• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.503-509
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• 2015

In this paper, we designed and tested an ankle joint mechanism for a gait rehabilitation robot. Gait rehabilitation programs are designed to improve the natural leg motion of patients who have lost their walking capabilities by accident or disease. Strengthening the muscles of the lower-limbs and stimulation of the nervous system corresponding to walking helps patients to walk again using gait assistive devices. It is an obvious requirement that the rehabilitation system's motion should be similar to and as natural as the normal gait. However, the system being used for gait rehabilitation does not pay much attention to ankle joints, which play an important role in correct walking as the motion of the ankle should reflect the movement of the center of gravity (COG) of the body. Consequently, we have designed an ankle mechanism that ensures the safety of the patient as well as efficient gait training. Also, even patients with low leg muscle strength are able to operate the ankle joint due to the direct-drive mechanism without a reducer. This safety feature prevents any possible adverse load on the human ankle. The additional degree of freedom for the roll motion achieves a gait pattern which is similar to the normal gait and with a greater degree of comfort.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.387-393
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to compare pregnant women's gait parameters and mechanical energies caused by changes in hormone levels and anatomical features such as body mass, body-mass distribution, joint laxity, and musculo-tendinous strength from pregnancy to postpartum. Ten subjects (height: $161{\pm}6.5cm$, mass: $62.7{\pm}10.4\;kg$, $66.4{\pm}9.3\;kg$, $68.4{\pm}7.7\;kg$, $57.2{\pm}7.7\;kg$) participated in the four times experiments (the first, middle, last term and after birth) and walked ten trials at a self-selected pace without shoes. The gait motions were captured with Qualisys system and gait parameters were calculated with Visual-3D. Pregnant women's gait velocities were decreased during the pregnancy periods, but increased after birth. Stride width and cycle time were increased during pregnancy, but decreased after birth. Thigh energy (77.4%) was greater than shank energy (19.06%) or feet (3.54%) about total energy of the lower limbs. Their feet (Left R2=0.881, Right R2=0.852) and shank (Left R2=0.318, Right R2=0.226) energies were significantly increased (positive correlation), but double limb stance time (DLST, R2=0.679) and body total energy (R2=0.138) were decreased (negative correlation) for their velocities. These differences suggest that thigh segment may be a dominant segment among lower limbs, and have something to do with gait velocities. Further studies should investigate joint power and joint work to find energy dissipation or absorption from pregnancy period to postpartum.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.93-102
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of step length on the joint moment. The subjects were 4 undergraduate and graduate students in their 20s with normal legs. The subjects were individually tested by the running timer at the walking speed of 0.67m/s, 134m/s, and 2.46m/s. The step length was regulated to -10% of normal, normal and +10% of normal step length using foot print. The walking performances of each subjects were filmed using a high speed video camera. The raw data were analyzed by LabVIEW Graphical Program and these data were analyzed by ANOVAs and Scheffe. The results of this study were as follows: The maximum dorsiflexion moment of the ankle joint increased as the step length increased only at the fast walking speed. Although there wasn't significant difference shown in the plantar flexion moment, regular pattern in the plantar flexion moment which increased as the step length increased was found. The first maximum extension moment of the knee joint increased only at the normal walking speed, but there appeared no significant difference in the maximum flexion and second extension moment. The maximum extension moment of the hip joint increased at the normal and fast walking speed. Although there wasn't significant difference, regular pattern in flexion moment which increased as the step length increased was found.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.137-148
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to compare muscle activity in the lower extremity during walking wearing jogging and roller shoes. Twelve male middle school students (age: 15.0 yrs, height 173.7 cm, weight 587.7 N) who have no known musculoskeletal disorders were recruited as the subjects. Seven pairs of surface electrodes (QEMG8, Laxtha Korea, gain = 1,000, input impedance >$1012{\Omega}$, CMMR >100 dB) were attached to the right-hand side of the body to monitor the rectus femoris (RF), vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), biceps femoris (BF), tibialis anterior (TA), and medial (GM) and lateral gastrocnemius (GL) while subjects walked wearing roller and jogging shoes in random order at a speed of 1.1 m/s. An event sync unit with a bright LED light was used to synchronize the video and EMG recordings. EMG data were filtered using a 10 Hz to 350 Hz Butterworth band-passdigital filter and further normalized to the respective maximum voluntary isometric contraction EMG levels. For each trial being analyzed, five critical instants and four phases were identified from the recording. Averaged IEMG and peak IEMG were determined for each trial. For each dependent variable, paired t-test was performed to test if significant difference existed between shoe conditions (p<.05). The VM, TA, BF, and GM activities during the initial double limb stance and the initial single limb stance reduced significantly when going from jogging shoe to roller shoe condition. The decrease in EMG levels in those muscles indicated that the subjects locked the ankle and knee joints in an awkward fashion to compensate for the imbalance. Muscle activity in the GM for the roller shoe condition was significantly greater than the corresponding value for the jogging shoe condition during the terminal double limb stance and the terminal single limb stance. Because the subjects tried to keep their upper body weight in front of the hip to prevent falling backward, the GM activity for the roller shoe condition increased. It seems that there are differences in muscle activity between roller shoe and jogging shoe conditions. The differences in EMG pattern may be caused primarily by the altered position of ankle, knee, and center of mass throughout the walking cycle. Future studies should examine joint kinematics during walking with roller shoes.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.207-214
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• 2016

The aim of this study was to evaluate Influence on intra-limb coordination in individuals wearing knee brace during walking. Seven healthy male adults ($32.3{\pm}2.7$ years old, $175.2{\pm}3.8cm$, $76.2{\pm}8.7kg$) participated. They wore knee brace or didn't wear any knee brace and were asked to walk along a 10 m long walkway. Spatiotemporal parameters, angles of the lower limbs, and intra-limb continuous relative phase (CRP) were measured and calculated. No differences of spatiotemporal parameters were shown (all p > 0.05). There were no changes in the angle and its range of motion (ROM) in the hip for the subjects as wearing knee brace, while ROM ($65.5{\pm}3.7^{\circ}$ vs. $60.5{\pm}3.5^{\circ}$, p < 0.05) of the angle and maximum flexion angles (stance: $31.9{\pm}4.6$ vs. $25.6{\pm}5.5$, swing: $76.7{\pm}3.1$ vs. $68.9{\pm}3.4$, all p < 0.05) in the knee significantly decreased. No changes in ROM of angle in the ankle were shown, whereas maximum dorsiflexion decreased ($22.4{\pm}2.6$ vs. $19.2{\pm}2.1$, p < 0.05) and maximum plantarflexion increased ($9.5{\pm}3.0$ vs. $15.7{\pm}2.2$, p<0.05). There were no changes in most of CRP between joints. CRP between the hip and knee joints decreased ($93.0{\pm}7.8$ vs, $84.7{\pm}4.9$, p < 0.05). Most of CRP standard deviation increased (between the hip and ankle joint during swing: $25.1{\pm}6.7$ vs. $32.4{\pm}1.9$, between the knee and ankle joint during stance: $46.0{\pm}12.9$ vs. $80.1{\pm}31.1$, between the knee and ankle joint during swing: $34.5{\pm}4.1$ vs. $37.6{\pm}3.1$, all p < 0.05). These results indicated that wearing knee brace affected joint angle and intra-limb coordination, but less affected gait features.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.171-179
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• 2017

Objective: The purpose of this study was to perform a kinematic and kinetic analysis of double-under jump rope technique according to skill level and sex. Method: Participants comprised a skilled group of 16 (9 males, 7 females), and an unskilled group of 16 with 6 months or less of experience (9 males, 7 females). Five consecutive double-under successes were regarded as 1 trial, and all participants were asked to complete 3 successful trials. The data for these 3 trials were averaged and analyzed after collecting the stable third jump in each trial. The variables used in the analysis included phase duration, total duration, flight time, vertical toe height, stance width, vertical center of mass displacement, and right lower limb ankle, knee, and hip joint angles in the sagittal plane during all events. Results: The skilled group had a shorter phase and total duration and a shorter flight time than the unskilled group. The vertical center of mass displacement and ankle dorsiflexion angle were significantly smaller in the skilled group. The male group had a shorter phase duration than the female group. The vertical toe height was greater, the stance width was smaller, and the ankle and hip flexion angles were smaller in the male group. Conclusion: Variables that can be used to distinguish between skill levels are phase and total duration, flight time, vertical center of mass displacement, and ankle dorsiflexion angle. Differences between sexes in double-under jump rope technique may be related to lower limb flexion angle control.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.280-286
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• 2019

This study verified the difference in biomechanical variation and the pattern of the lower limb between using or not using functional insoles on the gait of elderly people. Ten females subjects were selected (age: 73.2 years, height: 152.1 cm, body mass: 59.4 kg) for testing their gait with using functional insoles and without using functional insoles. The gait motions were captured with the Qualisys system and the gait parameters were calculated with Visual-3D. As a result, the subjects' stride length and swing time were significantly increased (p<.05). Also, the lower limb's extension moment was significantly increased (p<.05) when using the insole. These differences suggest the functional insole used in the experiment increases the subjects' gait stability. However, to generalize the results of this study, it is necessary to accumulate more quantitative data with more subjects. Further studies to examine gait variables and changes of walking patterns need to be conducted by gathering and utilizing the results of those subjects who have used insoles for a long period of time.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.135-142
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• 2016

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effect of walking on high heels on the behavior of fascicle length and activation of the lower limb muscles. Methods: Twelve healthy inexperienced high heel wearers (age: $23.1{\pm}2.0yr$, height: $162.4{\pm}4.9cm$, weight: $54.4{\pm}8.5kg$) participated in this study. They walked in high heels (7 cm) and barefoot on a treadmill at their preferred speed. During the gait analysis, the lower limb joint kinematics were obtained using a motion analysis system. In addition, the changes in fascicle length and the level of activation of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) were simultaneously monitored using a real-time ultrasound imaging technique and surface electromyography, respectively. Results: The results of this study show that the MG fascicle operates at a significantly shorter length in high heel walking ($37.64{\pm}8.59mm$ to $43.99{\pm}8.66mm$) in comparison with barefoot walking ($48.26{\pm}9.02mm$ to $53.99{\pm}8.54mm$) (p < .05). In addition, the MG fascicle underwent lengthening during high heel walking with relatively low muscle activation while it remained isometric during barefoot walking with relatively high muscle activation. Conclusion: Wearing high heels alters the operating range of the MG fascicle length and the pattern of muscle activation, suggesting that prolonged wearing of high heels might induce structural alterations of the MG that, in turn, hinder normal functioning of the MG muscle during walking.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.117-123
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to provide data to increase the success rate of penalty kicks through quantifying the shape of skilled kicks by performing a kinematic analysis on the change of movement during the kicking phase which the goalkeeper uses as a vital clue. Three high definition video cameras(GR-HD1KR, JVC, Japan) were used for the study and 18 reflective markers were attached to the body joints. Corners of the goal, difficult for goalkeepers to block, were set as aims and 1 m by 1.2 m targets were installed. Each subject had five sets of kicks at random, and the analysis was done on the movements that hit the target. Time, speed of the right lower limb's center of mass, joint angle, and angular velocity were chosen as factors and the results of the analysis showed statistical significance. The player taking a penalty kick should train to avoid leaning one's body towards the kicking direction and change the angle of the right foot right before the impact to decide the direction of the ball. The goalkeeper can increase the save success rate by studying the angle of the kicker's body and the right foot as well as the timing of the kick.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.481-488
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• 2021

This study aimed to identify and to compare the difference the changes of one-leg drop landing pattern depending on chronic ankle instability (CAI) among basketball club members. For 30 basketball club members who are currently participating in recreational basketball games in Busan Metropolitan City, 21 CAI groups and 9 CON groups were classified according to the CAI standards provided by the International Ankle Consortium. The one-leg drop landing pattern was measured with the alignment of the lower extremity and joint movement at the initial contact (IC), and the point of peak knee flexion. In addition, the one-leg drop landing pattern was tested with the muscular activity of tibialis anterior, peroneus longus, medial gastrocnemius and gluteus medius at the initial contact (IC), heel contact (HC), and the point of peak knee flexion. The results of this study showed that there was no significant difference in lower limb alignment and lower limb muscular activity among single leg drop landing. These results showed no significant differences in the one leg drop landing pattern and muscular activity depending on CAI. The further studies should classify the types of chronic ankle instability and consider the physical demands and movement characteristics depending on their playing position for providing useful information on prevention of CAI in basketball club members.