• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.229-236
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• 2013

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of wearing spandex underwear on the muscle activity and heart rate during flexion and extension of trunk and knee joint. Background: Back pain continues to be the leading overall cause of physical illness and lowering productivity in workplace. Recently, the utility of assistive garment or back belt have been discussed to lessen the back pain as well as to preserve the right posture. Method: Ten males and ten females participated in the experiment. Gender, wearing spandex underwear and postures were used for independent variables, and muscle activity, the level of asymmetry of muscle activity and variation of heart rate were used as dependent variables. Muscle activity and heart rate were measured during flexion and extension of trunk and knee joint. Results: When wearing spandex underwear, the muscle activity was relatively low compared to the condition not wearing the spandex underwear. The symmetry of muscle activity and the variation of heart rate were statistically significant at the 0.05 significance level. In particular, it was found that the symmetry of muscle activity increased while wearing spandex underwear. Conclusion: Spandex underwear has an effect that can reduce asymmetry of right and left muscles which are relevant to leg because spandex underwear equally supports right and left low-back muscles. Application: The spandex underwear used in this study can apply to the rehabilitation as an useful assistive device.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.31 no.2 s.161
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• pp.197-205
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• 2007

We investigated the effects of washing on the mechanical properties and hand values of spandex/cotton and cotton single jersey fabrics. These knitted fabrics were subjected to 30 laundering cycles with a drum-type washer and were followed by drying at $65^{\circ}C$ with a tumble dryer. The mechanical properties of the cotton knitted fabrics changed greatly during the first washing and then suffered no further change in their properties as the number of washing cycle increased. However, the properties of the spandex/cotton knitted fabrics changed continuously throughout all the washing cycles. The cotton/spandex knitted fabrics showed higher values in tensile and bending properties than did the cotton knitted fabrics, though both kinds of fabrics showed less difference in shearing, surface and compression properties. The spandex/cotton knitted fabrics which had proper density had a higher THV for winter underwear after 30 repeated washings than did the cotton knitted fabrics, and the THVs of both fabrics decreased with the increase in the number of washing cycles.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.28 no.3_4
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• pp.422-432
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• 2004

This study investigated underwear consumption behavior of women, who were 20∼59 years old and resided in Incheon during 2002 summer. 372 women completed questionnaires, and data were analyzed using factor analyses, t-test, ANOVA, $\chi$$^2$-analyses. They usually purchased underwear considering comfort and economic factor at a discount store. They wore sleeveless T-shirts, but they didn't wear underpants except panties highly all the year round. Higher rate of them wore pantyhose instead of underpants during autumn, winter and spring. They demanded unstitching of stitches and lengthened sleeves in most of the groups. And older and lowly educated women group wanted widen armhole of upper underwear, and tighten waistband of panties. They generally washed in washing machine using cold water. Besides they added oxygen bleach and softner during wash and final rinse. Older than 20's boil their underwear frequently. The women in a group of boiling commonly answered the looseness of waistband. It is recommended not to boil but to soak with bleach added warm water for improving the whiteness and durability of underwear. For a treatment with higher temperature deprives the elasticity of spandex.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.101-110
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• 2014

In this study, we investigate characteristics of fall, requirements toward the impact protective clothing, design preferences, etc. to develop the fall impact protective clothing for the silver-aged women. Among the 242 women respondents aging 50s to 70s, 43% experienced the fall in recent 2 years. It is found that the fall mostly occurred in winter season and happened during the regular activities such as walking outside, going up and down stairs. Most of the respondents have no experience buying the impact protective clothing, but they expressed the fall impact protective clothing would help reducing the injury from falls. Moreover, the intention to purchase the impact protective clothing is increasing with an increasing target age. However, the respondents concerned with increasing volume and weight of clothing by the protecting pad inserted into the clothing. The respondents also claimed that the impact protecting clothing should not interfere with their regular physical activities. The survey showed that respondents preferred to embed the impact protective function in pants as a form of the protective clothing. For the design preferences on the pants, casual style and straight silhouette was preferred and stretch fabric was selected. The respondents preferred underwear made of cotton spandex blend with relaxed fit.