• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.1-9
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• 2010

To develop effective training methods for strengthening a weakened quadriceps femoris muscle in hemiplegic patients, we examined the effects of maximal isometric contraction of the nonparalyzed knee joint on the electromyographic activities of the paralytic muscle. An electromyogram (EMG) was used to record the electromyographic activities of the paralytic quadriceps femoris muscle in 27 hemiplegic patients. The maximal isometric contraction was measured for each subject to normalize the electromyographic activities. The maximal isometric extension and flexion exercises were randomly conducted when the knee joint angles of the nonparalyzed knees were $0^{\circ}$, $45^{\circ}$, and $90^{\circ}$. The patients were encouraged to maintain maximal isometric contractions in both knee joints during each measurement, and three measurements were taken. A one-minute rest interval was given between each measurement to minimize the effects of muscle fatigue. An average from the three values was taken as being the root mean square of the EMG and was recorded as being the maximal isometric contraction. The electromyographic activity obtained for each measurement was expressed as a percentage of the reference voluntary contraction, which was determined using the values obtained during the maximal isometric contraction. The results of this study are summarized as follows: First, when the knee joint angle of the nonparalyzed knee was $0^{\circ}$, the electromyographic activities of the paralytic medial aspect of rectus femoris were related to measurement by a maximal isometric flexion exercise than by an extension exercise (p<.05). Second, when the knee joint angle of the nonparalyzed knee was $90^{\circ}$, the electromyographic activities of the paralytic lateral aspect of rectus femoris were related to measurement by a maximal isometric flexion exercise than by an extension exercise (p<.05). The results show that myoelectrical activities of paralytic quardriceps were not related to measurement angles and exercise directions of the nonparalized knee joint. Studies on various indirect intervention to improve muscular strength of patients with nervous system disorders of the weakened muscle should be constantly conducted.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.61-68
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• 2002

The purpose of this dissertation was to analyze the effect of trunk extension strengthening exercise on muscle performance of the upper limb in adolescent baseball player. The twenty people were studied : experimental group(10), comparative group(10). The experimental group has done trunk extension strengthening exercise for 8 weeks. The study analyzes isometric maximal strength of shoulder internal rotation. shoulder external rotation, elbow flexion, elbow extension, forearm pronation, forearm supination and ball speed. All of subjects were tested for 3 times ; pre, mid, post. The results were as follows; 1. Maximal isometric strength of upper limb, during trunk extension strengthening exercise in experimental group, shoulder internal rotation and external rotation showed it has slightly increased and comparative group showed it has no change, but not significant elbow flexion and extension significantly(p<0.05) increased after exercise either for 4 or 8 weeks compared with that of control group. Forearm pronation showed not significantly changed in both group, but significantly different between group either for 4 or 8 weeks. Forearm supination, significantly((p<0.05) increased after 8 weeks in experimental group. 2. Ball speed showed slightly increased but not significantly in experimental group. These results it may expect improvement of upper limb muscle performance of upper limb in adolescent baseball player. However, in case of shoulder a point of view of bunk extension strengthening exercise of this study hasn't a significant influence. More experimental studies are needs, hereafter which will use more experimental subjects and various methods of exercise and new application of treatment term to define significant change.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Health Science
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.311-319
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• 2015

Purpose. This study of purpose was to compare and analyze the relationship among the isokinetic trunk muscular functions, flexibility and low back pain of elite weight lifter with regard of sex. Methods. we measured the level of low back pain, isokinetic muscular functions according to gender, then analyzed the relationship between isokinetic functions and the level of low back pain, between flexibility and the level of pain, between Athletic Career and the level. Results. In this study, the gender, the VAS point was $2.6{\pm}2.3$ and the VRS point was $2.3{\pm}1.3$ in males. The other side, in females the VAS points was $3.6{\pm}1.7$ and the VRS was $3.2{\pm}1.1$. There was significant negative correlation(r=-0.826) between the VAS point and the maximal flexion muscular strength per kilogram of $30^{\circ}/sec$ isokinetic exercise in female. also there was negative correlation between the muscular flexion strength per kilogram and the VRS point in female, but there was no significant relationship in male. Conclusions. In current study, these results suggested that the higher muscular flexion strength per kilogram is, the lower the level of low back pain is in female athletes. this is caused by the imbalance between Abdominal Muscles and Back Extensor in weight lifter. Therefore, there is the need to apply the program to improve the balance of trunk.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.262-268
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• 2022

Background: Virtual reality (VR) programs based on motion capture camera are the most convenient and cost-effective approaches for remote rehabilitation. Assessment of physical function is critical for providing optimal VR rehabilitation training; however, direct muscle strength measurement using camera-based kinematic data is impracticable. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a method to indirectly estimate the muscle strength of users from the value obtained using a motion capture camera. Objects: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the pedaling speed converted using the VR engine from the captured foot position data in the VR environment can be used as an indirect way to evaluate knee muscle strength, and to investigate the validity and reliability of a camera-based VR program. Methods: Thirty healthy adults were included in this study. Each subject performed a 15-second maximum pedaling test in the VR and built-in speedometer modes. In the VR speedometer mode, a motion capture camera was used to detect the position of the ankle joints and automatically calculate the pedaling speed. An isokinetic dynamometer was used to assess the isometric and isokinetic peak torques of knee flexion and extension. Results: The pedaling speeds in VR and built-in speedometer modes revealed a significantly high positive correlation (r = 0.922). In addition, the intra-rater reliability of the pedaling speed in the VR speedometer mode was good (ICC [intraclass correlation coefficient] = 0.685). The results of the Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant moderate positive correlation between the pedaling speed of the VR speedometer and the peak torque of knee isokinetic flexion (r = 0.639) and extension (r = 0.598). Conclusion: This study suggests the potential benefits of measuring the maximum pedaling speed using 3D depth camera in a VR environment as an indirect assessment of muscle strength. However, technological improvements must be followed to obtain more accurate estimation of muscle strength from the VR cycling test.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.114-122
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• 2024

Background: The peroneus longus (PL) and peroneus brevis (PB) function as the primary muscles of eversion, a movement closely associated with tibial external rotation for ankle mortise stability. Ankle motion and tibial rotation vary based on different ankle and knee positions. Objects: This study aimed to investigate the PL, PB, and biceps femoris (BF) muscle activation and eversion strength during side-lying isometric eversion exercise based on different ankle positions (neutral [N] and plantarflexion [PF]) and knee positions (90° flexion [KF] and extension [KE]). Methods: Thirty healthy adults with an Ankle Joint Functional Assessment Tool score of ≥ 22 were recruited (mean age = 24.8 ± 3.1 years). Maximal isometric eversion strength and submaximal muscle activation of the PL, PB and BF were measured during isometric eversion exercise in side-lying. A 2 × 2 repeated measures analysis of variance was performed to investigate differences in muscle activation and strength. Results: The PL and PB muscle activation showed significant main effects with the knee and ankle positions (p < 0.05); activation was greater in the KE and PF positions than in the KF and N positions. The BF muscle activation showed a significant interaction effect with knee and ankle positions, which was greater in knee extension and ankle plantarflexed (KEPF) position than in knee flexion and ankle plantarflexed (KFPF) position (p < 0.05). Eversion strength showed a significant main effect only in ankle position (p < 0.05) and was greater in the N position than in the PF position. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the KEPF position can be recommended to facilitate contraction of the PL and PB during side-lying eversion exercise. Furthermore, the effects of the knee-ankle positions should be considered for measuring ankle eversion strength and implementing the isometric submaximal side-lying eversion exercise.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.81-90
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• 1998

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of mental practice on biceps brachii muscle strengthening in 3 poststroke hemiplegia patients along with multiple baseline design across subjects. The mental practice adopted for this experiment involved imagery training to practice elbow flexion, which last 12 to 16 sessions with 30 minutes each session. Maximal muscle activities was measured pre- and post-mental practice to evaluate the strength of biceps brachii. The strength of biceps brachii was measured by surface-EMG. The results were: In the subject 1, 73.92 mV (pre-) and 127.56 mV (post-); in the subject 2, 147.60 mV (pre-) and 202.85 mV (post-); and in the subject 3, 20.75 mV (pre-) and 27.92 mV (post-). The results indicate that a simple mental practice is a useful method to strengthen biceps brachii muscle in hemiplegic patients.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.179-187
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the asymmetrical difference between the use of leg muscles on the surgical and non-surgical sides during initial lower extremity ergometer exercise after unilateral knee arthroplasty. Methods: Twelve elderly patients diagnosed with degenerative arthritis of the knee and who underwent unilateral arthroplasty were included in this study. The leg length of each subject was taken into account when setting the application distance of the lower extremity ergometer. The same pedal resistance, strength, and speed were used for all the subjects. The total angle of use of the ergometer (360°) was analyzed by dividing it into an extension section and a flexion section. Using a surface electromyography system, the activities of the muscles of the surgical and non-surgical sides were converted into maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) and analyzed using the paired t-test. Results: When the activities of the muscles on the surgical and non-surgical sides were compared, it was found that the rectus femoris and biceps femoris had significant differences in the flexion and extension sections (p < .05), and that the tibialis anterior significantly differed in the flexion section (p < .05). There was no significant difference in the extension section of the tibialis anterior muscle, or in the flexion and extension sections of the gastrocnemius (p >.05). Conclusion: The results of this study confirm that the rectus femoris, tibialis anterior, biceps femoris, and gastrocnemius on the surgical side act in an opposite manner to those on the non-surgical side during pedaling in the same section.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 2009

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to study the effect of rectus abdominal muscle contraction by proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation trunk stabilization training using extremity simultaneous pattern (PNF trunk stabilization training) and traditional trunk stabilization training methods. Methods : A group of 24 adults male and female, healthy, with no previous medical history nor disability in neuromuscular system and musculoskeletal system was chosen as subjects, and was divided into a control group, a PNF trunk stabilization training group and a traditional trunk stabilization training group. Experiments were performed on the last two groups, 3 times a week for 6 weeks, totaling 18 times. Using a dynamometer, muscle strength and endurance time on trunk flexion were measured before and after each experiment, and surface electromyography in left and right rectus abdominis were measured. Results : following results were obtained; 1. As for the change in the maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), all subjects in the trunk stabilization training group showed significant difference from those in the control group. 2. As for surface electromyography measurement and the changes in root mean square at the time of trunk flexion, in the left rectus abdominis, PNF trunk stabilization training group showed significant difference from the control group, while in the right rectus abdominis, traditional trunk stabilization training group showed significant difference. Conclusion : To sum up the results, both trunk stabilization training groups showed improvement in the MVIC of abdominal muscle, motor unit action potential activity, but the difference between two trunk stabilization training groups was not significant. Therefore, while trunk stabilization training significantly improved abdominal muscle contraction, but the difference attributable to training methods was found to be insignificant.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.904-913
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• 1995

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of exercise programs on the treatment of chronic diseases. For this purpose, nine middle-aged women suffering from such chronic diseases as obesity, hypertension and coronary heart disease(CHD) were sampled to perform a 4-month-long exercise program which required the lactate threshold(LT) level corresponding to 70% of maximal oxygen uptake(VO2max). Thereupon, their physiques, physical fitness, blood components and physiological varibles were compared pre and post of exercise program. The results were summarized as follows ; 1) After the 4-month-long exercise program, %fat was significantly decreased, while such variables as grip strength, side step, trunk flexion and leg balance were significantly increased. 2) Blood components such as TG, TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, hemoglobin and hematocrit did not show and change in after exercise program. 3) Physiological varables such as HR, SBP, DBP, HR/LT, SBP/LT, DBP/LT, RPE/LT, VE/LT, VO2/LT and VO2 max showed significant increase after 4-month exercise program. These results suggest that regular aerobic exercise in a long period might help to decrease % fat and to increase aerobic capacity in middle-aged women suffering from chronic diseases.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.8-17
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• 2024

Objective: This study aims to explore the relationship between isokinetic strength training and the enhancement of physical function in older adults. It also evaluates the effectiveness of isokinetic strength training equipment. Method: This study randomly divided twenty healthy adults into two groups.The experimental group engaged in isokinetic strength training for 30 minutes, three times a week, over a four-week period. In contrast, the control group did not participate in any exercise regimen. We assessed several outcome measures including physical functions (sit-to-stand test, flexibility, Timed Up and Go test), grip strength, balance, thigh circumference, the Korean version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and the Korean version of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Additionally, the experimental group's self-perceived improvement in lower limb condition was evaluated using the Global Rating of Change (GROC) scale. Results: The experimental group showed significant improvements compared to the control group in various aspects: reduced sit-to-stand test duration (7.00±2.05 seconds), increased flexibility (4.69±3.90 cm), improved grip strength (1.54±1.74 kg), increased thigh circumference (left: 1.29±1.19 cm, right: 1.19±1.27 cm), enhanced Timed Up and Go test performance (-1.47±0.86 seconds), better balance (eyes open stance: -8.08±4.03 cm, eyes closed stance: -0.27±0.13 cm/s), and a decrease in depression severity (-0.15±1.51 points). Furthermore, significant increases were observed in the experimental group's maximal isokinetic strength at 90°/s for both flexion (19.62±7.03 Nm) and extension (19.60±14.65 Nm) over the study period. Conclusion: The findings suggest that isokinetic strength training equipment can significantly enhance physical functions in seniors when incorporated into an exercise regimen.