• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.87-95
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• 2008

Pelvic floor muscles positively affect not only urinary incontinence but also lumbar stabilization by generating intra－abdominal pressure through interaction with muscles around the trunk. Especially, contracting pelvic floor muscles consistently and gently at low intensity is one of the most effective methods to separate and contract transverse abdominis which plays an important role in lumbar stabilization. The purpose of this study was to reexamine the importance of pelvic floor muscles which had not been used much in the treatment of lumbago and to introduce pelvic floor muscle exercises that can be utilized in the treatment of lumbago by examining literature on the relationship between pelvic floor muscles and lumbar stabilization. It is expected that this study will help apply lumbar stabilization exercise to patients with lumbago more variously and effectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.23-30
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• 2022

PURPOSE: This study was designed to investigate the effects of keeping contraction of abdominal and pelvic floor muscles on 3D pelvic stability in individuals with nonspecific chronic low back pain (CLBP) during normal speed walking. METHODS: The subjects were 20 adults with CLBP deformity and had moderate pain intensity of the visual analog scale. A three-dimensional camera capture system was used to collect kinematic pelvic motion data with and without contraction of the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles during gait. The subjects were asked to walk on a walkway in the lab room and they were attached 40 reflective markers to their pelvic segment and lower extremities. A Visual3D Professional V6 program and Vicon Nexus software were used to analyze 3D pelvic kinematic data. RESULTS: There were significant differences between with and without contraction of the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles of the pelvic depression and the total pelvic motion in coronal plane during gait (p < .05). However, there were no significant differences in any of the maximal motion of the pelvic segment in sagittal and transverse motion plane according to the different muscle contraction conditions (p > .05). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that maintaining co-contraction of the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles in individuals with CLBP increased pelvic stability and contributed to preventing excessive pelvic movements during gait.

• The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.9-18
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• 2013

In this paper, we have developed the intellectual kegel trainer with the biofeedback. The pelvic muscles of female are composed of a slow twitch fiber and a fast twitch fiber. If two twitch fiber be not well done, then the urine be frequently called by nature. In order to recover the function of pelvic muscles, we use the kegel trainer with biofeedback training. Such a trainer make strengthen the weakness pelvic muscles by biofeedback training and get exercise the pelvic muscles in physical suppress of 10 kg. The biofeedback training against the physical suppress can have strengthen the pelvic muscles and can display the operation graph of strengthen movement in monitor.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.19-26
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• 2019

Purpose : The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the abdominal draw-in (ADI) exercise on the onset times of the gluteus maximus (GM) and erector spinae (ES) as well as the pelvic anterior tilt angle during prone hip extension (PHE). Methods : A total of 24 female adults were divided into two groups: those with normal abdominal muscles (n=12) and those with weak abdominal muscles (WAM; n=12). Before the intervention, the onset times of the GM and ES along with the pelvic angle during PHE were measured. Subsequently, the participants conducted the ADI exercise for 10 minutes. After conducting the ADI exercise, the onset times and the pelvic angle were re-measured. Results : In the pre-intervention comparison between the two groups, the WAM group showed faster ES onset times and higher pelvic angle than the normal group (p<0.05). In the WAM group, the ES onset times were significantly delayed after the ADI exercise (p<0.05). In both groups, the pelvic angle was significantly decreased after the ADI exercise (p<0.05). The decrease in the pelvic angle was significantly greater in the WAM group than in the normal group (p<0.05). The GM onset time was found to be not significant in all comparisons (p>0.05). Conclusion : Therefore, it can be concluded that after performing the ADI exercise, the pelvic anterior tilt during PHE is decreased in normal women and those with WAM, especially in the WAM group, suggesting that the ADI exercise can reduce the compensatory pelvic anterior tilt more effectively by delaying the ES onset times.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.19-26
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• 2017

Background: To improve lumbo-pelvic stability, passive support devices (i.e., a pelvic belt) are recommended clinically. Nevertheless, to understand the influence of passive support on lumbo-pelvic stability, it is necessary to examine the influence of a pelvic belt on the abdominal and hip abductor muscles. Objects: To examine the effects of a pelvic belt on the forces of the hip adductor and abductor muscles and activity of the abdominal muscles during isometric hip adduction and abduction. Methods: This study recruited 14 healthy men. All subjects performed isometric hip adduction and abduction with and without a pelvic belt in a neutral hip position. Load cells, wrapped with a non-elastic belt, were placed above the medial and lateral malleoli of the dominant leg to measure the muscle forces of the hip adductors and abductors, respectively. The forces of the hip adductors and abductors were measured using a load cell during isometric hip adduction and abduction, while the electromyographic activities of the bilateral rectus abdominis, internal oblique, and external oblique muscles were measured. Results: The forces generated by the hip adductors and abductors were significantly greater with the pelvic belt than without (p<.05). No significant differences in abdominal muscle activities between the two conditions were found (p>.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that use of a pelvic belt could lead to effective strengthening exercise of hip muscles in individuals with sacroiliac joint pain.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.123-132
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• 2017

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine the effects of lumbar stabilization exercise during abdominal hollowing with conscious contraction of the pelvic floor muscles on trunk muscle in healthy twenties subjects. METHODS: The participants were randomly allocated to an experimental group (n=15) and a control group (n=15). The experimental group received lumbar stabilization exercise combined with conscious contraction of the pelvic floor muscles during abdominal hollowing. The control group received lumbar stabilization exercise with abdominal hollowing. Both groups trained with the respective exercise for 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week for 6 weeks. Muscle activation of the external oblique and erector spinae muscles, thickness of the transversus abdominis and multifidus, and contraction holding time of tranversus abdominis were measured before and after exercise. RESULTS: Activations of both the external oblique muscles were significantly decreased, and thickness of both the transversus abdominis and multifidus muscles, and contraction holding time of the transversus abdominis muscle were significantly increased in the experimental group (p<.05). The thickness of the left transversus abdominis and right multifidus muscles, and the contraction holding time of the transversus abdominis muscle significantly increased in the control group (p<.05). On comparing both groups, the activations of both external oblique muscles were significantly reduced and the contraction holding time of the transversus abdominis muscle was significantly increased in the experimental group (p<.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that lumbar stabilization exercise by abdominal hollowing and conscious contraction of the pelvic floor muscles is suitable and efficient for healthy twenties subjects.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.1-9
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• 2020

Purpose : The aim of this study was to compare the effects of the abdominal draw-in exercise (ADIE) and the dead bug exercise (DBE) on the pelvic anterior tilt angle and the activities of the gluteus maximus (GM), erector spinae (ES), and semi tendinosus (ST) during prone hip extension. Methods : A total of 22 female adults with weak abdominal muscles were divided into two groups: ADIE group (n=11) and DBE group (n=11). The muscle activities of the GM, ES, and ST along with the pelvic anterior tilt angle during prone hip extension were measured using a wireless surface electromyograph and gyro sensor before performing the prescribed exercise. Two groups conducted the assigned exercise for 10 minutes. After the exercise, their muscle activities and the pelvic anterior tilt angle were equally re measured. Results : In the DBE group, the muscle activity of GM was significantly increased after the intervention (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the amount of increase in the activity of GM (p>0.05). Moreover, in both groups, the activity of ES and the pelvic anterior tilt angle decreased significantly after the intervention (p<0.05) The decreased quantity in the pelvic anterior tilt angle and in the activity of ES showed no difference between the two groups (p>0.05). In the activity of ST, there was no significant difference within and between the two groups (p>0.05). Conclusion : Therefore, we suggest that ADIE and DBE are effective for women with weak abdominal muscles since the ES activity and pelvic anterior tilt angle are reduced during prone hip extension.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.108-114
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• 2015

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect on vital capacity (VC) and inspiratory muscle activation according to the anterior and posterior pelvic tilt positions. Design: One group pretest-posttest design. Methods: Twenty-six healthy adult men and women, age 19 to 27 years, volunteered to participate in this study. Forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory volume in 1 second ($FEV_1$) were measured by desktop spirometer in the pelvic positions during respiration, and muscle activation was recorded from sternocleidomastoid, upper trapezius, external intercostal, rectus abdominis, and external oblique muscles by surface electromyography (EMG) at the same time. EMG values were normalized by maximum muscle contractions (% maximum voluntary isometric contraction). Subjects were to breathe in as much air as possible and then exhale as quickly as possible in both anterior and posterior pelvic tilt positions. To measure lung capacity, inspiration was measured for 5 seconds and expiration was measured for 7 seconds with data collection taken place during the middle three seconds. Lung capacities were measured in each position three times. Results: For the results of this study, there was a significant increase in both FVC and $FEV_1$ values during the anterior pelvic tilting compared to the posterior pelvic tilting posture (p<0.05). The sternocleidomastoid, upper trapezius muscle, rectus abdominus and external oblique muscle activation was significantly increased during anterior pelvic tilt compared to the posterior pelvic tilt position (p<0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that pelvic anterior tilt position could be more effective for vital capacity and respiratory muscles activation during respiration.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.1-10
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• 2017

PURPOSE: This study assessed the effect of the pelvic compression belt on the electromyographic activity of erector spinae (ES), internal oblique (IO), rectus femoris (RF), and biceps femoris (BF) after bridge exercise with pelvic belt compression in subjects with lumbar instability. METHODS: Forty subjects with lumbar instability volunteered for this study. We asked them to perform the bridge exercise while wearing a pelvic belt compression for 30 minutes five times weekly over a six week period. The pelvic compression belt was adjusted just below the anterior superior iliac spines with stabilizing pressure using elastic compression bands during bridge position. Surface electromyographic data were collected from the erector spinae (ES), internal oblique (IO), rectus femoris (RF) and biceps femoris (BF). RESULTS: After the six week intervention, the experimental group improved significantly. Muscle activation significantly decreased in the erector spinae, rectus femoris, and biceps femoris, and increased in the internal oblique muscle in bridge position while wearing a PCB (P <.01). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the bridge exercise with pelvic belt compression is helpful to reduce activation in superficial muscles and lower extremity muscles such as erector spinae (ES), rectus femoris (RF), biceps femoris (BF) and increase activation in deep trunk muscle such as the internal oblique (IO).

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.199-207
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• 2022

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of shoulder stabilization exercise accompanied by application of a pelvic compression belt on the muscle activity, pain and function of the muscles around the shoulder in subjects with round shoulders. Methods : For the study method, 28 students who were enrolled in K University with a distance of 1 cm or more between the clavicle of the peak and the outer ear path were selected through GPS 400 global postural analysis system measurement. The subjects were randomly assigned to 14 participants in the group wearing a pelvic compression belt and 14 patients in the group not wearing a pelvic compression belt. In all subjects, the muscle activities of the middle trapezius, lower trapezius, and serratus anterior muscles and the shoulder pain disorder index (SPADI) were measured. The intervention was performed 3 times a week for 4 weeks, and the applied intervention was push-up plus and modified prone cobra exercise. The muscle activities of the middle trapezius, lower trapezius, and serratus anterior muscles and SPADI score were compared using dependent t test before and after intervention. Results : In this study, both groups showed that the muscle activity of the middle trapezius, lower trapezius, and serratus anterior significantly increased after the intervention compared to before the intervention. On the other hand, SPADI showed no significant difference. Conclusion : The results of this study showed that muscle activity in the peri-shoulder joint was increased after push-up plus and modified prone cobra exercise in both groups, regardless of whether pelvic compression was applied or not. Therefore, it was found that shoulder stabilization exercise using the pelvic compression belt also contributed to the enhancement of muscle activity in the joints around the shoulder.