• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.231-238
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• 2013

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to find out the thickness variation of the superficial and deep abdominal muscles by measuring the thickness of the abdominal muscles. METHODS: 35 young, healthy adults(24 mens and 11 womens) participated in this study. The first, when only bridge exercise we had measured the thickness of their abdominal muscles by the ultrasound. The second, when the abdominal drawing-in during maintaining the bridge exercise we had measured the thickness of their abdominal muscles by the ultrasound. A pared t-test was used to determine a statistical significance for the thickness variation of the superficial and deep abdominal muscles. RESULTS: Results of before and after comparative analysis. The surperficial muscles(rectus abdominis, external obilique) statistically significantly reduced in the thickness and the deep muscle(transeverse abdominis) statistically significantly increased in the thickness. CONCLUSION: We have shown that the abdominal drawing-in exercise during maintaining the bridge exercise was effective to increase in strengthening abdominal deep muscle selectively.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.67-74
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• 2005

The purpose of this study is to compare and analyze the muscle activations between the professional golfers without low back pain symptom and the professional golfers with low back pain symptom, and so identify the stress related to golf swings, and provide the basic data to minimize the low back pain and the injury risk. Using surface electrode electromyography, we evaluated muscle activity in 6 male professional golfers during the golf drive swing. Surface electrodes were used to record the level of muscle activity in the Abdominal Oblique, Elector Spinae, Rectus Abdominis, Gluteus Maximus muscles during the golfer's swing. These signals were compared with %RVC(Reference voluntary contraction) which was normalized by IEMG(Integrated EMG). The golf swing was divided into five phases: take away, forward swing, acceleration, early follow through, late follow through. we observed patterns of trunk muscle activity throughout five phases of the golf swing. The results can be summarized as follows: RES(Right Elector Spinae) had statistically significant difference in take away phase, LGM(Left Gluteus Maximus), LRA(Left Rectus Abdominis), LOA(Left Oblique Abdominal) had statistically significant difference in forward swing phase, RES(Right Elector Spinae), RGM(Right Gluteus Maximus), ROA(Right Oblique Abdominal) had statistically significant difference in acceleration phase, RES(Right Elector Spinae), RGM(Right Gluteus Maximus) had statistically significant difference in early follow-through phase, LES(Left Elector Spinae), RGM(Right Gluteus Maximus) had statistically significant difference in late follow through phase.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.401-409
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• 2019

Purpose: This study investigated the muscular activity of abdominal muscles during a variety of plank exercises following changes in the leg and head positions. Methods: Thirty healthy individuals participated in this study. They performed six variations of plank exercises, including three changes in head position and two changes in leg position. Each plank was defined as head neutral-leg neutral, head up-leg neutral, head down-leg neutral, head neutral-leg wide, head up-leg wide, and head down-leg wide. During the plank excises, the muscle activities of the rectus abdominis, internal oblique, erector spinae, and upper trapezius were measured. Results: The head down position significantly increased the rectus abdominis activity compared to other head positions (p<0.05). On the other hand, the upper trapezius muscle activity was significantly higher with the head up position compared to other head positions (p<0.05). Regardless of head positions, both the rectus abdominis and internal oblique muscles were significantly activated with leg wide position compared to the leg neutral position (p<0.05). Conclusion: Head and leg positions could change the muscular activities of abdominal muscles during plank exercises. For example, the head down position is effective for activating the rectus abdominis while the leg wide position could be advantageous for enhancing the internal oblique and rectus abdominis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.77-84
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• 2020

PURPOSE: This study compared the activities of the trunk muscles during crutch walking to determine which of the crutch length measurements is most beneficial. METHODS: Twenty young women volunteered to participate in this study. After adjusting crutch length, the participants performed a three-point walking with nondominant leg limited in weight bearing. This study used six crutch length measurements: (1) Height-40.6cm, (2) Height'.77, (3) Olecranon-to-finger length, (4) Axillary-toheel length, (5) Arm-span length-40.6cm, and (6) Arm-span length'.77. The EMG activities of the internal oblique (IO), rectus abdominis (RA), multifidus (MF), and erector spinae (ES), muscles on the weight bearing side were monitored using wireless surface EMG. RESULTS: The EMG activities of the RA and ES appeared to be significantly different among the crutch length measurements (p<.05). The post-hoc test showed that the 'Arm-span length-40.6cm' was significantly greater in the RA activity when compared to the 'Height'.77' and 'Axillary-to-heel length' measurements, and in the ES activity when compared to 'Height'.77' measurements. Furthermore, IO/RA and MF/ES ratios showed significant differences among the crutch length measurements (p<.05). In the post-hoc test, significant difference was observed between 'Olecranon-to-finger length' and 'Arm-span length-40.6cm' for the IO/RA ratio, and between 'Height'.77' and 'Olecranon-to-finger length' and between 'Height'.77' and 'Arm-span length-40.6cm' measurement for the MF/ES ratio. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the 'Height'.77' measurement is relatively advantageous to optimize the activities of trunk muscles during the crutch walking, and allow simple measurements of the crutch length.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.43-47
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• 2008

Background: Acute brachial plexitis is an acute idiopathic inflammatory disease affecting brachial plexus, which is characterized by initial severe pain in shoulder followed by profound weakness of affected arm. This is a retrospective study to evaluate the clinical and electrophysiological profile of acute brachial plexitis. Methods: Sixteen patients with acute brachial plexitis were sampled. The electrodiagnostic studies included motor and sensory nerve conduction studies (NCSs) of the median and ulnar, sensory NCSs of medial and lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerves, and needle electromyography (EMG) of selected muscles of upper extremities and cervical paraspinal muscles. The studies were performed on both sides irrespective of the clinical involvement. Results: In most of our patient, upper trunk was predominantly affected (14 patients, 87.50%). Only two patients showed either predominant lower trunk affection or diffuse affection of brachial plexus. All had an acute pain followed by the development of muscle weakness of shoulder girdle after a variable interval ($7{\pm}8.95$ days). Ten patients (62.50%) had severe disability. In NCSs, the most frequent abnormality was abnormal lateral antebrachial cutaneous sensory nerve action potentials (SNAPs). On needle EMG, all the patients showed abnormal EMG findings in affected muscles. Conclusions: In this study, pain was the presenting feature in all patients, and the territory innervated by upper trunk of the brachial plexus was most frequently involved. The most common NCS abnormality was abnormal SNAP in lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve. Our findings support that the electrodiagnostic test is useful in localizing the trunk involvement in acute brachial plexitis.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.6767-6773
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• 2014

The study examined the effects of trunk pattern exercise in proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) integrated transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the muscle activity and balance, walking speed in stroke patient. Thirty-one patients with hemiplegia due to stroke were assigned to either the experimental group (n=15) or control group (n=16). Both groups performed trunk pattern training in PNF for 3 times per week over a 6 week period for 20 minutes per session. The experimental group performed additional tDCS for 20 minutes. A comparison of the two groups after the intervention showed that the exercise program in experimental group had a more significant on the gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior and balance than the control group (p<.05). This showed that trunk pattern exercise in PNF integrated tDCS had a positive effect on the functional recovery of the lower extremity in stroke patients.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the pelvic compression belt (PCB) on the electromyography (EMG) activities of trunk muscles during sit-to-stand (SitTS), and stand-to-sit (StandTS) tasks. Twenty healthy subjects (7 men and 13 women) were recruited for this study. The subjects performed SitTS, and StandTS tasks, with and without a PCB. Surface EMG was used to record activity of the internal oblique (IO), external oblique (EO), rectus abdominis (RA), erector spinae (ES), and multifidus (MF) of the dominant limb. EMG activity significantly decreased in the RA (without the PCB, $8.34{\pm}6.04$ %maximal voluntary isometric contraction [%MVIC]; with the PCB, $7.64{\pm}5.11$ %MVIC), EO (without the PCB, $14.83{\pm}11.82$ %MVIC; with the PCB, $11.98{\pm}7.60$ %MVIC), MF (without the PCB, $21.74{\pm}7.76$ %MVIC; with the PCB, $18.50{\pm}8.04$ %MVIC), and ES (without the PCB, $18.39{\pm}7.16$ %MVIC; with the PCB, $16.63{\pm}6.31$ %MVIC) during the SitTS task and in the IO (without the PCB, $20.58{\pm}15.60$ %MVIC; with the PCB, $17.27{\pm}12.32$ %MVIlC), RA (without the PCB, $8.04{\pm}5.68$ %MVIC; with the PCB, $7.40{\pm}4.71$ %MVIC), EO (without the PCB, $13.29{\pm}8.80$ %MVIC; with the PCB, $11.24{\pm}6.14$ %MVIC), MF (without the PCB, $18.59{\pm}7.64$ %MVIC; with the PCB, $15.86{\pm}6.48$ %MVIC), and ES (without the PCB, $17.14{\pm}6.44$ %MVIC; with the PCB, $15.46{\pm}5.62$ %MVIC) during the StandTS task when a PCB was used (p<.05). In men the EMG activity of the MF significantly decreased during the SitTS task when a PCB was used (p<.05): in women, the EMG activity of the RA, EO, MF, and ES during the SitTS task and that of the EO, MF, and ES during the SitTS task significantly decreased when a PCB was used (p<.05). In addition, the rates of change in the EMG activity of each muscle differed significantly during the SitTS and StandTS tasks before and after the use of the PCB. However, the EMG activity did not significantly differ between the male and female subjects. These findings suggest that the PCB may contribute to the modification of activation patterns of the trunk muscles during SitTS, and StandTS tasks.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.201-208
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• 2020

Objective: This study aimed to identify the effects of performing shoulder and hip abduction during the V-sit exercise on abdominal muscle activity. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Thirty healthy adults volunteered for this experiment. The participants randomly performed 6 types of V-sit exercises, including V-sit alone (hip 0°, shoulder 0°), V-sit with hip abduction 0° and shoulder abduction 15°, V-sit with hip abduction 0° and shoulder abduction 30°, V-sit with hip abduction 15° and shoulder abduction 0°, V-sit with shoulder and hip abduction 15°, and V-sit with shoulder abduction 30° and hip abduction 15°. EMG data were recorded from the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and internal oblique (IO) muscles of both sides. All abdominal EMG data during the six types of V-sit exercises were measured for 5 seconds, three times, and recorded for the middle 3 seconds excluding the 1 second at the start and end. Results: V-sit with shoulder abduction 30° resulted in significantly greater muscle activity of both RA, EO compared to shoulder abduction 0°, shoulder abduction 15° (p<0.05) and V-sit with shoulder abduction 15° showed significantly greater muscle activation of the RA compared with shoulder abduction 0° (p<0.05). The muscle activity of both EO and IO in the V-sit with hip abduction 15° was significantly greater than hip abduction 0° in all shoulder conditions (p<0.05). Conclusions: Greater angles of shoulder and hip abduction produced more abdominal muscle activity increases during the V-sit exercises. Shoulder abduction affected the RA, EO muscle activation and hip abduction affected the EO, IO muscle activation. This study showed that shoulder and hip abduction during V-sit exercises enabled effective activation of the trunk muscles.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.130-136
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• 2010

For stability analysis of the lumbar spine, the hypothesis presented is that the disc has stress sensors driving feedback mechanism, which could react to the imposed loads by adjusting the contraction of the muscles. Fusion in the motion segment of the lumbar spinal column is believed to alter the stability of the spinal column. To identify this effect finite element (FE) models combined with optimization technique was applied and quantify the role of each muscle and reaction forces in the spinal column with respect to the fusion level. The musculoskeletal FE model was consisted with detailed whole lumbar spine, pelvis, sacrum, coccyx and simplified trunk model. Vertebral body and pelvis were modeled as a rigid body and the rib cage was constructed with rigid truss element for the computational efficiency. Spinal fusion model was applied to L3-L4, L4-L5, L5-S1 (single level) and L3-L5 (two levels) segments. Muscle architecture with 46 local muscles was used as acting directions. Minimization of the nucleus pressure deviation and annulus fiber average axial stress deviation was selected for cost function. As a result, spinal fusion produced reaction changes at each motion segment as well as contribution of each muscle. Longissimus thoracis and psoas major muscle showed dramatic changes for the cases of L5-S1 and L3-L5 level fusion. Muscle force change at each muscle also generated relatively high nucleus pressure not only at the adjacent level but at another level, which can explain disc degeneration pattern observed in clinical study.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.319-327
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• 2012

Purpose : This study aimed to identify the asymmetry observed in the rehabilitative ultrasound imaging of lateral abdominal muscle thickness and performance between the affected and unaffected side during the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM), an exercise used to facilitate activation of selectively TrA to stabilize the trunk prior to limb movement. Methods : The Participants were twenty one patients with post-stroke hemiplegia in this study. Ultrasound imaging was used to measure amount of changes in thickness of the external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO), transversus abdominis (TrA). A Paired t-test was used to compare relaxed muscle thickness to contracted muscle thickness of all 3 muscles between the affected and unaffected sides. Results : The outcome measures included side to side differences of absolute thickness, contraction ratio among the lateral abdominal muscles. There was no significantly difference in between the affected and unaffected side at rest. But, there was a significantly difference in absolute muscle thickness between the affected and unaffected side of only TrA muscle. Also contraction ratio was a significantly difference between the affected and unaffected TrA muscle. Conclusion : These findings support the asymmetrical activation of TrA muscle during abdominal muscle contraction in patients with post-stroke hemiplegia. Further studies are warranted for confirming this outcome.