• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.47-63
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• 2008

Objectives : Eucommiae cortex is reported that it helps bone and skeletal muscle stronger. In case of bone, many report is presented, but reports related to skeletal muscle are rarely existed. So in order to investigate effects of Eucommiae cortex on the skeletal muscle atrophy following stroke, cerebral infarct was induced by the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in the rats. Methods : In order to induce MCAO rats, nylon suture was advanced and then blocked middle cerebral artery(MCA). Water extract of Eucommiae cortex was treated for 15 days, once a day orally, after the MCAO. Effects were evaluated with muscle weights, muscle fiber type composition, cross-sectioned area of muscle fibers in soleus and gastrocnemius of the unaffected and affected hind limbs. And MyoD protein expression in gastrocnemius was demonstrated with immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Results : In the affected hind limb of the MCAO rats, muscle weight loss of gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior muscles were attenuated by Eucommiae cortex treatment. In soleus muscle of the affected hind limb of the MCAO rats, increase of type-I fibers and decrease of type-II fibers were induced by Eucommiae cortex treatment. In soleus muscle of the affected hind limb of the MCAO rats, decrease of cross-sectioned areas of type-I fibers was attenuated by Eucommiae cortex treatment. In gastrocnemius muscle of the affected hind limb of the MCAO rats, increase of type-I fibers and decrease of type-II fibers were induced by Eucommiae cortex treatment. In gastrocnemius muscle of the affected hind limb of the MCAO rats, decreases of cross-sectioned areas of type-I and type-II fibers were attenuated by Eucommiae cortex treatment. In gastrocnemius muscle of the affected and unaffected hind limb of the MCAO rats, MyoD expressions were increased by Eucommiae cortex treatment. Conclusions : These results suggest that Eucommiae cortex has a protective effect against muscle atrophy, through the inhibition of the muscle cell apoptosis, following the central nervous system demage.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.311-321
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• 2011

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to determine effect of Medical Exercise therapy on walking ability and ankle muscles activation after stroke. Method : Participants were randomly divided into either MET training group(n=12) and control group(n=12). All of participants had been receving a traditional rehabilitation program, 5 days a week. MET training group have additionally undergone for six weeks, 3 days a week, the MET program. But control group was not received any additional program except the traditional rehabilitation program. The 10 mWT, F8WT and 2 MWT to measure walking ability were carried out twice before and after training. Muscular activity of the ankle was estimated by analyzing the RMS of action potential for EMG in terms of tibialis anterior muscle(TA), soleus(SO), gastrocnemius medial head(GM), gastrocnemius lateral head(GL). Rresults : At the walking ability, MET training group demonstrated a significant improvememt in the score of the 10 mWT(p<0.001), 2 MWT(p<0.05), but F8WT was not significant improvement(p>0.05). At the ankle muscle activation, MET training group demonstrated a significant improvememt in the RMS of the TA(p<0.01) and SO(p<0.05) but GM(p>0.05) and GL(p>0.05) were not significant improvement. Conclusion : From these results of this study, MET training for 6 weeks has an effect on improvement of walking ability and ankle muscles activation after stroke.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.126-132
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• 2020

Background: Augmented somatosensory feedback stimulates the mechanoreceptor to deliver information on bodily position, improving the postural control. The various types of such feedback include ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) and vibration. The optimal feedback to mitigate postural sway remains unclear, as does the effect of augmented somatosensory feedback on muscle co-contraction. Objects: We compared postural sway and ankle muscle co-contraction without feedback (control) and with either of two forms of somatosensory feedback (AFOs and vibration). Methods: We recruited 15 healthy subjects and tested them under three feedback conditions (control, AFOs, vibration) with two sensory conditions (eyes open, or eyes closed and the head tilted back), in random order. Postural sway was measured using a force platform; the mean sway area of the 95% confidence ellipse (AREA) and the mean velocity of the center-of-pressure displacement (VEL) were assessed. Co-contraction of the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscles was measured using electromyography and converted into a co-contraction index (CI). Results: We found significant main effects of the three feedback states on postural sway (AREA, VEL) and the CI. The two sensory conditions exerted significant main effects on postural sway (AREA and VEL). AFOs reduced postural sway to a level significantly lower than that of the control (p = 0.014, p < 0.001) or that afforded by vibration (p = 0.024, p < 0.001). In terms of CI amelioration, the AFOs condition was significantly better than the control (p = 0.004). Vibration did not significantly improve either postural sway or the CI compared to the control condition. There was no significant interaction effect between the three feedback conditions and the two sensory conditions. Conclusion: Lower-extremity devices such as AFOs enhance somatosensory perception, improving postural control and decreasing the CI during static standing.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.63-72
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze the effects of exercise types on lower extremity muscle activity in stroke patients. For the purpose, the subjects of this study were classified into three groups such as therapeutic exercise group(n=7), elastic band group(n=7), and stretch reflex group(n=7). The three exercise programs were 5 times a week for 8 weeks. The stretch reflex group revealed higher in iliopsoas and biceps femoris %MVIC than the therapeutic exercise group and elastic band group, whereas elastic band group revealed lower in tibialis anterior %MVIC than therapeutic exercise group in the primary single-limb support. The stretch reflex group revealed higher in iliopsoas %MVIC than the therapeutic exercise group and elastic band group, whereas stretch reflex group revealed lower in medial gastrocnemius %MVIC than therapeutic exercise group in the secondary double support phase.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.357-363
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of different saddle heights on lower-limb joint angle and muscle activity. Six elite cyclists(age: $32.2{\pm}5.2years$, height: $171.0{\pm}3.5cm$, weight: $79.7{\pm}5.6kg$, cycle career: $13{\pm}6.2years$) participated in three min. submaximal(90 rpm) pedaling tests with the same load and cadence based on saddle heights where subject's saddle height was determined by his knee flexion angle when the pedal crank was at the 6 o'clock position. Joint angles(hip, knee, ankle joints) and the activity of lower limb muscles(biceps femoris(BF), vastus lateralis(VL), tibialis anterior(TA) and gastrocnemius medial(GM)) were compared by measuring 3D motion and electromyography(EMG) data. Results showed that there were significant differences in minimum hip & knee joint angle and range of motion of hip and knee joint between saddle heights. Onset timing and integrated EMG of only BF among 4 muscles were significantly different between saddle heights. Especially there was a negative relationship between minimum hip joint angle and onset timing of BF in most subject, which means that onset timing of BF became fast as the degree of bending of the hip joint became larger by saddle height. Optimal pedaling will be possible through increased amount of muscle activation due to the appropriate burst onset timing by proper pedaling posture with adjusted saddle height.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.344-350
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of the flexion withdrawal reflex modulated during Lokomat treadmill walking in people with spinal cord injury. The influence of the limb position and movement were tested in 5 subjects with chronic spinal cord injury. EMG activities from tibialis anterior and moments of the hip joint elicited by the foot stimulation were examined during Lokomat treadmill walking. To trigger the flexion withdrawal reflex during Lokomat treadmill walking, a train of 10 stimulus pulses was applied at the skin of the medial arch. The TA EMG activity was modulated during gait phase and the largest TA reflex was obtained after heel-off and initial swing phase. During swing phase, TA EMG was 40.9% greater for the extended hip position (phase 6), compared with flexed hip position (phase 8). The measured reflex moment of the hip joint was also modulated during gait phase. In order to characterize the neural contribution of flexion reflex at the hip joint, we compared estimated moments consisted of the static and dynamic components with measured moment of the hip joint. The mean static gains of reflex hip moments for swing and stance phase are -0.1, -0.8, respectively. The mean dynamic gains of reflex hip moments are 0.25 for swing, 0.75 for stance phase. From this study, we postulate that the joint moment and muscle response of flexion withdrawal reflex have the phase-dependent modulation and linear relationship with hip angle and angular velocity for swing phase during Lokomat treadmill walking.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.331-337
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• 2015

This research was to develop the cycling system of lower limbs for rehabilitation during cycle exercise in supine position. Also we analyzed the muscular activity of lower-limbs at various exercise conditions according to exercise mode, load, velocity. 42 healthy subjects(ages 20-60 years) were participated. We measured the muscular activities of right lower limb muscle in rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, medial gastrocnemius, soleus. Results, medial gastrocnemius shows high value on load 10 stage than load 1 and 5 stage. And all muscular activity except medial gastrocnemius was decreased as increase of velocity. We have found that there is a difference of lower limbs activity depending on exercise mode and method. This study could be applied to reference data to develop cycle system of lower limbs for rehabilitation.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.303-310
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• 2017

Purpose: This study observed the activity of trunk and lower limb muscles during a modified bridging exercise with various weight loads. Methods: The participants in this study consisted of 15 male adults. The muscle activity of the elector spinae, rectus abdominis, gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, tibialis anterior, and soleus muscles was measured with an EMG-8 system during a modified bridging exercise performed with various weight loads (indicated as percentage of body weight). Differences in muscle activity during the bridging exercise according to the weight load applied were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA, and post hoc analysis was performed using LSD. Statistical significance was accepted at a p-level of 0.05. Results: When the subjects performed the modified bridging exercise with various weight loads, the muscle activity of the gluteus maximus and vastus medialis peaked at a load of 0.5%. The activity of the gluteus medius showed a remarkable difference when the modified bridging exercise was performed at loads of 0% and 0.5%, 0% and 1%. In addition, the activity of the vastus medialis showed a remarkable difference between modified bridging exercises performed at a load of 0% and that performed at a load of 0.5%. Conclusion: The results suggest that performing modified bridging exercises with a load of 0.5% of body weight results in significant differences in the activity of the gluteus medius and vastus medialis muscles. Thus, it is suggested that performing the modified bridging exercise at 0.5% of body weight may selectively strengthen the gluteus medius and vastus medialis muscles.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.471-480
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• 2012

PURPOSE: The object of the present study is to investigate the effects of the insole supporting medial longitudinal arch while walking in spastic cerebral palsy with pes planus. METHODS: Ten spastic bilateral cerebral palsy children with pes planus participated in this study. The insole were custom-made for the individual child. Muscle activity was measured by surface EMGs attached on tibialis anterior (TA), gastrocnemius (GA), vastus medialis oblique (VMO), biceps femoris long head (BF). temporal-spatial parameters such as velocity, step length, stride length, stance time, toe angle were collected while the subjects walked on the GAITRite system. RESULTS: The results of the present study were summarized as follows: 1. Muscle activities in mean EMGs while walking: Left VMO, Right TA, Left BF and GA revealed significant reductions after applying insole. 2. Muscle activities in peak EMGs while walking: Left TA and BF demonstrated reductions significantly after applying insole. 3. There were improvements in temporal-spatial gait parameters with insole: velocity, both step length, Right stride length and Right toe angle were increased(p<.05). CONCLUSION: Therefore the current study demonstrated that insole supporting the medial longitudinal arch would be effective on gait of the spastic cerebral palsy with pes planus.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.59-66
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed (1) to identify asymmetry observed in electromyography (EMG) activity patterns of lower limb muscles between affected and unaffected sides of stroke patients during sit to stand (STS) movement and (2) to identify the muscles of the paretic lower limb that affected STS performance in stroke patients. Methods: This study consisted of 27 patients (15 males and 12 females) with poststroke hemiparesis. The activation of the rectus femoris (RF), tibialis anterior (TA), and gastrocnemius (GCM) of the affected side and unaffected side during STS movement were recorded using surface EMG. In addition, EMG lower limb muscle activation patterns were measured in the all section, pre-thigh off (pre-TO), and post-thigh off (post-TO) section. All measurements were obtained during five repetitions of the STS (FTSTS) movement. An independent t-test was performed to compare the affected side and unaffected side of the lower limb during the STS movement. A stepwise linear regression analysis was conducted to identify the muscles that affected STS performance. Results: Activation of both the RF and TA significantly affected the lower limb during the STS movement (p<0.05). Two muscles showed a difference on the post-TO section. The results of the stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that the RF and TA muscles of the affected lower limb were affected in FTSTS. Conclusion: These results provide a basis for reinforcement training, focusing on the RF and TA muscles of the affected side of stroke patients to improve asymmetric movement and performance in STS movement.