• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.370-375
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• 2022

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the hip joint muscle strength of patients with chronic back pain with lumbar instability and normal subjects. Design: A case control study. Methods: Five types of lumbar instability test were conducted on forty young women with chronic low back pain for more than six months, and those who had 3 or more positive tests were selected as subjects. To select chronic back pain patients with lumbar instability group, aberrant movement patterns during lumbar flexion test (FMT), prone instability test (PIT), posterior-anterior mobility test (PAT), passive lumbar extension test (PLE), and pressure bio-feedback (PBF) were applied. In addition, a digital muscle strength meter was used to measure the hip flexor, extensor, adductor, and abductor muscles of chronic low back pain patients with lumbar instability group (n=20) and normal subject group (n=20). Results: As a result of comparing the hip joint muscle strength between the chronic back pain patient group with lumbar instability and the normal group, there were significant differences in the hip extensor, abductor, and adductor muscles (p<0.05). Conclusions: Patients of chronic back pain with lumbar instability were found to have weak hip joint muscle strength. Therefore, this study suggest that include hip joint strength exercise for functional recovery of chronic back pain patients.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.168-174
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the correlation between balance control ability and leg circumference, proprioception, range of motion (ROM), and muscle strength in young adults. Methods: The subjects of this study were 30 university students who were enrolled in D university in Gyeongbuk province. We measured the dynamic balance and static balance using the Biorescue. The muscular strengths of the hip, knee, and ankle joints were measured using a muscle contraction dynamometer. The ROM and proprioception were measured using an inclinometer. Pearson correlation analysis was used to test the correlations between balance control ability and variables. Results: Sway length was significantly correlated with knee and hip joint muscle strength, ROM, and proprioception of hip and ankle joints (p<0.05). Sway speed was significantly correlated with ROM and proprioception in hip joints (p<0.05). Limit of stability was significantly correlated with muscle strength and ROM in ankle joints, and proprioception in hip, knee, and ankle joints (p<0.05). Conclusion: The sway length was most related to hip extension and ankle joint plantar flexion in the range of motion and ankle joint plantar flexion in proprioception. Overall, balance training for young adults will be of effective help if the treatment focuses on the knee and hip joints, range of motion and the ankle and hip joints' proprioception.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.156-160
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• 2021

Objective: Low back pain easily becomes chronic and has a high recurrence rate. Therefore, it is most important to prevent chronicity and reduce the risk of recurrence in the early stages of back pain or at the stage with mild pain. Therefore, this study was conducted to compare hip joint muscle strength, trunk muscle endurance, and pelvic alignment between subjects with mild low back pain and subjects without back pain. Design: Crossed-sectional study Methods: The study was conducted by recruiting 30 students in their twenties who are enrolled in K University in Gyeongsangnam-do, and classifying them into 15 patients with mild back pain and 15 patients with normal. The subjects who participated in the experiment were measured for hip flexor and extensor muscle strength, trunk flexion and extension muscle endurance, and pelvic alignment. To measure hip joint muscle strength, biodex was used, and muscle endurance of the trunk was recorded at the end range of the trunk flexion and extension. And pelvic alignment was measured using Formetric 4D. Results: There were no significant differences in hip joint muscle strength, pelvic alignment, and trunk extension muscle endurance. The retention time was found to be significantly shorter in the mild low back pain group than in the normal group for trunk flexion muscle endurance. Conclusions: In the early stages of back pain or in the mild pain stage, training to increase muscle endurance of the flexor muscles may be helpful.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.61-66
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• 2018

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to determine the effects of taping on a home program of hip abductor exercise on pain and quadriceps muscle strength during knee joint osteoarthritis. METHODS: The subjects were 24 elderly women aged over 65 years with knee joint osteoarthritis. Twenty-four subjects were divided into two groups of 12. The intervention was conducted three times a week for six weeks. The control group underwent a home program of hip abductor exercise, while the experimental group underwent taping applied to a home program of hip abductor exercise. The measurement factors were knee joint pain and quadriceps muscle strength. Knee joint pain was measured using the VAS, while quadriceps muscle strength was measured using the 1RM method. RESULTS: Changes in pain following intervention were significantly reduced from $4.83{\pm}.72$ to $3.92{\pm}.67$ in the control group. In the experimental group, changes in pain following intervention were reduced significantly from $4.67{\pm}.78$ to $3.25{\pm}.45$. In the experimental group, the pain decreased significantly, while muscle strength increased significantly as in the control group. However, there were significant differences in pain and muscle strength between groups post intervention (p<.05). CONCLUSION: In the elderly women with knee osteoarthritis, the home program of hip abductor exercise will be a good intervention, and taping will be applied as an intervention program for better osteoarthritis.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.401-412
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• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of hip joint exercises and orthotics on RCSP, ankle's range of motion, and core muscle strength of middle school students with pes planus. Method : Out of the original pool of 200 students, 60 students with pes planus (RCSP < -2) were selected for the study. The selected 60 students were then divided into four groups. The first group was a combined orthotics and exercise group (12 students), the second was the orthotics-only group (9 students), the third was the exercise-only group (8 students), and the last was the control group (10 students). Exercise groups worked out twice a week for 60 minutes per session over 8 weeks. The independent variables were corrective hip joint exercises and orthotics. The dependant variables consisted of kinematic and kinetic variables. The kinematic variables were RCSP, and ankle's range of motion (dorsiflexion and plantarflexion). The kinetic variables were muscles forces that consist in core muscle strength, which are hip joint adduction, abduction, and flexion muscles forces. Statistical analysis was performed via SPSS 18.0 with multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and a paired t-test was used. Results : The left foot was more responsive to the treatments, both exercise and orthotics, than the right foot. RCSP improved significantly in the left foot for the first and third groups. Only the first group significantly improved hip joint adduction, abduction, and flexion muscles' strengths. As for the ankle's range of motion of the left foot, plantarflexion showed improvement when treated with exercise, orthotics, or both. Conclusion : This study found that exercise is more effective in correcting RCSP and foot orthotics is more effective in reinforcing core muscle strength. Future studies should expand on these results to examine the relationship between the ankle, hip, and pelvis.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.15-22
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between hip abductor muscle strength and lumbar instability in patients with chronic low back pain. Methods: Fifty-two female patients were recruited for this study. The patients' history was recorded and was used to determine the general characteristics of the female complaints. The women were additionally examined to determine whether the level of pain was characteristic of patients with chronic lumbar instability. The following tests were also carried out in the subjects during the examination: 1) the prone instability test. 2) the test for aberrant movement patterns during lumbar flexion test. 3) the straight leg raising test. 4) posterior-to-anterior mobility test, and 5) the test for age and strength of the hip abductor muscle following assessment of the dominant side. In particular, hip abductor muscle strength was evaluated using a dynamometer. Results: The test results showed that the number of positive responses for the five types of lumbar instability tests performed, was significantly related to the strength of the hip abductor muscle. The average hip abductor muscle strength in total subjects was $72.89{\pm}7.66N$, whereas the average hip abductor muscle strength in subjects who showed positive responses to more than four out of the five tests, was $44.70{\pm}5.79N$. Conclusion: The results demonstrated that the hip abductor muscle strength and lumbar instability were negatively correlated. The lower was the strength of the hip abductor muscle, the higher was the possibility of lumbar instability.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.1345-1353
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 6 weeks hip joint strengthen on muscle strength, dynamic posture control and low extremity injury criterion. Twenty athletics were divided into two groups, the exercise group was conducted for three times a week, 60 minutes, and six weeks. The dependent variables of this study were flexibility, muscular strength, dynamic posture control, and lower body injury criterion. The results of this study showed that the flexibility was not significant, but muscle strength was significant difference. The dynamic posture control was significantly effective in the left posterolateral and posteromedial. In addition, total score was significantly exercise effect, and there was no difference between left and right leg length. In conclusion, hip joint strengthen increased muscle strength and dynamic posture control, and decreased the concern of low extremity injury criterion.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.64-69
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• 2022

Background: Gluteus medius muscle is important for the stability of hip joint. The sufficient core stability can be contributed to the performance of gluteus medius muscle in standing position. In addition, the external support may affect core stability in standing position. Objects: The purpose of this study was to investigated the effectiveness of the external support on the strength and muscle activity of hip abductor muscle during hip abduction in standing position in subjects without core stability. Methods: Fifteen subjects participated in this study. The subjects were evaluated by using the double-leg lowering with bent knees to measure the core stability. The strength and muscle activity of hip abductors was measured in standing position with the condition with and without external support using the tensiometer sensor and the surface electromyography. The paired t-test was used to investigate the difference between hip abductor strength and activity according to external support. The level of statistical significance was set at α = 0.05. Results: The hip abductor strength and muscle activity of gluteus medius muscle with external support were significantly greater than those without external support during hip abduction in standing position (p < 0.05). Conclusion: During hip abduction in standing position, the external support may be contributed to the improvement of the hip abductor strength and muscle activity of gluteus medius especially in the subjects without core stability.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.1-10
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• 2022

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of the resistance levels on the muscle activities around the hip and spine during bridge exercise with hip abduction resistance in patients with chronic back pain. METHODS: A cross-over study design was used. Twenty subjects with low back pain were enrolled in this study. The subjects performed bridge exercises with hip abduction resistances (20 mmHg, 40 mmHg, and 60 mmHg). A Narrow Sling was used to provide resistance. Surface electromyography was used to measure the activity of the erector spinae, biceps femoris, gluteus maximus, and gluteus medius. RESULTS: The muscle activity of the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius increased significantly with increasing resistance levels. There was a significant difference in the muscle activity of the biceps femoris with a resistance level between 20 mmHg and 40 mmHg, but there was no significant difference in the other resistance levels. There was no significant difference according to resistance level in the erector spinae. The muscle activity ratios of the gluteus medius/erector spinae and gluteus maximus/erector spinae increased significantly with increasing resistance strength. CONCLUSION: The different levels of abduction resistance for hip abduction during bridge exercise will help activate the gluteus maximus selectively in patients with chronic back pain.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.275-281
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• 2015

Objective : In order for Taekwondo athletes to perform destructive kicking performance, they are expected to have Taekwondo-specific muscle properties such as high muscle strength and power. The purpose of this study was to investigate the joint angle-dependent force-producing property of Taekwondo athletes' knee extensor muscles, which is one of the primary muscle groups involved in kicking performance. Method : Ten Taekwondo male athletes (age: $19.9{\pm}0.7yrs$, height: $180.6{\pm}6.2cm$, body mass: $75.9{\pm}8.9kg$, career: $9.2{\pm}2.9yrs$.) and 10 healthy male non-athletes (age: $26.3{\pm}2.6yrs$, height: $174.2{\pm}4.8cm$, body mass: $72.8{\pm}7.7kg$) participated in this study. Subjects performed maximum isometric knee extension at knee joint angles of $40^{\circ}$, $60^{\circ}$, $80^{\circ}$, and $100^{\circ}$ (the full knee extension was set to $0^{\circ}$) with the hip joint angles of $0^{\circ}$ and $80^{\circ}$ (the full extension was set to $0^{\circ}$). During the contractions, knee extension torque using an isokinetic dynamometer simultaneously with muscle activities of the rectus femoris (RF), and the vastus lateralis (VL) and vastus medialis (VM) using surface electromyography were recorded. Based on the torque values at systematically different knee-hip joint angles, the joint torque-angle relationships were established and then the optimal joint angle for the knee extensor was estimated. Results : The results of this study showed that the isometric knee extension torque values were greater for the Taekwondo athletes compared with the non-athlete group at all hip-knee joint angle combinations (p<.05). When the hip joint was set at $80^{\circ}$, the peak isometric torque was greater for the Taekwondo athletes compared with the non-athlete group ($313.61{\pm}36.79Nm$ and $221.43{\pm}35.92Nm$, respectively; p<.05) but the estimated optimum knee joint angles were similar ($62.33{\pm}5.71^{\circ}$ and $62.30{\pm}4.67^{\circ}$ for the Taekwondo athletes and non-athlete group, respectively). When the hip joint was set at $0^{\circ}$, the peak isometric torque was greater for the Taekwondo athletes compared with the non-athlete group ($296.29{\pm}45.13Nm$ and $199.58{\pm}25.23Nm$, respectively; p<.05) and the estimated optimum knee joint angle was larger for the Taekwondo athletes compared with the non-athlete group ($78.47{\pm}5.14^{\circ}$ and $67.54{\pm}5.77^{\circ}$, respectively; p<.05). Conclusion : The results of this study suggests that, compared with non-athletes, Taekwondo athletes have stronger knee extensor strength at all hip-knee joint angle combinations as well as longer optimum muscle length, which might be optimized for the event-specific required performance through prolonged training period.