• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.41-51
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• 2023

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of underwater and ground proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation lower extremity pattern exercise on trunk control and lower extremity muscle activity of chronic stroke patients. Design: Pretest-posttest design: single blind. Methods: The subjects were 28 patients (experimental group, n=14 or control group, n=14) diagnosed with chronic stroke. The experimental group performed underwater proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation lower extremity pattern exercise. The control group performed ground proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation lower extremity pattern exercise. Training was conducted once a day for 30 minutes, five days per week for six. Trunk control was measured using the Trunk Impairment Scale. Lower extremity muscle activity was measured using surface electromyography. Results: As a result of comparison within groups, the experimental and control group showed significant difference for trunk control after the experiment (p<0.05). In comparison between two groups, the experimental group showed more significant difference in trunk control than the control group (p<0.05). In comparison within groups, the experimental group showed significant difference for lower extremity muscle activity after the experiment (p<0.05). In comparison between two groups, the experimental group showed more significant difference in lower extremity muscle activity than the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: Based on these results, underwater proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation lower extremity pattern exercise effectively improved the trunk control and lower extremity muscle activity of chronic stroke patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.111-121
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• 2021

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of core stability exercise on the strength, activation of the trunk muscle, and pulmonary function in a Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) patient. METHODS: A 38-year-old male with GBS was enrolled in the study. A core stability exercise program was implemented for four weeks with a duration of 30 min/day and a frequency of three days/week. The program consisted of abdominal crunch, Swiss ball crunch, bicycle crunch, medicine ball sit-up with a toss, medicine ball rotational chest pass, raised upper body and lower body, and dead bug. Measurements of the strength of the trunk muscle (trunk flexion and hip flexion), activation of trunk muscles (rectus femoris; RA, external oblique abdominal; EOA, internal oblique abdominal; IOA, erector spinae; ES), and pulmonary function (forced expiratory capacity; FVC, forced expiratory volume at one second; FEV1) were taken before and after four weeks of core stability exercise. RESULTS: The strength of trunk muscles increased in the trunk and hip flexion after four weeks of core stability exercise, respectively, compared to the baseline levels. Activation of the trunk muscles increased in RA, EOA, and IOA after four weeks of core stability exercise compared to baseline levels, but decreased in ES after four weeks of core stability exercise compared to the baseline levels. The pulmonary function increased in FVC and FEV1 after four weeks of core stability exercise compared to the baseline levels. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that core stability exercise improves strength, Activation of the trunk muscle, And pulmonary function in patients with GBS.

• International Journal of Contents
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.72-77
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of general sling-bridge exercise (GSE) and sling-bridge exercise with rhythmic stabilization technique (SER) on trunk muscle endurance and flexibility in adolescents with low back pain (LBP). 30 adolescents who had complaints of LBP were randomly assigned to one of the two groups: the GSE group (n=15) and SER group (n=15). Subjects performed each exercise programs for 4 weeks with the aim of improving trunk muscle stability; GSE group trained general bridge exercise with sling, SER group trained rhythmic stabilization bridge exercise with sling. The static and dynamic trunk muscle endurance and flexibility were measured before and at the end of the exercise program. The static and dynamic trunk muscle endurance were significantly improved in both groups (p<.05) and the SER group showed significant difference from the GSE group after the exercise (p<.05). The trunk muscle flexibility was significantly improved in both groups (p<.05) and the SER group were significantly different from GSE group post-exercise (p<.05). The results of this study showed that sling bridge exercise with rhythmic stabilization technique may be appropriate for improving trunk muscle stability in adolescents with LBP.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.146-150
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of active vibration exercise on trunk muscle activity, balance, and activities of daily living in patients with chronic stroke. Methods: Twenty-four patients with chronic stroke were randomly assigned to an experimental (n=12) or a control (n=12) group. The experimental group performed an active vibration exercise workout for 20 minutes a day five times a week for 4 weeks using a flexi-bar. Trunk muscle activity was measured using surface electromyography. Balance was measured using the Berg balance scale. Activities of daily living were measured using the functional independence measure. Results: The intragroup comparison showed significant differences in the rectus abdominis, internal oblique, and external oblique muscle activity values, Berg balance scale score, and functional independence measurement values in the experimental group. The intergroup comparison showed that differences in the rectus abdominis and internal oblique external oblique muscle values, Berg balance scale score, and functional independence measurement value for the experimental group were significantly related to those in the control group. Conclusion: Based on these results, this study proved that the active vibration exercise effectively improved trunk muscle activity, balance, and activities of daily living in patients with chronic stroke.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.31-39
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• 2009

This study is performed to investigate the difference of the spinal stability system with and without low back pain. There were 9 participants with low back pain and 9 asymptomatic subjects to be recruited, they were measured thoracic and lumbar curvature, trunk muscle activation in upright sitting postures and slump sitting, back muscle endurance, and lumbar proprioception. Spinal curvature and surface electromyography of 4 trunk muscles were measured in an upright sitting postures and slump sitting in 18 subjects. The result of the study was that there were significant differences between the groups in spinal curvature (p<.05), significantly higher external oblique activity and less internal oblique in the low back pain group than the healthy subjects (p<.05), and significantly less proprioception in the low back pain group (p<.05). But there was not a significant difference between the trunk muscle endurance groups. According to the result, the low back pain group had greater thoracic extension and higher global muscle activity in the upright sitting posture and less proprioception. This study was useful to suggest postural training for normal muscle activation, selective muscle strengthening to prevent chronic deterioration, and helpful in making a treatment plan to indicate a synthetic care method that includes increasing proprioception.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.340-345
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• 2023

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of thoracic spine and ankle joint alignment on trunk and upper limb muscle activity during trunk forward lean exercise using a sling. Methods: 25 subjects participated in this study. All subjects performed trunk forward lean exercise using a sling under four conditions according to the alignment of the thoracic spine and ankle joints. Trials were performed 3 times in each condition. Muscle activity of the trunk and upper extremity was measured using electromyography. Results: In the dorsiflexion, the thoracic kyphosis condition showed significantly higher muscle activity in the pectoralis major, rectus abdominis, latissimus dorsi, transverse abdominis than dorsiflexion(p<0.05). In the plantar flexion, thoracic kyphosis condition showed significantly higher muscle activity in pectoralis major, transverse abdominis, latissimus dorsi muscle activity than dorsiflexion(p<0.05). Conclusions: Regardless of ankle alignment, thoracic kyphosis condition increased the activity of the pectoralis major, transverse abdominis, latissimus dorsi. Therefore, regardless of the alignment of the ankle, it is recommended to perform the trunk forward lean exercise using a sling in thoracic kyphosis.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.383-391
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• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dynamic squats with slope-whole body vibration (WBV) on the trunk and lower limb in muscle activities. Method : 9 healthy women (age: $21.1{\pm}0.6years$, height: $160.5{\pm}1.4cm$, body weight: $50.5{\pm}2.4kg$) were recruited for this study. Muscle activities in the trunk and lower limb muscles, including biceps femoris (BF), rectus femoris (RF), rectus abdominum (RA), gastrocnemius (GCM), iliocostalis lumborum (IL) and tibialis anterior (TA), were recorded using an EMG measurement system. The test was performed by conducting dynamic squats with slope-WBV using frequency (10Hz, 50Hz), amplitude (0.5mm), and degree ($0^{\circ}$, $5^{\circ}$). Experimental method consisted of 2-pre-sessions and 1-test-session for 20 seconds. Results : The results showed that the muscle activities of the trunk and low limb muscles increased significantly with the $5^{\circ}$ slope and lower frequency (10Hz) except for in the TA. From this result, we confirmed that the slope and WBV could efficiently affect stimulation, enhancing muscle activities by facilitating neural control trail and muscle chain tightness. Conclusion : Utilizing the slope-WBV device while squatting could give positive effects on muscle activation in the trunk and lower limb muscles and provide neural stimulation, enhancing muscle chain of control subsystem through TVR (tonic vibration reflex).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.85-91
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• 2017

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare muscle activation of the trunk and lower limbs of subjects wearing high-heeled or flat shoes while crossing over obstacles of different heights. METHODS: Twenty subjects participated in this study. While wearing high-heeled shoes (7 cm) or flat shoes (0 cm), the subjects were asked to cross over obstacles of different heights (10%, 20%, and 30% of their lower-limb length). Muscle activation of the trunk and lower limbs with the supported side while crossing over obstacles of different heights was measured using the electromyogram (Noraxon, DTS, Germany). Two-way repeated ANOVA was used to compare the muscle activation between high-heel shoes and flat shoes while crossing over obstacles of different heights. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS ver. 21, and p-values less than .05 were used to identify significant differences. RESULTS: As an obstacle's height increased, muscle activation of the trunk and lower limbs with the supported side was increased while wearing either type of shoe, and it was generally higher while wearing high-heeled shoes. However, tibialis anterior muscle activity while wearing high-heeled shoes was lower than while wearing flat shoes. CONCLUSION: This study showed that muscle activation of the trunk and lower limbs was higher when subjects wore high-heeled shoes than when they wore flat shoes while crossing over obstacles of different heights. Therefore, high-heeled shoes can easily cause high muscle fatigue of the trunk and lower limbs, and the TA muscle may weaken in persons who wear high-heeled shoes.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.175-186
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• 2019

Objective: Non-specific chronic low back pain (NS-CLBP) has been related to abnormal trunk muscle activations, but literature reported considerable variability in muscle amplitudes of NS-CLBP patients during prolonged sitting periods. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the differences among homogenous NS-CLBP subgroups in muscle activity, using muscle co-contraction indices as a more objective approach, and their roles on pain development during a 1-hour period of prolonged sitting. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Twenty NS-CLBP subjects with motor control impairment (MCI) [10 classified as having flexion pattern disorder, and 10 with active extension pattern disorder], and 10 healthy controls participated in the study. Subjects followed a 1-hour sitting protocol on a standard office chair. Four trunk muscle activities including amplitudes and co-contraction indices were recorded using electromyography over the 1-hour period. Perceived back pain intensity was recorded using a numeric pain rating scale every 10 minutes throughout the sitting period. Results: All study groups presented with no significantly distinctive trunk muscle activities at the beginning of sitting, nor did they change over time when pain increased to a significant level. Both MCI subgroups reported a similarly significant increase in pain behavior through mid-sitting (p<0.001). However, after mid-sitting, they significantly differed from each other in pain (p<0.01) but did not differ in the levels of muscle activation. Conclusions: This study was the first to highlight the similarities in trunk muscle activities among homogenous NS-CLBP patients related to MCI and compared them to healthy controls while sitting for an extended period of time, and the significant increase in pain over the 1-hour sitting might not be attributed to trunk muscle activation.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.35-43
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• 2009

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to measure the change of strength of trunk flexion and extension on abdominal and back muscles. Methods : Each taping group 1(n=14), taping group 2(n=14), taping group 3(n=14) and control group(n=15) were measured a muscle strength by Biodex at first test, second test, third test and forth test in 3 days. Results : The strength of trunk flexion and extension was significantly different among the experimental groups (p<.05). It also shows that significant increasing of muscle strength at 48 hours after application of taping (p<.05). Conclusion : In conclusion, we were found that taping technique base on taping type show immediately assistance of muscle strength and enduring effect for 48 hours.