• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.75-88
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• 2020

Purpose : Dysmenorrhea can be caused by misalignment of the pelvis. Since pilates stabilization exercise is a methods that affects pelvic alignment by inducing contraction of abdominal muscles, the purpose of this study is to determine whether dysmenorrhea is reduced when pilates stabilization exercise is applied. Methods : 47 dysmenorrhea patients were randomly divided into experimental (n=23) and control (n=24) groups. The experimental group performed pilates stabilization exercise three times a week for 12 weeks, and the control group did not perform any intervention. Abdominal muscle thickness, lumbar pelvic alignment, and dysmenorrhea were measured before intervention, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks after intervention to determine the mean change over time and the effect of group and factor interactions (repeated measured ANOVA and contrast test for each period). Results : In the experimental group, the thickness of the transverse abdominis, internal oblique, and external oblique muscles were increased significantly by group and period (p<.05). The pelvic torsion, lordosis and dysmenorrhea were also significantly decreased by group and period. But the control group did not change significantly in any of the variables. Conclusion : Applying pilates stabilization exercise to women with dysmenorrhea may be an effective intervention that contributes to relieving dysmenorrhea by correcting the stability and alignment of the lumbar pelvis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.33-40
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• 2016

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of stable and unstable surfaces on abdominal muscle thickness and changes in trunk muscle thickness in accordance with breathing methods during bridging exercises. METHODS: Bridging exercise on a stable surface, bridging exercise on an unstable surface, bridging exercise using a drawing-in maneuver on a stable surface, bridging exercise using a drawing-in maneuver on an unstable surface, bridging exercise using bracing on a stable surface, bridging exercise using bracing on an unstable surface. In sequence, the muscles' thickness was measured three times before and after each exercise, and the measured value was averaged. RESULTS: There were significant differences in internal oblique and transversus abdominis muscles' thickness in the drawing-in maneuver in both stable and unstable surface (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in external oblique muscle's thickness in the bridging exercise in both stable and unstable surface. The type of surface did not have a significant influence on the abdominal muscles' thickness. CONCLUSION: As a result of the study, the drawing-in maneuver had a greater effect than bridging or bracing maneuver on muscle thickness. We suggest that drawing-in maneuver will be more effective in a person with a weak abdominal muscle.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.159-163
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the interaction among the neck, trunk, and lower extremities on the non-paretic side in head rotation along with non-paretic-side weight shifting of stroke patients. To compare stroke patients' ability to control posture through muscle activity variation related to pertubation during head rotation along with the non-paretic limb. Methods: We tested 15 hemiplegic patients and 15 normal individuals. Each group's muscle activity was measured by electromyography in neutral head position and head rotation position. We compared each group's resu lt based on measured values in patients' non-paretic neck muscles, trunk muscles, and lower limbs muscles activation. Results: The study showed that muscle activity increased in the sternocleidomastoid muscle (102.26%, 53.00%), splenius capitis muscle (97.93%, 54.93%), erector spinae muscle (241.00%, 127.60%), external oblique abdominal muscle (256.66%, 152.00%), and internal oblique abdominal muscle (252.80%, 152.6%), peroneus longus muscle (117.53%, 137.13%) and gastrocnemius muscle (119.06%, 137.20%), while the results for the sternocleidomastoid muscle, splenius capitis muscle, erector spinae muscle, external oblique abdominal muscle, internal oblique abdominal muscle, peroneus longus muscle, and gastrocnemius muscle showed a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). Conclusion: It is hard for stroke patients to engage in normal movement control under suggested conditions because of the insufficient movement against gravity on the stroke patient's non-paretic side and impaired cooperative patterns. To solve these problems, patients need their bodies to improve through effective movement, resulting in advanced control of their effective and functional activity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.71-82
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• 2023

PURPOSE: This study examined the effect of training using video content on abdominal muscle thickness, Oswestry disability index (ODI), and pain in college students with chronic back pain. METHODS: Twenty-nine college students with chronic back pain participated in this study. The subjects were assigned randomly to 15 experimental groups who trained using video content and 14 control groups who exercised voluntarily using back exercise leaflets. The video used for the intervention was obtained from YouTube, and the difficulty level of the video was classified into six levels. Both groups participated in the intervention for 40 minutes/day, three times a week for six weeks, and the variables of abdominal muscle thickness, ODI, and pain were compared before and after the intervention. RESULTS: In the experimental group, there were statistically significant changes in the thickness of the internal oblique and transverse abdominis muscles, ODI, and pain after the intervention, except for the external oblique muscle (p < .05). In the control group, there was no statistically significant difference in all variables after the intervention (p > .05). A statistically significant difference in all variables was observed between the experimental group and the control group after the intervention except for the external oblique muscle (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Treatment of chronic low back pain using video content is a possible alternative treatment if quality images are selected and the difficulty levels are adjusted.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.15-24
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• 2017

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of supplementary verbal encouragement according to the gender on the activation of abdominal muscles during performance of crunch exercise in healthy subjects. METHODS: A Total of 32 healthy subjects (15 male and 17 female) were randomly allocated to two conditions, crunch exercise with Ki-hap and verbal encouragement with same gender (CKVS) and crunch exercise with Ki-hap and verbal encouragement with different gender (CKVD). The interventions were conducted over three trials in each condition, and measurements were performed on each subject by one examiner in three trials. The activation of rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, and transverse abdominis muscles were evaluated using electromyography (EMG) during performance of crunch exercise with Ki-hap and verbal encouragement with same gender or different gender, respectively. RESULTS: The results showed that there were no significantly difference in the activation of all abdominal muscles in those of the CKVS compared with the CKVD (p>.05). The results also showed that there were no significantly difference in the ratio of muscle activation at global muscle to that at local muscle between two conditions (p>.05). CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrated that application of the supplementary verbal encouragement by gender does not affect to activate the abdominal muscles of subject to perform a movement, at the same time, it would suggest positive evidence for improving activation of abdominal muscles.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.25-32
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• 2017

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of ribcage stabilization using a belt in the supine position during double leg lowering (DLL) by investigating the electromyographic (EMG) activities of the abdominal muscles. Methods : Twenty-two subjects with lumbar extension syndrome were recruited. EMG activity was recorded from rectus abdominalis (RA) and internal oblique abdominalis (IO), external oblique abdominalis (EO) muscles while subjects performed three double leg lowering exercises: double leg lowering (DLL), double leg lowering with abdominal draw-in maneuver (DLL-ADIM), and double leg lowering with ribcage stabilization using a belt (DLL-belt). RA, IO, and EO EMG activity were analyzed via one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Bonferroni correction was performed where significant differences were identified (p<.017, .05/3). Results : RA, IO, and EO EMG activity differed significantly among the three exercises (p<.05). The use of post hoc pair-wise comparison with Bonferroni correction showed that RA muscle activity significantly differed among the three exercises (p<.017), and IO muscle activity in the DLL exercise was significantly decreased compared to the DLL-ADIM and DLL-belt exercises (p<.017). There was no significant difference between IO muscle activity for DLL-ADIM and DLL-belt exercises (p>.017). EO muscle activity in the DLL-belt exercise was significantly increased compared to both DLL and DLL-ADIM exercises (p<.017), but there was no significant difference between EO muscle activity for DLL and DLL-ADIM exercises (p>.017). Conclusion : DLL-belt is a more effective exercise for activating the abdominal muscles than DLL-ADIM exercise. Therefore, we recommend DLL-belt exercises for strengthening the abdominal muscles.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.215-222
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate abdominal local muscle activity during modified bridge exercise. 17 subjects participated in this study. Abdominal muscles measured. External oblique abdominis (EO), internal oblique abdominis (IO), transvers abdominis (TrA), and rectus abdominis (RA) during general bridge exercise and modified bridge exercise, respectively. Electromyogram (EMG) and real-time ultrasound were used to verify alteration of muscles. Activation of RA and EO muscles of non-dominant foot was significantly difference in general bridge exercise group, not modifiedl bridge exercise group. In the modified bridge exercise group, thickness of IO and TrA muscle of non-dominant foot was significantly difference in modified bridge exercise group than general bridge exercise group. Therefore, modified bridge exercise may be apply as more effective exercise for local muscle activity than global muscle.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.415-420
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to compare the thickness of the abdominal muscles during single leg holding exercise (SLH) in a hooked lying position on stable surface and on a foam roller. Healthy twenty subjects who had no medical history of lower extremity or lower back pain were recruited for this study. Muscle thickness of transverse abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) was recorded using real-time ultrasonography during SLH. Paired t-test with Bonferroni adjustment was used to compare the muscles thickness during SLH on stable surface and on a foam roller. The result showed that TrA and IO muscle demonstrated greater thickness during SLH on foam roller than those on the stable surface. This finding suggests that SLH on an unstable foam roller is more effective to increase thicknesses of TrA and IO muscles than stable surface.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.38-45
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• 2013

This study was conducted in order to examine whether abdominal draw-in maneuver (ADIM) with isometric shoulder flexion, extension, adduction, and abduction selectively contracted deep abdominal muscles. This study's subjects were 13 males 17 females. In order to evaluate the comparison of effects of ADIM and ADIM with isometric shoulder flexion, extension, adduction and abduction, measurements were made on transverse abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) using a real-time ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system. Each position was repetitively measured three times with a real-time ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system and their mean values were used for analysis. The ADIM with isometric shoulder flexion, extension, adduction and abduction significantly increased the thickness of TrA relative to the ADIM only (p<.05). The ADIM with isometric shoulder abduction significantly increased the thickness of IO compared to the ADIM only (p<.05). The ADIM with isometric shoulder extension and abduction significantly decreased the thickness of EO compared to the ADIM only and the ADIM with isometric shoulder extension significantly decreased the thickness of EO relative to the ADIM with isometric shoulder adduction (p<.05). ADIM with isometric shoulder abduction is an effective method to selectively strengthen deep abdominal muscles and therefore may be employed as an intervention for trunk stabilization.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.51-59
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• 2019

Background: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) causes morphological changes in muscles, reduces muscle strength, endurance and flexibility, negatively affects lumbar stability, and limits functional activity. Plank exercise strengthens core muscles, activates abdominal muscles, and improves intra-abdominal pressure to stabilize the trunk in patients with CLBP. Objects: We investigated the effect of plank exercise on abdominal muscle thickness and disability in patients with CLBP. Methods: We classified 33 subjects into 2 groups: An experimental (n1=17) and a control group (n2=16). Patients in the experimental group participated in plank exercise and those in the control group participated in stretching exercise. Patients in both groups attended 20-minute exercise sessions thrice a week for 4 weeks. Abdominal muscle thickness in each subject was evaluated ultrasonographically, and disabilities were assessed using the Oswestry disability index (ODI). Results: Four weeks later, abdominal muscle thickness showed a significant increase over baseline values in both groups (p<.05). Patients in the experimental group reported a more significant increase in the thickness of the external oblique muscle than that in the control group (p<.05). ODI scores in the experimental group were significantly lower after intervention than before intervention (p<.05). Conclusion: Plank exercise increases the thickness of the external oblique muscle and reduces disability secondary to mild CLBP. Therefore, plank exercise is needed to improve lumbar stability and functional activity in patients with mild CLBP.