• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.115-124
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• 2017

This study was to develop the balance insole system for detecting and improving the muscle imbalance of left and right side in lower limbs. We were to verify the validation of balance insole system by analyzing the strategy of muscular activities and foot pressure according to sound feedback. We developed the balance insole based FSR sensor modules for estimating the muscle imbalance using detecting foot pressure. The insole system was FPCB have 8-spot FSR sensor with sensitivity range of 64-level. The participants were twenty peoples who have muscle strength differences in left and right legs over 20%. We measured the muscular activity and foot pressure of left and right side of lower limbs in various gait environment for verifying the improvement effect of muscle imbalance according to sound feedback. They performed gait in slope at 0, 5, 10, 15% and velocity at 3, 4, 5km/h. The result showed that the level of muscle imbalance reduced within 30% for sound feedback of balance insole system contrast to high level of muscle imbalance at 169.9~246.8% during normal gait for increasing slope and velocity. This study found the validation of balance insole system with sound feedback stimulus. Also, we thought that it is necessary to research on the sensitivity of foot area, detection of muscle imbalance and processing algorithm of correction threshold spot.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.343-352
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• 2018

The objective of this study is to investigate the market of fitness compression wear as well as to design an optimal fitness compression wear by analyzing the muscle and movement characteristics of the elderly women in Korea. In this regard, research for functional garments is needed to increase muscle activity of elderly people during physical exercise. Firstly, we investigated the brand, design, size, material, and pattern of fitness wear based on the market survey. Secondly, we identified preference, evaluation items, evaluation method, and pattern design method based on the literature review. Finally, in addition, the motion type, range, angle to improve the muscle strength of the elderly were investigated and the maximum muscle strengths of each motion were analyzed by using 2007 Size Korea data (n = 386). It is also designed for muscle fatigue through exercise and rapid fatigue recovery after exercise. The evaluation methods for fitness compression wear were classified as motor functionality, physiological comfort, pattern and material suitability evaluations. The muscle strength at leg (pushing force) and waist (lifting force) of the ages of 60 to 69 years old showed 239.3 N and 274.5 N, respectively, which were the lowest forces compared to younger age groups. By applying these results to the design process of fitness wear, it is anticipated that the fitness wear will have a proper fit to the body shape of elderly people in South Korea as well as it can increase muscle efficiency to promote physical capability and healthy life for senior people.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.163-169
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to verify exercise effect of horse riding exercise according to estimate basal physical fitness and activities of daily living(ADL) function in the aged. Participants were nineteen peoples who have no impediment of activity. They performed horse riding exercise using SRider(Neipplus, Co., Korea) at sixty minutes a day. Exercise has progressed three days a week for eight weeks. We measured trunk flexion, sit up, whole body reaction, leg strength and maximal oxygen uptake as basal physical fitness. Also three meter gait, single stance with eyes opened and single stance with eyes closed as ADL function were estimated once a month. The result of legs strength and whole body reaction showed the higher significantly than before the exercise. Moreover, the result of three meter walking ability only increased significantly among the ADL function. This means that horse riding exercise might be activated continuous muscular contraction with maintained tonus of muscle. We thought that continuous movement of horse riding could be lead to isometric muscle contraction in lower limbs. Our study found that horse riding exercise could improve lower strengths and muscle reaction for exercise effect. Also we suggested that horse riding exercise could be adapted to exercise methods that could provide rehabilitation and treatment enough for the aged or disabled person.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.41-47
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• 2007

Dance movements consist of combinations of movements such as jumping, rotation, maintaining balance, leg lifts, and plantar flexion with toe shoes. Dance movements require great muscle strength of lower extremities as well as muscular endurance. The purposes of this study were to investigate correlation between the anthropometric variables and the peak torque in young female dancers and to identify variables that affect isokinetic peak torque. Twenty-six female dancers ($19.7{\pm}1.2$ years of age) performed concentric maximum force efforts on the knee extensors and flexors at $60^{\circ}/sec$ and $120^{\circ}/sec$, the ankle plantar flexors (PF) and dorsiflexors (DF) at $30^{\circ}/sec$ and $120^{\circ}/sec$. Antropometric variables such as age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), thigh girth, calf girth and duration of dance training were measured. To identify antropometric variables related to muscle strength, Pearson correlations were computed and a stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed. Pearson correlation coefficients of Knee extensor at $60^{\circ}/sec$ and $120^{\circ}/sec$ revealed moderate positive associations with BMI and thigh girth. Pearson correlation coefficients of ankle PF revealed low-to-moderate positive associations with height. Ankle DF also revealed moderate positive associations with BMI and calf girth. The main predictor variables of knee extensor at 60/sec, were stepwise multiple regression, age, height, thigh and girth.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.217-226
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• 2017

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify the effects of Tai Chi training program on physical fitness, stress response and ego-resiliency in nursing students. Methods: 28 nursing students of D metropolitan city participated in non-equivalent control group pre- and post-test group test in quasi experimental design with written consent. Fourteen participants in the control group who did usual activities and 14 experimental participants who promised to participate 24 Tai Chi training sessions for 12 weeks. Both groups completed pre- and post-test measurement for physical fitness, a questionnaire regarding their stress response and ego-resiliency. Each 60-minute Tai Chi session was consisted of 5-minute warm up, 10-minute meditation, 40-minute Tai Chi, and 5-minute finishing exercise. Results: After 12 weeks, participants in the Tai Chi group reported significantly higher score in muscle endurance (t=3.77, p=.001), leg muscular strength (t=2.14, p=.042), and balance (t=2.12, p=.044) compared to the control group. The Tai Chi group recorded significantly lower score than the control group on stress response (t=2.75, p=.011). Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of Tai Chi for a reduction in stress response and promotion in physical fitness in nursing students. Applying Tai Chi training to nursing program will help nursing students to have better academic performance.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.29-36
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of 6-week sensorimotoor training on balance ability and lower limb muscle activation during gait in older adults. Methods: Twenty-four community-dwelling older adults between 65 and 90 years of age participated in this study. In the older adults of the experimental group (n=12), the sensorimotor training program was performed bare feet. General exercise was performed in the control group (n=12). Then, both groups exercised three times a week for forty minutes over a 6-week period. Balance ability was evaluated by One leg stand (OLS) test for determining the static balance and Timed Up & Go (TUG) test for determining the dynamic balance. In addition, muscle activation of the dominant lower limb tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius medialis muscles were measured by surface EMG to evaluate muscle activation during gait. Results: A significant improvement was seen in the one leg standing (OLS) time after exercise in both the sensorimotor training (SMT) group and general exercise (GE) group (p<0.05) and the change in the SMT group was greater than that in the GE group (p<0.05). A significant reduction was seen in the Timed Up & Go (TUG) test time after exercise in both the SMT group and GE group (p<0.05). Also, a significant increase was seen in muscle activation of tibialis anterior muscle after exercise in the SMT group (p<0.05), but no such significant increase was seen in the GE group (p>0.05). Conclusion: These results suggest that sensorimotor training improves the balance in older adults and has a more positive effect on muscular strength and gait. Sensorimotor training provided a variance of training environment and COG exercise of the body is thought to be a more effective exercise program that improves balance and gait ability in older adults.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.590-600
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• 2007

We performed experimental studies on the muscle activities in the lower limbs for the different movement patterns on an unstable platform. A training system for postural control using an unstable platform that we previously developed was applied for the experiments. This unstable platform provides 360 degrees of movement allowing for training of posture in various directions and provides simultaneous excitations to visual sensory, somatic sensation and vestibular organs. Compare with the stable platform, keeping body balance on the unstable platform requests more effective sensation from vision, vestibular sense and somatic sense. Especially, the somatosensory inputs from the muscle proprioceptors and muscle force are crucial. To study the muscle activities for the different movement patterns and find the best training method for improving the ability of postural control through training and improving the lower extremity muscular strength, fifteen young healthy participants went through trainings and experiments. The participants were instructed to move the center of pressure following the appointed movement pattern while standing on the unstable platform. The electromyographies of the muscles in the lower limbs were recorded and analyzed in the time and the frequency domain. Our experimental results showed the significant differences in muscle activities for the different movement patterns. Especially, the spectral energy of electromyography signals in muscle for the movement pattern in anterior-posterior direction was significantly higher than those occurred in the other patterns. The muscles in the lower leg, especially tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius were more activated compared to the others for controlling the balance of body on the unstable platform. The experimental results suggest that, through the choice of different movement pattern, the training for lower extremity strength could be performed on specific muscles in different intensity. And, the ability of postural control could be improved by the training for lower extremity strength.