triceps brachii. Results: Results showed that subjective discomfort was the lowest when the angle of back and shoulder were both $0^{\circ}s$, while the body posture with $45^{\circ}$ of back angle and $45^{\circ}$ shoulder angle was rated as the most subjective discomfort posture. In general, the subjective discomfort ratings increased as back and shoulder flexion angles increased. It was noted that, however, the subjective discomfort of body posture with a $45^{\circ}$ back angle and $45^{\circ}$ shoulder flexion angle was lower than that of body posture with a $0^{\circ}$ back and $45^{\circ}$ shoulder flexion angle. The research findings of heart rates and muscle activities showed similar results for the analyses of subjective discomfort ratings. Conclusions: The possible limitations of the current ergonomics evaluation techniques which assessing a body posture with summing all body part score after individually analyzed in this study. Based on the analyses of subjective discomfort, heart rate, and muscle activities, it was recommended that a use of effects of coordinated upper-limb body postures would be considered when one evaluates work-load for various working postures. Application: These findings can be used for developing a more accurate assessment checklist for working posture as well as preventing musculoskeletal disorders of workers in workplaces.

• 대한인간공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한인간공학회 1998년도 춘계학술대회논문집
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• pp.31-35
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• 1998

Many reaearchers have reproted that poor body postures are associated with pains or symptoms of musculoskeletal dissoders. Therefore, the ergonomic evaluation of postural stresses as well as biomechanical stresses is important when a job such as automobile assembly tasks involves highly repetitive and/or prolonged poor body postures. A macropostural classification shema was developed to characterise various body postures occurring in automobile assembly tasks in the study. To specify a postural code and stress level to each body posture, perceived joint discomforts were subjectively evaluated in the lab experiments for the full range of motion in five human body joints. Based on the reaults, a postural classification scheme was developed where the full range of motion in each body joint was classified into several codes repressenting different stress levels. The automobile tasks were clustered into 12 types based on the result walk-in-surveillance and the possible posture codes for each task type are defined. I was exposed that the poor postural problems in automobile assembly tasks were concerned in most part with arms, trunk and neck. Application of te developed schema to seven operations in automobile assembly tasks showed that the schema can be used as a tool to identify the operations and tasks involving highly stressful body postures. The schema can also be utilised as a basis to prioritise the candidate assembly operations for redesign of work methods.

• International Journal of Vascular Biomedical Engineering
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.10-16
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• 2005

Because patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) have depressed vagal modulation and the mortality risk from acute myocardial infarction is lower in patients with higher vagal modulation, methods that can increase vagal modulation are desirable in patients with CAD. We intended to inspect the effect of recumbent posture on vagal modulation. By using angiography, 33 patients with abnormal (CAD group) and 33 patients with normal coronary arteries (control group) were studied. The nonlinear as well as the linear characteristics of heart rate variability (HRV) were analyzed on these patients in three recumbent postures: namely, the supine, right lateral decubitus, and left lateral decubitus postures. The lower the normalized high-frequency power (nHF) in the supine or left lateral decubitus posture, the higher the increase in the nHF when the posture was changed from supine or left lateral decubitus to right lateral decubitus in both groups of patients. Right lateral decubitus posture can lead to the highest vagal modulation and the lowest sympathetic modulation among the three recumbent postures in both normal and patients with CAD. Therefore, the right lateral decubitus posture can be used as an effective physiologic vagal enhancer in patients with CAD.