• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.99-111
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• 2023

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of pelvic compression methods on the muscle activities of the trunk muscles during plank exercises in individuals with and without low back pain. METHODS: Individuals who experienced back pain for three or more days within the last six months (low back pain group, LBPG; n = 15) and those who did not (non-experienced low back pain group, NLBPG; n = 15) were instructed to perform plank exercise without pelvic compression or while wearing a ReaLine or Com-pressor belt. The electromyography (EMG) data was measured during each session of exercise. Surface EMG signals were collected for the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), erector spinae (ES), and gluteus maximus (GM) muscles. The data were collected during three 5-s exercises with a 1-min rest period between the three sets. RESULTS: During the plank exercise, the muscle activity of the RA in the LBPG was significantly higher than that in the NLBPG (p < .05), and greater muscle activity was observed in the LBPG even when two pelvic compression methods were applied (p < .05). The muscle activity of RA was decreased significantly during pelvic compression according to the pelvic compression methods in both groups (p < .05). No significant interaction was observed between the groups or the pelvic compression methods for the RA, EO, ES, or GM muscle activities during plank exercises. CONCLUSION: Both pelvic compression methods reduced the RA muscle activity during plank exercises in individuals who had not experienced back pain within the last six months.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.95-102
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• 2021

PURPOSE: This study examined the muscle activity of the abdominal muscle when lifting with abdominal hollowing with visual feedback and lifting with a pelvic compression belt. This study suggests how to lift an object safely in the workplace for people who bend their backs repeatedly. METHODS: The study was conducted on healthy men in their 20s and 30s. When lifting a 7kg object, lifting with abdominal hollowing with visual feedback, and lifting an object with a pelvic compression belt were performed three times in random order. The muscle activities were measured rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), internal oblique/transverse abdominis (IO/TrA) muscles, and abdominal hollowing exercises, and box lifting exercises were carried out in advance before the experiment. One-way ANOVA was used to compare muscle activities, and a Tukey HSD was used for post-analysis. The level of significance was set to .05. RESULTS: According to the study, there was no significant difference in muscle activity of the RA muscle depending on the lifting method (p > .05). There were significant differences between the EO and IO/TrA muscle (p < .05). The IO/TrA muscle activity showed the largest increase in lifting an abdominal hollowing with visual feedback (p < .05). The EO muscle activity increased in pelvic compression belt lifting (p < .05). The muscle activity was increased in RA, but there was no significant difference (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Abdominal hollowing lifting with visual feedback increases the muscle activity of the IO/TrA muscle, which is higher than normal, and affects the core stability of the body.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.15-23
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• 2011

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the pelvic compression belt (PCB) on the thickness of the transversus abdominis (TrA) during active straight leg raising (ASLR). Methods: Thirty healthy subjects (10 men and 20 women) volunteered to participate in this study. The thickness of TrA was measured using a real-time ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system. Subjects were instructed to rest in a resting (hook-lying) position and to perform ASLR with and without the PCB. The PCB was positioned below the anterior superior iliac spine with stabilizing pressure from elastic bands. Results: In the resting position and during ASLR, the thickness of the TrA significantly differed between subjects with and without PCB (p<.05). In addition, there was a significant interaction between the measurement position and the presence or absence of PCB (p<.05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that the PCB may affect deep core muscles such as TrA during various activities. Further studies are required to generalize the results of the present study.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2021

Background: This study is goal to explore the effects of swiss ball exercise on muscular strength, flexibility, and balance in healthy adults with and without pelvic compression belts. Design: Randomized Controlled Trial. Methods: This study randomly divided the experimental and control groups in 24 healthy adults wearing pelvic compression belts, and they conducted Swiss ball exercise programs, 5 times for 40 minutes a week during 3 weeks in conclusion 15 times. Results: The results showed that the experimental groups have increased significantly in muscle strength and flexibility (p<.05). Conclusion: This study showed that pelvic compression belts and Swiss ball exercise programs will help health improvements such as muscle strength, flexibility, and balance in normal adults, and it is also thought to be worth applying to patients with back pain.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.27-36
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• 2021

Background : Prone hip extension (PHE) is commonly used for exercises and tests in patients with low back pain. Previous studies have shown that pelvic compression belts (PCB) and non-elastic taping (NET) contribute greatly to improvements in lumbopelvic stability. This study aimed to compare the effect of two lumbopelvic stability methods such as PCB and NET on the trunk and hip extensor muscle activities during PHE tests. Methods: Subjects who experienced low back pain (low back pain group, LBPG; n=20) and those who did not experience low back pain (non-LBPG; n=20) participated in this study. The subjects were instructed to perform PHE with and without a PCB and NET. PHE tests were performed in the condition wherein the two stabilization methods were applied, and the actions of the muscles at that time were measured using surface electromyography (EMG). EMG data were collected from the hamstring, gluteus maximus, erector spine (ES), and multifidus (MF) muscles. The data were collected three times for 5 s with a 1-min rest between each of the three sets. Results: In the LBPG, EMG of the ES muscle was significantly reduced when NET or a PCB was applied (p<.05). There was no difference in the change in the ES muscle activity when NET and a PCB were applied. The ratio of MF/ES muscleactivity showed a significant increase in the LBPG with NET (p<.05). Conclusion: Both NET and PCB applied to subjects who experienced low back pain significantly reduced the ES muscle activity during PHE exercises and helped control the balance of the superficial and deep trunk extensor muscles.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.22-30
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• 2018

Background: Improvement of lumbo-pelvic stability can reduce the compensatory action of the quadratus lumborum (QL) and selectively strengthen the gluteus medius (GM) during side-lying hip abduction (SHA). There are abdominal draw-in maneuver (ADIM) and abdominal bracing (AB) as active ways, and pelvic compression belt (PCB) as a passive way to increase of lumbo-pelvic stability. It is necessary to compare how these stabilization methods affect the selective strengthening of the GM. Objects: To investigate the effects of ADIM, AB, and PCB during SHA on the electromyography (EMG) activity of the GM, QL, external oblique (EO) and internal oblique (IO), and the GM/QL EMG activity ratio. Methods: A total of 20 healthy male adults participated in the study. The subjects performed three conditions in side-lying in random order: SHA with ADIM (SHA-ADIM), SHA with AB (SHA-AB), and SHA with PCB (SHA-PCB). To compare the differences among the three conditions, the EMG activities of the GM, QL, EO and IO, and GM/QL EMG activity ratio were analyzed using one-way repeated ANOVA. Results: The EMG activity of the QL was significantly higher in SHA-AB than in SHA-ADIM and SHA-PCB. The GM/QL activity ratio was significantly higher in SHA-PCB than in SHA-ADIM and SHA-AB. In addition, the figure for SHA-ADIM was significantly higher than that for SHA-AB. In the case of the EO, the figure for SHA-AB was significantly higher than corresponding values for the other two conditions. The figure for SHA-ADIM was significantly higher than that for SHA-PCB. The EMG activity of the IO was significantly higher in SHA-AH than in SHA-PCB. Conclusion: It can be suggested that wearing the PCB can more selectively strengthen the GM than to perform ADIM and AB during SHA. In addition, the ADIM can be recommended when there is a need to strengthen abdominal muscles during SHA.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the pelvic compression belt (PCB) on the electromyography (EMG) activities of trunk muscles during sit-to-stand (SitTS), and stand-to-sit (StandTS) tasks. Twenty healthy subjects (7 men and 13 women) were recruited for this study. The subjects performed SitTS, and StandTS tasks, with and without a PCB. Surface EMG was used to record activity of the internal oblique (IO), external oblique (EO), rectus abdominis (RA), erector spinae (ES), and multifidus (MF) of the dominant limb. EMG activity significantly decreased in the RA (without the PCB, $8.34{\pm}6.04$ %maximal voluntary isometric contraction [%MVIC]; with the PCB, $7.64{\pm}5.11$ %MVIC), EO (without the PCB, $14.83{\pm}11.82$ %MVIC; with the PCB, $11.98{\pm}7.60$ %MVIC), MF (without the PCB, $21.74{\pm}7.76$ %MVIC; with the PCB, $18.50{\pm}8.04$ %MVIC), and ES (without the PCB, $18.39{\pm}7.16$ %MVIC; with the PCB, $16.63{\pm}6.31$ %MVIC) during the SitTS task and in the IO (without the PCB, $20.58{\pm}15.60$ %MVIC; with the PCB, $17.27{\pm}12.32$ %MVIlC), RA (without the PCB, $8.04{\pm}5.68$ %MVIC; with the PCB, $7.40{\pm}4.71$ %MVIC), EO (without the PCB, $13.29{\pm}8.80$ %MVIC; with the PCB, $11.24{\pm}6.14$ %MVIC), MF (without the PCB, $18.59{\pm}7.64$ %MVIC; with the PCB, $15.86{\pm}6.48$ %MVIC), and ES (without the PCB, $17.14{\pm}6.44$ %MVIC; with the PCB, $15.46{\pm}5.62$ %MVIC) during the StandTS task when a PCB was used (p<.05). In men the EMG activity of the MF significantly decreased during the SitTS task when a PCB was used (p<.05): in women, the EMG activity of the RA, EO, MF, and ES during the SitTS task and that of the EO, MF, and ES during the SitTS task significantly decreased when a PCB was used (p<.05). In addition, the rates of change in the EMG activity of each muscle differed significantly during the SitTS and StandTS tasks before and after the use of the PCB. However, the EMG activity did not significantly differ between the male and female subjects. These findings suggest that the PCB may contribute to the modification of activation patterns of the trunk muscles during SitTS, and StandTS tasks.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.1-11
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• 2012

The pelvic compression belt (PCB) contributes to improving sacroiliac joint stability, and it has been used as an additional therapeutic option for patients with sacroiliac joint pain (SIJP). This study aimed to investigate whether the muscle activation patterns of the supporting leg was different between asymptomatic subjects and subjects with SIJP during one-leg standing, and how it changes with the PCB. 15 subjects with SIJP and 10 asymptomatic subjects volunteered to participate in this study. Surface electromyography (EMG) data (reaction time [RT] and muscle activation) were collected from the internal oblique, lumbar multifidius, gluteus maximus and biceps femoris muscles during one-leg standing with and without the PCB. Without the PCB condition, in the SIJP group, the biceps femoris muscle showed the fastest RT among all muscles (p<.05), whereas in the asymptomatic group, the RT of the internal oblique muscle was the most rapid (p<.05). In condition without the PCB, the biceps femoris EMG amplitudes in the SIJP group were significantly greater than that in the asymptomatic group (p<.05). After the application of the PCB, the RT of the biceps femoris muscle was significantly increased only in the SIJP group (p<.05). Moreover, the biceps femoris EMG amplitudes significantly decreased and the gluteus maximus EMG amplitudes significant increased only in the SIJP group by applying the PCB (p<.05). However, this had no such effect on the gluteus maximus and biceps femoris EMG patterns in the asymptomatic group (p>.05). Thus, this study supports the applying the PCB to patients with SIJP can be used as a helpful option to modify the activation patterns of the gluteus maximus and biceps femoris muscle.