• International Journal of Contents
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.90-95
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to analyze the changes in muscle fatigue by using electromyography (EMG) measurements of the median frequency of shoulder muscles of patients who underwent rotator cuff repair, and to provide basic data for efficient exercise methods during rehabilitation after the repair. In the study, 24 male and 8 female patients who underwent rotator cuff repair performed continuous passive shoulder joint motion for 3 weeks and the median frequency of their shoulder muscles before and after the repair were compared using measurements by EMG. The infraspinatus, supraspinatus, and serratus anterior muscles showed significant differences in the changes in the median frequency before and after the repair. Significant differences were also found in the median frequency of the three muscles both before and after the repair. Additionally, the middle deltoid muscle had a lower median frequency than the supraspinatus muscle before the repair and the infraspinatus muscle had a lower median frequency than the middle deltoid muscle after the repair. It is expected that these results will serve as important data in developing rehabilitation exercise programs for the infraspinatus, supraspinatus, and serratus anterior muscles by compensating the middle deltoid muscle with the lowest muscle fatigue after the rotator cuff repair erase.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.258-263
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• 2021

Purpose: Myofascial syndrome is a chronic muscle pain caused by repetitive motions with stress-related muscle tension. This study aimed to investigate the validity and reliability of the evidence for diagnosing myofascial pain syndrome in trapezius muscle using a pressure algometer and surface electromyography. Methods: The experiments were performed using a total of 10 subjects, and the target locations were determined by means of a pressure algometer in the right upper trapezius muscle. The part with the lowest pain value as the trigger point and the part with the highest pain value as the non-pain trigger point were selected for measuring the locations. The median frequency and average frequency were measured in those locations with electromyography. To check the muscle fatigue, the upper trapezius muscle was moved up and down for 2 seconds at 5-second intervals in 30 seconds. The measured values were evaluated using the independent paired t-test and MannWhitney U-test. Results: The median frequency at the non-trigger point (13.7) was significantly higher than that at the trigger point (7.3). Furthermore, the mean frequency (14.7) at the non-trigger point was significantly higher than that at the trigger point (6.3). Conclusion: The results showed the correlations between the trigger points of the muscle pain and frequency analysis of surface electromyography. Thus, this study may be possible to use as a diagnostic tool for myofascial pain syndrome.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.83-94
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• 2006

Purpose: This study conducts quantitative evaluation or structural and functional characteristics or normal skeletal muscle with ultrasound image and surface electromyography, and is to provide basic materials for utilizing ultrasound image analysis in physical therapy diagnosis and assessment of skeletal muscle. Methods: Measurement of three stages was conducted with 88 normal adults between their twenties and seventies, correlations and differences using collected data according to age and gender were compared and correlations among measured items were analyzed and then the following conclusions were obtained. Results: Analysis of ultrasound image of normal skeletal muscle showed that density, median frequency had the closest relations with age. In addition, it was found that there were high correlations between density explaining structural characteristics of skeletal muscle and median frequency explaining functional characteristics. Conclusion: Analysis of ultrasound image makes complex evaluation of structure and function of skeletal muscle possible when it is connected with functional evaluation method using physical measurement surface electromyography as well as quantitative evaluation of structural changes of skeletal muscle and is effective in complementing physical therapy diagnosis centering around functionality evaluation.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers D
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.380-388
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• 2004

This study proposed an improved spike detection algorithm which automatically detects suitable spike threshold on the amplitude of surface electromyography(SEMG) signal during isometric contraction. The EMG data from the low back muscles was obtained in six channels and the proposed signal processing algorithm is compared with the median frequency and Gabriel's spike parameter. As a result, the reliability of spike parameter was inferior to the median frequency. This fact indicates that a spike parameter is inadequate for analysis of multi-channel EMG signal. Because of uncertainty of fixed spike threshold, the improved spike detection algorithm was proposed. It automatically detects suitable spike threshold depending on the amplitude of the EMG signal, and the proposed algorithm was able to detect optimal threshold based on mCFAR(modified Constant False Alarm Rate) in the every EMG channel. In conclusion, from the reliability points of view, neither median frequency nor existing spike detection algorithm was superior to the proposed method.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.239-245
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to compare the electromyography signal's power spectrum mean and median tendencies appearing in the lower extremity during walking while wearing roller shoes. 9 male subjects volunteered who have no experience riding inline-skate or roller-skate, and have no record of musculoskeletal disorder. Subjects walked on treadmill twice for an hour (Once a week, one trial with the roller on and the other without roller, Walking velocity = 1.39 m/s). Electromyography was measured every 15 minute (0, 15, 30, 45, 60 minutes). Surface electrode sticked muscle at rectus femoris(R.F.), vastus lateralis(V.L.), vastus medialis(V.M.), biceps femoris(B.F.), tibialis anterior(T.A.), gastrocnemius lateralis(G.L.), gastrocnemius medialis(G.M.). At Rectus femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Vastus medialis, and Biceps femoris showed no statistically significant decrease of median frequency or mean edge frequency as time passes. Also, between two treatments (wearing the roller shoes vs not wearing the roller shoes), no statistically significant difference. After 60 minutes, mean edge frequency showed statistically significant decrease at tibalis anterior and after 45 minutes, mean edge frequency showed statistically significant decrease compared to wearing roller shoes without the wheels at gastrocnemius lateralis. At gastrocnemius medialis after 30 minutes, median frequency showed statistically significant decrease, and showed statistically significant difference compared to the control group. Wearing the roller shoes with wheels for a long time resulted in statistically significant decrease of mean edge frequency and median frequency in lower extremity, especially in shank muscles. Increase of wearing time of roller shoes and walking on a bumpy road wearing roller shoes with wheels result fatigue and thus, danger of injury.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.219-224
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• 2000

본 연구는 몸통의 반복적인 flexion/extension 동작 수행시 근전도신호를 측정하고 이들 신호에서 나타난 EMG parameters(median frequency, median power, RMS) 와 피실험자의 주관적 불편도의 변화양상간의 정량적인 관계를 알아보고자 수행되었다. 피실험자별로 3-5회 정해진 업무를 수행하였고 주관적불편도와 근전도 신호를 측정하였다. 실험결과 반복횟수가 증가할수록 주관적 불편도는 증가하였으며 각 task 별로 EMG parameter와 불편도의 증감율 간의 회귀분석과 상관분석을 수행한 결과 실험과 EMG parameter에 따른 변이는 존재했지만 대체로 RMS에 비해 MF와 MP의 증감율이 불편도 증감율과 상관관계가 높은 것으로 나타났다.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.319-327
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• 2011

Skeletal muscle fatigue is defined as a 'any reduction in the maximal capacity to generate force or power output', and is the reduction of oxygen consumption and by-product of metabolism. For the muscle fatigue therapy, low level laser has been introduced that leads the mitochondrial respiratory and attributes the muscle fatigue recovery. This study analyzed the muscle fatigue signals from electromyography(EMG) during low-level laser therapy (LLLT). Healthy subjects performed voluntary elbow flexion-extension excercise and received placebo LLLT and active LLLT using a 830 nm laser diode. Then, EMG were measured for the evaluation of muscle fatigue. The acquired EMG data were analyzed with median frequency and short time fourier transform methods. The results showed that the LLLT had a significant symptomatic relief of muscle fatigue based on the EMG frequency analysis. Therefore, the muscle fatigue analysis with EMG signals can be applied to quantitative evaluation for the monitoring of LLLT effects.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.41-54
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• 2001

Fatigue is the decline in force produced as a result of prolonged muscle activity. Localized muscle fatigue can be identified by a shift toward low in the frequency components of the EMG signal, typically represented by a fall in the median frequency. Previous studies show that a shortened muscle develops a higher fatigue than elongated muscles. The purpose of this study was to investigate the time-related change of median frequency and torque during maximal isometric back extension exercises at different exercise angles ($0^{\circ}$, $12^{\circ}$, $36^{\circ}$, $72^{\circ}$). Twenty healthy subjects (mean age = $24.35{\pm}2.70$) were evaluated in this study. Median frequency was extracted from the EMG signals by fast Fourier transform (FFT). Initial median frequency and the slope of median frequency change over time were computed from linear regression analysis. Pearson's product moment correlation was used to quantify the relationship between slope of median frequency and torque. The results were as follows: 1) Significant differences in y-intercepts of torque regression equation with respect to exercise angle were shown. However, there were no differences in the slopes of the median frequency and torque, and y intercept of the median frequency among exercise angles. 2) There was no significant correlation between slope of median frequency and torque. 3) But there was moderate correlation between median frequency and torque at each exercise angle. In conclusion, the exercise angle during maximal isometric back extension exercise is not a direct effect on slope of median frequency and torque. But results showed that median frequency and torque shift were highly correlated in all subjects.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.16-23
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a repetitive lifting task on the level of activation and median frequency of the paraspinal muscles, and to provide basic data of the maximal acceptable duration of the lifting task to avoid muscle fatigue. Ten healthy male subjects were recruited as participants and they repetitively (12 lifts/min) lifted a box ($46cm{\times}30cm{\times}30cm$, 15 kg) for 10 minutes. Electromyographic data (muscle activation and median frequency), heart rate, and Borg CR10 score were recorded at 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 minutes after the lifting task. Electromyographic data was recorded from the elector spinalis, mutifidus, external oblique abdominis, and rectus abdominis for 1 minute. The results showed that as the repetitive lifting task progressed, the heart rate and Borg CR10 score significantly increased. In addition, activation of the muscles increased. The median frequency significantly decreased over time in the elector spinalis, mutifidus, and external oblique abdominis (right side), except for the external oblique abdominis (left side) and rectus abdominis. It is suggested that the median frequency recorded from a dynamic task is used to monitor muscle fatigue. Furthermore, the repetitive lifting task (15 kg, 12 lifts/min) should not continue for more than 3 minutes in order to avoid muscle fatigue.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.127-133
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• 2017

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of repetitive wrist extension task training with electromyography (EMG)-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for wrist extensor muscle recovery in patients with stroke. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Fifteen subjects who had suffered a stroke were randomly assigned to an EMG-triggered NMES group (n=8) or control group (n=7); subjects in both groups received conventional therapy as usual. Subjects in the experimental group received application of EMG-triggered NMES to the wrist extensor muscles for 20 minutes, twice per day, five days per week, for a period of four weeks, and were given a task to make a touch alarm go off by activity involving extension of their wrist. In the control group, subjects performed wrist self-exercises for the same duration and frequency as those in the experimental group. Outcome measures included muscle reaction time and spectrum analysis. Assessments were performed during the pre- and post-treatment periods. Results: In the EMG-triggered NMES group, faster muscle reaction time was observed, and median frequency also showed improvement, from 68.2 to 75.3 Hz, after training (p<0.05). Muscle reaction time was significantly faster, and median frequency was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the experimental group after training. Conclusions: EMG-triggered NMES is beneficial for patients with hemiparetic stroke in recovery of upper extremity function.