• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.337-342
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was conducted in order to determine the effect of visual and tactile feedback on muscle activity of the gluteus maximus (Gmax) and abdominal muscles and the motion of pelvic rotation during performance of clam exercise (CE). Methods: Thirteen subjects without low back pain were recruited for this study. Each subject was instructed to perform the CE without and with feedback. The subjects were instructed to keep pelvic from rotating backwards by palpating the ASIS and monitoring the pelvic movement by themselves during performance of CE with feedback. The electromyographic (EMG) activities of Gmax and abdominal muscles were collected using surface EMG. Angles of pelvic rotation were measured using a 3-dimensional motion-analysis system. Paired t-tests were used for comparison of EMG activities in each muscle and the angle of pelvic rotation. Results: The EMG activities of all abdominal muscles were not significant between CM without and CM with feedback (p>0.05). The EMG activity of Gmax was significantly greater in CM with feedback compared with CM without feedback (without vs. with feedback; 14.2% vs. 20.7%MVIC) (p<0.05). The angle of pelvic rotation was significantly less in CM with feedback compared with CM without feedback (without vs. with feedback; $15.3^{\circ}$ vs. $10.8^{\circ}$ ) (p<0.05). Conclusion: Therefore, these findings suggest that CM with the visual and tactile feedback is effective in activation of the Gmax and correcting of the uncontrolled lumbopelvic rotation during CE.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.74-81
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate the EMG characteristics of driver's upper extremity and driving performance for manipulating brake and accelerator pedal by using left and right hand control devices during simulated driving. The people with disabilities in the lower limb have problems in operation of the motor vehicle because of functional loss for manipulating brake and accelerator pedal. Therefore, if hand control device is used for adaptive driving controls in people with lower limb impairments, the disabled people can improve their quality of life by driving a motor vehicle. Six subjects were participated in this study to evaluate driving performance and muscle activities for operating brake and accelerator pedal by using two different hand controls (steering column mounted hand control and floor mounted hand control) in driving simulator. We measured EMG activities of six muscles (posterior deltoid, middle deltoid, triceps, biceps, flexor carpi radialis, and extensor carpi radialis) during pushing and pulling movement with different hand controls for acceleration and braking. STISim Drive 3 software was used for the performance test of different hand control devices in straight lane course for time to reach target speed and brake reaction time. While pulling the hand control lever toward the driver, normalized EMG activities of middle deltoid, triceps and flexor carpi radialis in subjects with disabilities were significantly increased (p < 0.05) compared to the normal subjects. It was also found that muscle responses of posterior deltoid were significantly increased (p < 0.05) when using the right hand control than left hand control. While pushing the hand control lever forward away from the driver, normalized EMG activities of posterior deltoid, middle deltoid and extensor carpi radialis in subjects with disability were significantly increased (p < 0.05) compared to the normal subjects. It was shown that muscle responses of middle deltoid, biceps and extensor carpi radialis were significantly increased when using the right hand control than left hand control. Brake reaction time and time to reach target speed in subjects with disability was increased by 12% and 11.3% on average compared to normal subjects. The subjects with physical disabilities showed a tendency to relatively slow acceleration at the straight lane course.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.279-286
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to compare the electromyographic(EMG) activities of trunk and hip muscles between right and left sides while subjects performed prolonged manual task in asymmetric and symmetric weight-bearing posture. Fifteen healthy male college students were recruited for this study. The subjects were asked to perform bimanual upper extremity task for 6 minutes in two different standing postures. In the symmetric weight-bearing posture, the subjects were standing with evenly distributed body weights to both legs. In the asymmetric weight-bearing posture, the subjects distributed about 90% of their body weight onto their preferred(supporting) leg and 10% of their body weight onto the opposite leg while they were standing. EMG activities of the right and left internal oblique, erector spinae, gluteus maximus, and gluteus medius were measured and normalized as % MVIC. Then the EMG data were statistically analyzed using paired t-tests. The EMG activities of all measured muscles were not significantly different between the right and left side in the symmetrical weight-bearing posture(p>0.05). However, the EMG of the supporting side internal oblique was significantly lower than the opposite side(p<0.05), and the EMG of the erector spinae, gluteus maximus, and gluteus medius were significantly greater on the supporting side(p<0.05). The results of this study support that unbalanced use of right and left muscle possibly causes the changes in muscle length which results in asymmetry of trunk and hip muscles. Furthermore, the uneven weight support onto right and left legs will cause a distortion of viscoelastic ligaments around hip and sacroiliac joints in the long run. Further studies to determine the effect of various manual tasks on the trunk and hip muscles as well as the effect of asymmetrical weight-bearing standing posture on hip and back muscle fatigue may be required.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.85-94
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• 2006

The aim of this study was to examine the characteristics in duration and amplitude of the submental muscle activities during dry and wet swallowing. We examined the middle suprahyoid muscle activities in 32 normal adult women during three swallowing conditions, that is, dry as well as 5 mL & 10 mL water swallowings, using a surface EMG. From the results, there were significant differences in duration: the longest in dry swallowing and shortest in 5 mL water swallowing. However, the mean amplitude per msec increased as the duration decreased. This may imply motor equivalence in swallowing stating that duration and amplitude are complementary in order to achieve a given swallowing goal.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.9-15
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• 2010

Purpose : This study aimed to investigate the effect of differing ground contact conditions on the eletromyographic(EMG) activity in rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius medialis during step-up activity in patients with hemiparesis. Methods : 10 hemiparetic patients performed step-up activity on three different ground contact conditions: entire ground contact, 2/3 ground contact, 1/3 groud contact. Result : The EMG activities of gastrocnemius medialis significantly changed on 1/3 ground contact(p<.05). However, no significant changed rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior between three differing ground contact conditions (p>.05). Conclusion : This study provides that EMG activities of gastrocnemius medialis significantly changed on different ground contacts. Therefore, this method can be used to strengthen the gastrocnemius medialis.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.328-335
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• 2011

For human factor engineering and wearable robot design, the quantitative assessment of physical workload is needed. Through measuring the surface EMG (sEMG) and analysis, the physical workload in overhead lifting posture is presented in quantitative manner. By normalizing sEMG activities with maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), the inter-subject variability is reduced. In all muscles, %MVC increased as the weight of lifting object increases. In anterior deltoid muscle, the %MVC was 3-4 times higher than the other muscles which imply that this muscle performs the major role in the overhead lifting posture. In fatigue analysis, %MVC and the mean frequency in muscle of anterior deltoid changed markedly when compared with other muscles. Through the suggested procedures and analysis, the physical workload for a specific posture can be represented in quantitative way but the clinical meaning for the value should be investigated further.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to develop EMG triggered FES system for restoration of upper extremity function in chronic hemiplegic patients and to identify the optimal location of electrode application for the EMG triggered FES system which produces effective muscle contraction and detects EMG activity for extension in the wrist and finger joints. The stimulus system was composed of EMG measuring component, constant current component and the program for muscle contraction by EMG triggered FES and passive FES. Parameter of electrical stimulation was 35 ㎐ in frequency, 150 ${\mu}\textrm{s}$ in pulse width and symmetric bi-phasic wave. In 15 hemiplegic patients, EMG triggered FES was applied to the proximal half of forearm which was divided into 12 areas. The most sensitive area for measuring EMG activities during extension of the wrist and fingers was area 4, 5 and the optimal location of electrical stimulation for producing extension of the wrist and fingers was area 4, 5, 7, 8. These results suggest that the area 4 and 5 was considered as the most optimal location of electrode application for measuring EMG activities as well as producing extension of the wrist and fingers by EMG triggered FES system.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.37-44
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• 2006

The purposes of this study were to analyze and compare EMG activities of the pectoralis major, biceps brachii, triceps brachii, and brachioradialis muscles during biceps curls using a VRT device and an elastic tubing. Fifteen male college students were recruited as subjects and they performed 10-RM and 20-RM biceps curls. For each load and device condition, the mean and peak normalized EMG levels during different phases of a biceps curl were computed. For each load and phase, paired t-test (p.05) was used to find the significant difference between two devices. ANOVA with repeated measures was also used to find the significant difference among phases in terms of EMG values for each muscle. For each load and device condition, the peak and mean EMG levels during different phases of a biceps curl were computed The significant differences between devices were found in biceps brachii for EA, MD, LD phases, and triceps brachii muscles for all phases, respectively. However, no differences were found among phases for any muscle. This indicated that elastic band could have a similar characteristics of VRT. High antagonistic muscle activity as a function of injury prevention which found particularly in VRT device may suggest that elastic tubing can be a safer training device than VRT. This also imply that elastic tubing could be very effective as a home exercise tool for rehabilitation patients and elderly people.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.271-284
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to analyse the EMG activity of selected muscles with balance taping treatment and blood fatigue makers which accumulated during exercise of progressive maximal intensity. Ten male college students who did not experience any cardiovascular and musculo-skeletal disease were participated in this study. Balance taping were applied to rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, semitendinous, semimembranous, and around knee joint. Isokinetic knee joint flexion/extension force, EMG activity, lactate and ammonia as blood fatigue makers during progressive maximal intensity exercise were measured for with/without applying balance taping. The results indicated that although flexion force of total work at $60^{\circ}/sec$ with taping was increased applied taping did not affect to the aerobic exercise ability parameters. Lactate level as blood fatigue makers during progressive maximal intensity exercise after taping was decreased but the ammonia level did not change with same treatment. In isokinetic knee joint test at the angular velocity of $60^{\circ}/sec$, $180^{\circ}/sec$, and $240^{\circ}/sec$ the taping treatment did not affect to any selected muscle EMG activities except maximal EMG of vastus lateralis at $240^{\circ}/sec$.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.411-416
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of activation of gluteus maximus (Gmax) and abdominal muscle using EMG biofeedback on lumbosacral and tibiocalcaneal angles in standing position. Methods: Fourteen healthy subjects with normal feet participated in the present study. Electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback using visual cue was used to activate the external oblique (EO) and Gmax. The lumbosacral and tibiocalcalcaneal angles were measured by electronic goniometers. All the subjects were instructed to activate the Gmax and EO monitoring increasing amounts of the muscle activities in each muscle. The lumbosacral and tibiocalcaneal angles were collected in three trials during resting and activation of each muscle using EMG biofeedback in standing position. The mean value of three trials was used in the data analysis. A paired-t test was used to compare the lumbosacral and tibiocalcaneal angles between resting and activation of the Gmax and EO using EMG biofeedback. Results: The lumbosacral and tibiocalcaneal angles were significantly less in the resting compared to activation using EMG biofeedback (p<0.05). Conclusion: The activaition of Gmax and abdominal muscles using EMG biofeedback play role to control the pronation of subtalar joint during the weight-bearing.