• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.51-56
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• 1996

Isokinetic test of muscle strength was performed on 20 patients operated laminectomy & discectomy. Peak torque of ankle dorsi flexors & plantar flexors at the angular velocity of $30^{\circ}$/sec and average power and total work of ankle dorsi flexors & plantar flexors at the angular velocity $90^{\circ}$/sec were measured and analyzed. The result were as follows: 1. Peak torque of non - dominant dorsi flexors at $30^{\circ}$/sec showed no significant difference statistically, but dominant dorsi flexors at $30^{\circ}$/sec showed significant difference statistically(p<0.05). 2. Peak torque of dominant & non - dominant plantar flexors at $30^{\circ}$/sec showed significant difference statistically(p<0.05). 3. Average power of dominant & non - dominant dorsi flexors at $90^{\circ}$/sec showed no significant difference statistically. 4. Average power of dominant & non - dominant plantar flexors at $90^{\circ}$/sec showed significant difference statistically (p<0.05). 5. Total work of dominant & non - dominant dorsi flexors at $90^{\circ}$/sec showed no significant difference statistically. 6. Total work of dominant & non - dominant plantar flexors at $90^{\circ}$/sec showed significant difference statistically(p<0.05).

• PNF and Movement
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 2013

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to examine the activity of the knee flexor and extensor with ankle plantar flexion and dorsiflexion. Methods : A total of 18 subjects(Male 6, female 12) performed 4 lower extremity patterns of PNF and the activities of the vastus medialis oblique, rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, semitendinosus ipsilateral sides were measured using electromyography. Results : During 4 lower extremity patterns of PNF, knee flexor and extensor muscle activity were significantly difference. Knee extensors were shown to be higher knee extension and ankle dorsiflexion combined pattern. Knee flexors were shown to be higher knee flexion and ankle plantarflexion combined pattern. Conclusion : We suggest that it is efficient to strengthening of knee extensors with ankle dorsiflexion and to strengthening of knee flexors with ankle plantar flexion. Also, for the functioning as toe standing, we have to choice appropriate movement pattern.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.132-137
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• 2021

Background: Flat feet can be identified by assessing the collapse of the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) and these conditions can trigger epidemiological changes in the feet. Many of previous studies compared the muscle activity of lower body in terms of intervention and dynamics to treat the structural defect of flat feet. However, few studies have investigated or analyzed the muscle activity of gastrocnemius muscle in the subjects with flat feet. Objects: This study investigated the differences in changes of medial and lateral plantar flexors in subjects with flat feet during bipedal heel-rise (BHR) task and analyzed the differences in muscle activity between two groups by measuring the electromyography (EMG) of abductor hallucis (AH), tibialis anterior (TA), medial gastrocnemius (MG), lateral gastrocnemius (LG). Methods: A total of Twenty one adult females participated in this experiment. Subjects were assigned to groups according to the navicular drop test. The task was applied to the leg, where the heel lifting action prevailed. The muscle activity of the medial and lateral feet plantar flexors was evaluated, and the % maximum voluntary isometric contractions (%MVIC) of these were compared. Results: For the difference between groups the muscle activity (%MVIC) of LG muscle was statistically significantly low in flat feet group compared to healthy feet group (flat feet: 64.57, healthy feet: 90.17; p < 0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study will contribute to identifying the muscle activities of medial and lateral feet plantar flexors among subjects with flat feet, which can cause abnormal epidemiological changes in the feet.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.19 no.spc1
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• pp.371-376
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• 2005

Relative contributions of lower extremity joints on the support moment were investigated in this study. Three-dimensional gait analyses were performed in normal walking and in unexpected step-down walking. For both gait studies, inverse dynamics were performed to obtain each joint moment of the lower extremity, which was applied to the forward dynamics simulation to determine the contributions on the support moment at different phases of walking. The forward dynamic simulation results showed that, in normal walking, the ankle plantar flexors contributed significantly during single-limb-support. However, the ankle plantar flexors, knee extensors and hip extensors worked together during double-limb-support. In unexpected step-down walking, the important contributors on the support of the body during single-limb-support were not only ankle plantar flexors but also knee extensors. This study, analyzing the relative contributions of the lower limb joint moments for the body support, would be helpful to understand different unexpected walking conditions and compensatory mechanisms for various pathological gaits.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the immediate effects of using the proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) contract-relax technique in the close kinetic chain position on the gait ability and gastrocnemius muscle tone of stroke patients. Methods: The subjects were patients who had strokes due to cerebrum infarction and hemorrhage. The subjects participated in exercise with the PNF contract-relax technique in the standing-on-elbow position with a high table, and the affected lower leg was placed in the posterior position. The PNF contract-relax technique was applied at the position in which the ankle plantar-flexors were in a sufficiently elongated position. After performing twice in each range, while the muscle was elongated, the affected side was moved further back and a new range was set. In each session, the time of contraction was set to 8 seconds, and the resting time was set to 5 seconds; however, if the patient felt tired, they received more resting time during the intervention. The Myoton Pro and 10 m walking test were used to measure the muscle tone and gait ability both pre- and post-intervention. Results: After participating in the program, the muscle tone decreased and the gait ability improved in the ankle plantar-flexors, as determined by the Myoton Pro and 10 m walking test. Conclusion: The PNF contract-relax technique can help to decrease muscle tone in ankle plantar-flexors with hypertonus and increase the gait ability in stroke patients.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.45-52
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• 2024

Objective: The purpose of this study was to measure the morphological characteristics of the foot and biomechanical variables of the lower extremity joints during vertical jump and investigate the relationship between foot morphology and biomechanics of vertical jump. Method: 24 men in their 20s (age: 22.42 ± 1.41 yrs, height: 173.37 ± 4.61 cm, weight: 72.02 ± 6.21 kg, foot length: 251.70 ± 8.68 mm) participated in the study. Morphological characteristics of the foot included the length of the first toe, the length of the second toe, and the horizontal length from the center of ankle joint to the achilles tendon (Plantar Flexion Moment Arm [PFMA]). Biomechanical variables were measured for plantar flexor strength of the ankle joint and peak angular velocity, moment, and power of the lower extremity joint during vertical jump. Results: There was a significant correlation between the length of the first toe and plantar flexion strength at 30°/s [r=.440, p=.016], the angular velocity of the metatarsophalangeal [MTP] joint [r=-.369, p=.038] while significant correlations between PFMA and the angular velocities of the knee joint [r=.369, p=.038] and ankle joint [r=.420, p=.021] were found. There were also significant correlations between the length of the first toe and the maximum moment of the hip joint [r=.379, p=.034], and the length of the second toe and the power of the hip joint [r=-.391, p=.029]. Finally, significant correlations between PFMA and the power of the ankle joint [r=.424, p=.019] and MTP joint [r=.367, p=.039] were found. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, the length of the toe and PFMA would be related to the function of the lower extremity joint. Therefore, this should be considered when designing the functional structure of a shoe. Furthermore, this relationship can be applied to intensive training for the plantar flexors and toe flexors to improve power in athletic performance.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.79-86
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• 2019

Background: Magnetic resonance (MR) images are useful for diagnosing myopathy. The purpose of this study was to determine the usefulness of lower-limb MR images in Korean patients with distal myopathy. Methods: We reviewed medical records in the myopathy database from January 2002 to October 2016. We selected 21 patients from 91 unrelated families with distal myopathy: four with GNE myopathy, 11 with dysferlinopathy, and six with ADSSL1 myopathy. Results: Ten (48%) of the 21 patients were men. The ages of the participants at symptom onset and imaging were $19.2{\pm}9.5$ and $30.4{\pm}9.0$ years (mean${\pm}$standard deviation), respectively. Their grade on the modified Gardner-Medwin and Walton grade was $3.3{\pm}1.7$. The strength grade of the knee extensors was not correlated with the Mercuri scale for the quadriceps (r = -0.247, p = 0.115). However, the Medical Research Council grades of the knee flexors, ankle dorsiflexors, and ankle plantar flexors were significantly correlated with the Mercuri scale ratings of the knee flexors (r = -0.497, p = 0.001), tibialis anterior (r = -0.727, p < 0.001), and ankle plantar flexors (r = -0.620, p < 0.001), respectively. T1-weighted MR images showed characteristic fatty replacement patterns that were consistent with the causative genes. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of the Mercuri scale showed that the main factors contributing to the dichotomy were the causative gene and the clinical severity. Conclusions: This study is the first to reveal the usefulness of lower-limb MR images in the differential diagnosis of distal myopathy in Korea.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.21-25
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• 2008

Purpose : The purpose of this study was conducted to find out observation at gait analysis of the stroke patient with proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation(PNF) concept. Methods : This is a literature study with books, seminar note and international PNF course book. Results : Stroke patient gait was poor initial contact by weakness of tibialis anterior or weakness of contralateral plantar flexor, poor loading response by loss of deep sensation, poor mid stance by loss of deep sensation, weakness of tibialis anterior and weakness of plantar flexors eccentric control, poor terminal stance, pre-swing, initial swing by loss of deep sensation and stiffness fo deep toe flexors. Conclusion : Stroke patient gait determine on loss of mobility, pain, fear, trunk muscle weakness, loss of coordination, loss of deep sensation, neglect and apraxia. Therefore observational gait analysis of the stroke patient focus on gait cycle and take out hypotheses from the gait cycle. These hypotheses have to define accept or not by parameters. Treatment plan made with the hypotheses.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.71-80
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• 2019

PURPOSE: This study examined whether a task-oriented training program is an effective intervention to improve the body function, activity, and participation of children with cerebral palsy (CP). METHODS: Ten children with CP (7-13 years old) performed a task-oriented training program for eight weeks (three sessions per week, 30 minutes each). The taskoriented training program consisted of eight activities. The subjects' body function was assessed using a handheld dynamometer, goniometer, Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), Balance Performance Monitor (BPM), and the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP). The subjects' activity and participation were assessed using the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) and Timed Up and Go (TUG) test. RESULTS: Task-oriented training provided significant improvements in the subjects' body function. The subjects improved the bilateral isometric muscle strength of the hip flexors, extensors and abductors, knee flexors and extensors, and ankle dorsi- and plantar flexors (p<.05). Bilateral passive hip flexion, abduction, and external rotation, knee flexion, and ankle dorsi- and plantar flexion were also increased (p<.05). In addition, the MAS score of the hip adductors decreased (p<.05) and the BOTMP score increased after training (p<.05). The subjects' activity and participation also improved significantly after training, increasing the GMFM score (p<.05) and decreasing the TUG score (p<.05). On the other hand, the BPM score did not change after training. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that a task-oriented training program can be an effective intervention to improve the body function, activity, and participation for children with CP.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.113-118
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• 2022

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of heel-raise-lower exercise on spasticity, strength, and gait speed after the application of tapingin patients with stroke. Design: Randomized controlled study Methods: The participants were randomly divided into the heel raise-lower exercise+taping (HREx+T) group and the heel raise-lower exercise (HREx) group, with 20 participants assigned to each group. Both groups performed heel lifting exercise 100 times a day 5 times a week for 6 weeks. HREx+T group additionally applied taping to the plantar flexor muscles. The spasticity of the ankle plantar flexors was measured using the composite spasticity score. A handheld dynamometer and a 10-m walk test were used to measure plantar flexor strength and gait speed, respectively. Results: Spasticity was significantly more improved in the HREx+T group than in the HREx group (p<0.05). Similarly, plantar flexor strength was significantly more improved in the HREx+T group than in the HREx group (p<0.05). Moreover, participants assigned to the HREx+T group showed significantly greater improvement in gait speed than those in the HREx group(p<0.05). Conclusions: Thus, heel-raise-lower training combined with taping may be used to improve the spasticity, muscle strength and gait speed in stroke patients.