• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.203-212
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• 2021

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), including isoleucine, leucine, and valine, promote muscle protein synthesis. However, obesity may interfere with protein synthesis by dysregulating mitochondrial function in the muscles. This study aimed to examine the association between dietary intake levels of BCAA and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) in middle-aged participants, and the effect of obesity/abdominal obesity on this association. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The data of 3,966 men and women aged 50-64 years who participated in the 2008-2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed. Intake levels of energy-adjusted dietary amino acids were obtained using a 24-hour dietary recall. SMI was calculated by dividing the appendicular skeletal muscle mass by body weight (kg) and multiplying the result by 100%. Multivariable general linear models were used to analyze the association of dietary BCAA intake levels with SMI. RESULTS: The beneficial effects of energy-adjusted dietary BCAA intakes on SMI were greater in the non-obesity/non-abdominal obesity groups; however, no significant associations were observed in the obesity/abdominal obesity groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Healthy weight and sufficient intake of dietary BCAA are recommended to maintain muscle mass.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.31-40
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• 2023

Background: The purpose of this study was to confirm the effect of bridge exercise combined with vibration on abdominal muscle thickness. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: As study subjects, 24 adults in their 20s were classified into 12 vibration bridge exercise groups and 12 bridge exercise groups. The time was divided into before the experiment, 3 weeks after the experiment, and 6 weeks after the experiment. Two-way repeated ANOVA was used to examine changes in the muscle thickness of the external oblique, internal oblique, and transverse abdominal muscles of the trunk muscles, and the significance level was set at 0.05. If there was an interaction between time and group, post-hoc analysis was performed, and the significance level was set at 0.01. Results: There was a significant difference in the external oblique muscle in the change by period, the interaction between time and group, and the change between groups (p<0.05). There was a significant difference in the external oblique muscle in the change by period, the interaction between time and group, and the change between groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: As a result of this study, bridge exercise combined with vibration had a positive effect on the muscle thickness of the external oblique, internal oblique, and transversus abdominis muscles. It suggests the possibility of using the basic data of vibration exercise and the lumbar stabilization exercise in clinical practice.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.119-122
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• 2009

Traumatic abdominal wall hernia after blunt abdominal trauma is rare. The prevalence of traumatic abdominal wall hernia in published series is approximately 1%. Recently, by the use of computed tomography has increased the number of occult traumatic abdominal wall hernias (TAWH). A 47-year-old woman presented to the emergency room soon after a traffic accident. She was fully conscious and complained of diffuse, dull, abdominal pain. She had a seat belt on at the time of the accident. Initial computed tomography showed that the lower left abdominal wall had a defect and that a part of the small bowel had herniated through the defect. During the operation, we made an incision at the defect site and confirmed the defect. The defect size was about $15{\times}5cm$. The muscle layers were repaired in layers with absorbable sutures. Prolen mesh was layed down and fixed on the site of the repaired muscle defect. After 6 months, hernia had not recurred, and no weakness of the repaired abdominal wall layers was identified. The patient's postoperative body functions were normal.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.60-67
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• 2017

Background: Scapular downward rotation syndrome (SDRS) is a common scapular alignment impairment that causes insufficient upward rotation and muscle imbalance, shortened levator scapulae (LS) and rhomboid, and lengthened serratus anterior (SA) and trapezius. A modified shrug exercise (MSE), performing a shrug exercise with the shoulders at $150^{\circ}$ abduction, is known as an effective exercise to increase scapular stabilizer muscle activation. Previous studies revealed that scapular exercise are more effective when combined with trunk stabilization exercises in decreasing scapular winging and increasing scapular stabilizer muscle activation. Objects: The purpose of our study was to clarify the effect of MSE with or without trunk stabilization exercises in subjects with SDRS. Methods: Eighteen volunteer subjects (male=10, female=8) with SDRS were recruited for this experiment. All subjects performed MSE under 3 different conditions: (1) MSE, (2) MSE with an abdominal draw-in maneuver (ADIM), and (3) MSE with an abdominal expansion maneuver (AEM). The muscle thickness of the lower trapezius (LT) and the SA were measured using an ultrasonography in each condition. Electromyography (EMG) data were collected from the LT, LS, SA, and upper trapezius (UT) muscle activities. Data were statistically analysed using one-way repeated analysis of variance at a significance level of .05. Results: The muscle thickness of the LT and the SA were the significant different in the MSE, MSE with ADIM (MSE+ADIM) and MSE with AEM (MSE+AEM) conditions (p<.05) In both LT and SA, the order of thick muscle thickness was MSE+AEM, MSE+ADIM, and MSE alone. No significant differences were found in the EMG activities of the SA, UT, LS, and LT in all condition. Conclusion: In conclusion, MSE is more beneficial to people with SDRS when combined with trunk stabilization exercises by increased thickness of scapular stabilizer muscles.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.79-86
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• 2022

Background: Bird dog exercise (BDE) is one of the lumbar stabilization exercises that rehabilitate low back pain by co-contraction of the local and global muscles. Previous studies have reported the effect of various type of BDEs (for example, practicing the exercises on various surfaces and changing the limb movement) for muscle co-contraction. Objects: This study aimed to investigate the effect of knee joint flexion position of the raised lower limb on abdominal and back muscle activity during BDE in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Methods: Thirteen males participated in this study (age: 32.54 ± 4.48 years, height: 177.38 ± 7.17 cm). Surface electromyographic (SEMG) data of the internal abdominal oblique (IO), external abdominal oblique (EO), lumbar multifidus (MF), and thoracic part of the iliocostalis lumborum (ICLT) were collected in two knee joint flexion positions (90° flexion versus 0° flexion) during BDE. The SEMG data were expressed as a percentage of root mean square mean values obtained in the maximal voluntary isometric contraction. Results: Greater muscle activity of the IO (p = 0.001), MF (p = 0.009), and ICLT (p = 0.021) of the raised lower limb side and the EO (p = 0.001) and MF (p = 0.009) of the contralateral side were demonstrated in the knee joint flexion position compared to the knee joint extension position. Greater local/global activity ratios of the abdominal muscle (i.e., IO and EO) of the raised lower limb (p = 0.002) and the back muscle (i.e., MF and ICLT) of the contralateral side (p = 0.028) were also noted in the knee joint flexion position. Conclusion: BDE with a knee joint flexion position might be recommended as an alternative lumbar stabilization exercise to enhance muscle activity in both the raised lower limb and the contralateral sides of the trunk for individuals with CLBP.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.78-85
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• 2024

Objective: This Study aimed to examine the changes in muscle activity of trunk muscles by performing three squat exercises on normal adults. Design: cross-sectional study Methods: Thirty-two adult subjects participated in this study. General squat, overhead squat, and overhead squat combined with abdominal stabilization were randomly performed for 5 seconds, 3 times, to calculate the average muscle activation. Muscle activation was normalized using electrodes on the rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, and erector spinae muscles to measure maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) for 5 seconds, repeated 3 times each. Results: There was a significant difference in the mean and maximal muscle activity of the bilateral erector spinae (ES) when comparing the squat to the overhead squat (p<0.05). There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in the mean and maximal muscle activity of the bilateral external oblique (EO) when comparing the overhead squat to the overhead squat combined with the abdominal stabilization technique. When comparing the squat to the overhead squat with abdominal stabilization, there was a significant difference in the mean and maximum muscle activity of the bilateral RA, EO, and left Internal oblique (IO) (p<0.05), and there was a significant difference in the maximum muscle activity of the bilateral erector spinae (ES) (p<0.05). Post hoc tests showed significant differences between squatting methods for the RA, EO, IO, and ES (p<0.017). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that squats combined with abdominal stabilization were more effective at activating core muscles than squats or overhead squats alone.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.96-103
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of applied pressure to abdomen on lumbar and abdominal muscle activation during upper limb exercise. The experimental group consisted of twenty-seven healthy male subjects (mean age=$22.40{\pm}2.19years$, mean height=$175.30{\pm}2.19cm$, mean weight= $67.67{\pm}7.44kg$, RM=$8.43{\pm}2.76kg$). In each different pressure condition (OmmHg, 30mmHg, 70mmHg, 100mmHg), upper limb exercise was performed in total of 10 trials with 10 RM dumb-bell exercise. Lumbar and abdominal muscle activity was measured using surface bipolar electrode electromyography(EMG). EMG activity was measured from upper rectus abdominis, external oblique abdominis, internal oblique abdominis, and elector spinae. The raw EMG signal was processed into the root mean square(RMS). All RMS EMG data were normalized and express as a percentage of the EMG(%EMG). Collected data were statistically analyzed by SPSS/PC Ver 10.0 using two-way analysis of variance for repeated measures($4{\pm}3$) and Bonferroni post hoc, test. Lumbar and abdominal muscle activation was significantly increased when 100 mmHg was applied(p<.05). Upper rectus abdominis activation was significantly increased compared as other muscles activation(p<.05). However, there were no interaction between pressure and muscles(p>.05). The findings of this study can be used as a fundamental data when lumbar orthosis is applied and external pressure can be used as a therapeutic tool.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.1-7
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• 2014

Lumbopelvic stabilization exercise has become the most popular treatment method in lumbar rehabilitation since its effectiveness was shown in some aspects of pain and disability. The abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) has been extensively implemented to promote lumbopelvic stability. However, performing ADIM correctly is difficult even for healthy subjects, and it is time consuming to train people in ADIM. Thus, the purpose of this study was to compare abdominal muscle [rectus abdominalis (RA), external oblique (EO), and transverse abdominis/internal oblique (TrA/IO)] activity during lumbopelvic stabilization exercises (ADIM only, ADIM with a ball, maximum exhalation only, and maximum exhalation with a ball) performed in a supine position with feet against a wall. Fifteen healthy subjects were recruited for this study. Surface electromyography was used to measure abdominal muscle activity during lumbopelvic stabilization exercises. A one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to determine the statistical significance of RA, EO, and TrA/IO muscle activity during four lumbopelvic stabilization exercises. Both-side TrA/IO muscle activity was significantly greater with maximum exhalation with a ball than with ADIM only or ADIM with a ball (p<.008). The results of this study suggest that maximum exhalation with a ball can be used as an effective lumbopelvic stabilization exercise to increase TrA/IO muscle activity in healthy subjects.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.159-166
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• 2017

Purpose: This study attempts to determine the effects of applying three kinds of breathing exercises for four weeks on the neck muscle activation of subjects with a forward head posture. Methods: A total of 30 adults aged in their twenties (15 men and 15 women) with a forward head posture who voluntarily agreed to participate after listening to the purpose and procedure of this research were chosen as the subjects of this study. The subjects were randomly divided into either the diaphragmatic breathing exercise (DBE) group, the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) group, or the abdominal expansion method (AEM) group according to the breathing intervention scheme. Each group included ten subjects. The muscle activity of the sternocleidomastoid, scalenus anterior, and splenius capitis was measured in all the groups prior to the intervention, two weeks after the intervention, and four weeks after the intervention. All the interventions were implemented for 30 minutes a day, three times a week, for a total of four weeks. Results: No significant between-group difference was observed in terms of the change in neck muscle activity according to the four-week intervention scheme. Further, there was no interaction between the intervention period and the intervention scheme in relation to the change in neck muscle activity. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that abdominal expansion exercise is as effective as other breathing exercise methods for subjects with a forward head posture. We therefore expect that abdominal expansion exercise can be used as a scheme for the prevention of symptoms as well as therapy for patients with a forward head posture.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.258-263
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• 2015

Purpose: This study investigated effects of deep abdominal muscle strengthening exercises on pulmonary function and the ability to balance in stroke patients and was conducted to propose an exercise program for improving cardiovascular function. Methods: Study subjects were 20 patients with hemiplegia due to stroke, who were divided into the deep abdominal muscle strengthening exercise group (experimental group), 10, and the control group, 10. Pulmonary function tests measured FVC and FEV1, dynamic balance ability was measured using TUG. Static and dynamic balance ability was measured using BBS. The experimental group performed exercises during a period of 6 weeks, 5 times a week for 40 minutes, whereas the control group did not participate in regular exercise. The difference before and after the exercise was compared using paired t-test, difference in exercise before and after between groups was ANCOVA and level of significance was set at ${\alpha}=0.05$. Results: The changes in FVC and FEV1 within the group showed a significant difference only in the experimental group (p<0.001) (p<0.01), between-group difference was statistically significant only in FVC and FEV1 changes in the experimental group (p<0.001). The TUG changes within the group showed a significant difference in the experimental group and control group (p<0.001) (p<0.05), while BBS changes showed a significant difference only in the experimental group. Between-group difference was statistically significant only in TUG and BBS changes in the experimental group. The experimental group showed a more effective significant difference than the control group (p<0.001). Conclusion: Can exercise involving a deep abdominal muscle strengthening program be applied in patients with stroke with difficulty in control of trunk and decreased breathing ability?