• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.37-48
• /
• 1997

It is very common for women wear shoes with a high heel. It has been known that the high heel could disfigure the foot shape and cause various joint problems including back pain. However, few quantitative studies have been conducted. Therefore, in this study, the low back muscle has been investigated in order to find fatifue effect due to different heights of the heel. In particular, 0, 4, 6 and 8cm heel and two different shapes of heel have been used for an experiment. Ten healthy female subjects volunteered for the study. Isometric Trunk Exertion Frame(ITEF) and Electromyography were used to measure tha Median Frequency via Spectral analysis. The results indicated that the heel height significantly affected the local muscle fatigue of the back. After post hoc analysis, it was found that a proper heel height ougth to be lower than 5cm not to have severely fatigued back muscle after a casual walk for an hour. Such results could be applies to female industrial workers in order to prevent a cumulative trauma disorder of the back, and also to design a female dress shoes minimizing low back fatigue.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers D
• /
• v.55 no.7
• /
• pp.344-351
• /
• 2006

The fatigue of back muscle in the repetitive lifting motion was studied using multiple parameters(FFT_MDF, RMS, 2C, NT) in this study. Recent developments in the time-frequency analysis procedures to compute the IMDF(instantaneous median frequency) were utilized to overcome the nonstationarity of EMG signal using Cohen-Posch distribution. But the above method has a lot of computation time because of its complexity. So, in this study, FFT_MDF(median frequency estimation based on FFT) algorithm was used for median frequency estimation of back muscle EMG signal during muscle work in uniform velocity portion of lumbar movement. The analysis period of EMG signal was determined by using the run test and lumbar movement angle in dynamic task, such as lifting. Results showed that FFT_MDF algorithm is well suited for the estimation of back muscle fatigue from the view point of computation time. The negative slope of a regression line fitted to the median frequency values of back muscle EMG signal was taken as an indication of muscle fatigue. The slope of muscle fatigueness with FFT_MDF method shows the similarity of 77.8% comparing with CP_MDF(median frequency estimation based on Cohen Posch distribution) method.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.30-36
• /
• 2012

This study is aimed to show that an asymmetric load in the frontal plane leads to an increase in low back loading and fatigue in comparison with a symmetric load when workers lift an external weight by investigating previous studies and verifying the phenomenon with an experiment. Ten male subjects are required to lift and hold an given external load at 70cm height during 50sec, then the EMG amplitude and median frequency on bilateral low back muscle groups (Longissimus, Iliocostalis, and Multifidus) are recorded and analyzed. Independent variables are two-level load weight (13kg, 20kg) and three-level LCG (Center, 6.5cm to the right, and 13cm to the right), and dependent variables are EMG amplitude average, difference, and Fatigue Index (FI). Results show that load weight increases significantly amplitude average and FI, but LCG does significantly amplitude difference and FI significantly (P-value < 0.05). Also the correlation coefficient between amplitude difference and FI is over 0.99. These implies that trunk loading should be explained by not EMG amplitude but muscle fatigue aspect since the association between an external load and amplitude is linear, but the relationship between an external load and median frequency as muscle fatigue index is almost exponential.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.185-198
• /
• 2023

The purpose of this study is to obtain information necessary for the development of patient clothes that can reduce physical fatigue of caregivers by quantitatively measuring the muscle load and fatigue. The patient clothes used in this study can be broken down into three types: A type (back center zipper open suit), B type (top-to bottom separated patient clothes), and C type (front zipper open suit). The EMG measurement sites are as follows: hand muscle (brachioradialis), upper arm (biceps, triceps), shoulder (anterior deltoid, medial deltoid, posterior deltoid, upper trapezius), and waist (erector spinae); additionally, the EMG signals were measured. Through this experiment, muscle load, muscle energy consumption, and muscle fatigue generation tendency were analyzed. The results of the study revealed that the C type patient clothes required the most strength in the muscles of the shoulders, upper arms, hands, and back when being put on and taken off compared to other patient clothes. The A type clothes required a relatively large force in opening the zipper. In terms of muscle energy consumption, B type generally called for more strength when it came to the zip-up and putarmsup motions. With regard to the cover the body and put legs/hips up motions, C type used the highest amount of muscle energy, whereas A type used relatively little energy. In terms of the occurrence of muscle fatigue during the putting on and taking off of the patient's clothing, there was a difference in the area and degree of muscle fatigue in the A, B, and C types, and there was also a tendency for muscle fatigue to occur when performing repetitive movements.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.49-54
• /
• 2016

Background: Prolonged sitting leads to low back discomfort and lumbopelvic muscle fatigue. This study examined the characteristics of body perceived discomfort and trunk muscle fatigue during 1 hour of sitting in three postures in office workers. Methods: Thirty workers sat for 1 hour in one of three sitting postures (i.e., upright, slumped, and forward leaning postures). Body discomfort was assessed using the Body Perceived Discomfort scale at the beginning and after 1 hour of sitting. Electromyographic (EMG) signals were recorded from superficial lumbar multifidus, iliocostalis lumborum pars thoracis, internal oblique (IO)/transversus abdominis (TrA), and rectus abdominis muscles during 1 hour of sitting. The median frequency (MDF) of the EMG power spectrum was calculated. Results: Regardless of the sitting posture, the Body Perceived Discomfort scores in the neck, shoulder, upper back, low back, and buttock significantly increased after 1 hour of sitting compared with baseline values ($t_{(9)}=-11.97$ to -2.69, p < 0.05). The MDF value of the EMG signal of rectus abdominis, iliocostalis lumborum pars thoracis, and multifidus muscles was unchanged over time in all three sitting postures. Only the right and left IO/TrA in the slumped sitting posture was significantly associated with decreased MDF over time (p = 0.019 to 0.041). Conclusion: Prolonged sitting led to increased body discomfort in the neck, shoulder, upper back, low back, and buttock. No sign of trunk muscle fatigue was detected over 1 hour of sitting in the upright and forward leaning postures. Prolonged slumped sitting may relate to IO/TrA muscle fatigue, which may compromise the stability of the spine, making it susceptible to injury.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.5 no.3
• /
• pp.63-71
• /
• 1998

Trunk holding test (Sorensen test) appear to have more value than strength test in prediction the occurrence of low back pain. Electromyographic activity of trunk extensor muscles during these test may provide clues to the etiology of neuromuscular-based low back pain. This study investigated the difference in back muscle endurance between healthy adult men and women using surface electromyographic (EMG) power spectral analysis. Thirty hea1thy subjects (15 men and 15 women) performed an unsupported trunk holding test for 60 seconds. Recording surface electrodes were placed over the erector spinae medially and laterally at vertebral levels of $L_1$ and $L_5$. Slope of total frequency was evaluated using the MP100WSW Fast Fourier Transform spectrum analysis program. The slopes of all indices of back muscle fatigue, except right $L_5$, were significantly steeper in men than in women (p<0.05). Our results indicated that the trunk holding test using EMG power spectral analysis of erector spinae muscles is useful for the evaluation of fatigue rate of these muscles. Our results also showed a higher muscle endurance in healthy adult women than in men.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.103-109
• /
• 2012

The purpose of this paper is to suggest the strategical lifting postures able to alleviate imbalanced EMG amplitude leading to an increase in low back muscle fatigue while lifting asymmetric load dynamically. Eleven male subjects are required to lift symmetrically an external load with 15.8kg and load center of gravity (LCG) deviated 10cm to the right from the floor to the waist height at the speed of about 25cm/sec. The EMG amplitudes on bilateral low back muscles (Longissimus, Iliocostalis, and Multifidus) are recorded during 2sec and analyzed. Independent variables are trunk postures (No bending vs. Bending to the LCG) and feet placements (Parallel vs. Right foot in front of the other vs. Right foot behind the other). Dependent variables are EMG amplitude average on six muscles and the EMG amplitude difference between right and left muscle group. Results indicate the phenomenon showing an amplitude increase in the left muscle group is equal to an decrease in the right one is observed in dynamic as well as static lifts, bending the trunk to the LCG increases amplitude discrepancy more than no trunk bending, and the amplitude discrepancy in one foot ipsilateral to LCG in front of the other foot is lowest among other foot postures. As bilateral EMG amplitude discrepancy increases total low back muscle fatigue, the strategical combination of no trunk bending and one foot close to LCG in front of the other is recommended for preventing elevated incidence of low back pain (LBP).

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
• /
• v.29 no.6 s.107
• /
• pp.531-538
• /
• 2004

This study examined the muscle fatigue of the erector spinae according to box size during lifting activity. Ten healthy adult man participated in the experiment for lifting the boxes 10 times with 0.2 lift/s frequency. Bilateral surface EMG (Electomyogtamphy) recordings were made regarding M. (Muscle) Longissimus, M. Iliocostal and M, Multifidus activity throughout lifting working. The median frequency in back muscle fatigue was investigated using power spectral analysis of surface EMG. When the box larger than shoulder width was lifted, the muscle fatigue of M, Multifidus was shown larger than one of the other muscles. Accordingly, the result far M. Multifidus can be applied in optimizing design parameter of box. Also, the standard of box width for box makers have to be below about 420 mm, being average shoulder width of adult male.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.15-22
• /
• 2008

The purpose of this study was to define the effects of noise and background music on the trunk muscle fatigue during dynamic lifting and lowering tasks. Six healthy male subjects with no prior history of low back disorders participated in this study. The participants were exposed to two levels of background noise such as 40dB noise and 90dB noise and three levels of background music such as no music, slow music, and fast music. Six different combinations of background noise and background music were played while the participants were performing the lifting task at 15% level of Maximum Voluntary Contraction. Electromyography signals from six muscles were collected and fatigue levels were analyzed quantitatively. In results, the 90dB noise increased trunk muscle fatigue and slowed down the recovery. The trunk muscle fatigue was the lowest when the fast music was played for as background. After recovery, the 90dB noise increased trunk muscle fatigue. The trunk muscle fatigue was the lowest when the slow music was played for as background. The results can be useful to manage the cumulative fatigue of trunk muscles due to background noise and music during repetitive lifting and lowering tasks in industry.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.224-229
• /
• 2009

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the effects of turtle neck syndrome, so called, on muscular fatigue and muscle activity. Six subjects (males) participated and performed the prolonged casual computer work in the study. EMG signals from six muscles of the dominant neck-back region were acquired and recorded for 10 seconds at the beginning and the end of three hours computer work. EMG was recorded from six muscles by using a computerized data recording and analysis system. Power spectrum function of EMG was calculated off-line by means of a signal processing software package. Power spectrum functions were smoothed with a moving average filter of 21 points and normalized with respect to the maximal value achieved during the trials. Muscle activity and median frequencies of Sternocleidomastoid(SCM) in turtle neck posture was approximately 51%, which were less than those in normal neck posture. SCM also showed the biggest decrease in median frequency. Results will provide the insight into the neck-back injury mechanism of turtle neck patients. Furthermore, they will be helpful in developing rehabilitation programs for restoring patients' neck-back functions.