• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.39-45
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• 2018

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of core motion pattern on abdominal muscle thickness on unstable support surface using sling suspension system and to provide an effective exercise program for therapeutic rehabilitation in clinical practice. Methods : In this study, we used the flank exercise using a sling. It was intended for 21 healthy men and 9 healthy women. Before and after the exercise of the subjects, abdominal muscles (EO, IO, TrA the thickness of the muscle) was determined using a diagnostic ultrasonic apparatus. The period of exercise was 3 times a week for 6 weeks. The exercise for each group started with 3 sets per week and 1 set per week was added. A description of the method and attitude of each exercise is as follows. First, the push-up flank 's exercise position is to put both feet on the sling and hold the floor with both hands. Second, the side flank's exercise postures take the side flanks, while the two legs hang on the sling and one arm supports the body with an articulated bend (about $90^{\circ}$). Third, the elbow flank's exercise position is to put the two legs on the sling, and take a flank posture with the arms bent and joint bending (about $90^{\circ}$). Results : There was a significant difference in the thickness of the muscle in the three flank movements after the exercise (p<.05). The most significant difference was in the change of the muscle thickness in the abdominal muscle, the outer muscle, and the stomach in the elbow flank exercise after exercise. There was a significant difference between the mean thickness of the abdominal muscles according to the flank type after exercise (p<.05). Conclusion : In flank exercise for core stabilization using sling, it is considered effective to strengthen the abdominal muscles by considering the support surface, difficulty level, change of movement pattern.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.91-98
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• 2018

Purpose : The aim of this study is to determine changes to the thickness of core muscles, e.g., transversus abdominis (TrA), external oblique (EO), and internal oblique (IO), after plank and Kegel exercises and to compare the effects of the two exercise methods. Method : The study divided men and women in their 20s into two groups, Kegel and plank, by randomly allocating 30 males and 30 females to the targeted groups. To achieve the purpose of this study, we examined the thickness of core muscles after the participants performed plank or Kegel exercises. Results : 1. In the Kegel group, abdominal muscle thickness increased with time, and there was a statistically significant difference in the thickness of the TrA. 2. In the plank group, abdominal muscle thickness increased with time, and there was a statistically significant difference in the thickness of the TrA. 3. After the experiment, muscle thickness of the abdominal muscles in the plank exercise group were higher, but there was no significant difference between the Kegel exercise group and the plank exercise group. Conclusion : Both plank and Kegel exercises are recommended for core muscle stabilization, and based on the results of this study, Kegel exercise is either used as a core stabilizing exercise or as a plank exercise for the weaker patients or women.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.415-424
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to compare changes in abdominal muscle thickness in different standing postures with a handheld load between subjects with and without chronic low back pain (CLBP). Methods: Twenty subjects with CLBP and 20 controls participated in this study. Ultrasound imaging was used to assess the changes in the thickness of the transverse abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) muscles. Muscle thickness in three different standing postures (standing at rest, standing with loads, standing with lifting loads) was compared with the muscle thickness at rest in the supine position and was expressed as a percentage of change in the thickness of the muscle. Results: While standing with loads, the change in IO muscle thickness in the CLBP patients increased more significantly than in the pain-free controls (p < 0.05). The standing with lifting loads posture showed a significant increase in the change in thickness of the TrA compared with the standing with loads posture (p < 0.05). In addition, the standing with lifting loads posture showed a significant decrease in the change in the thickness of the EO when compared with the standing with loads posture (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The automatic activity of the IO muscle in subjects with CLBP increased more than that of the pain-free controls in the standing with loads posture. These findings suggest that IO muscle function may be altered in those with CLBP while standing with loads. Additionally, TrA the activation level was found to be associated with increased postural demand caused by an elevated center of mass.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.1051-1058
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• 2014

In this study, we investigated the improvement effect of obesity by treatment with a developed low frequency electrical stimulation system. Thirty female in their 20's as an experiment subjects divided 3 groups(control, commercialized device, developed device) were treated with electrical stimulation on abdomen for 4 weeks. The body weight, body mass index(BMI), waist-hip ratio(WHR), muscle strength, muscle(transverse abdominis(TrA), internal obliquus abdominis(IO), external obliquus abdominis(EO)), fat thickness and abdominal surface temperature were measured by electromyogram(EMG), ultrasound and digital infrared thermal image(DITI). In the result, the body weight and BMI were decreased. Subcutaneous abdominal fat were significantly reduced after 4 weeks. The muscle strength and TrA muscle thickness was increased 13.2%(p<0.05), and 35.5%, respectively. The fat thickness showed decrease in abdomen (p<0.05). Infrared measurement on abdominal surface temperature as a parameter of improvement in blood circulation was significantly increased(p<0.05). Therefore, the low frequency stimulation showed positive effects on parameters of the obesity improvement.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.25-31
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• 2018

Background: The purpose of this study was to find out how changes in knee angles in stable and unstable support surfaces affect the muscle thickness of core muscles. Methods: The subjects of this study were 25 male adult. Each knee angle of 120, 90 and 60 degrees, they were performed bridge exercise on the stabilized surface and on the unstable support surface using TOGU, and measured the muscle thickness of the external and internal oblique muscle and the abdominal muscles through ultrasound images. Results: There was no significant difference between the thickness of the rectus abdominis and the internal oblique muscle depending on the support surface and the knee joint bending angles. However, there was a significant difference between the external oblique muscle and the transverse abdominis muscle by knee joint flexion angle. Conclusion: While the muscle thickness of the core muscle was not significantly affected by each support surface during the bridge exercise, there were significant changes in the core muscle as a result of changes in knee angle.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.1-10
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• 2012

The aim of this study is to compare measurements of abdominal muscle thickness using ultrasonography imaging (USI) to those using a special transducer head device, during five different trunk stabilization exercises, ultimately to determine which exercise led to the greatest muscle thickness. Thirty eight healthy subjects participated in this cross-sectional study. The five types of trunk stabilization - i.e., a sit-up on the supine, an upper and lower extremity raise with quadruped on the prone, a leg raise in sitting on the ball, trunk rolling on the ball, and balance using sling on the prone position - were each performed with an abdominal draw. The thickness of the abdominal muscle - including the transverse abdominal (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) - was measured by USI with a special transducer head device, at rest and then at contraction in each position. Data were analyzed using one-way repeated ANOVA with the level of significance set at ${\alpha}$=.05. The results were as follows: 1) the TrA thickness was statistically significant (p<.05), whereas the IO and EO thicknesses were not (p>.05); 2) among the five types of trunk stabilization, TrA thickness significantly increased with the balance using a sling in the prone position, (p<.05), whereas no significant difference was noted for the four types of trunk stabilization (p>.05); 3) reliability data showed that there was a high degree of consistency among the measurements taken using the special transducer head device (ICC=.92). In conclusion, the balance using a sling in the prone position was more effective than any of the four other types of trunk stabilization in increasing TrA thickness in healthy subjects.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.60-67
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• 2017

Background: Scapular downward rotation syndrome (SDRS) is a common scapular alignment impairment that causes insufficient upward rotation and muscle imbalance, shortened levator scapulae (LS) and rhomboid, and lengthened serratus anterior (SA) and trapezius. A modified shrug exercise (MSE), performing a shrug exercise with the shoulders at $150^{\circ}$ abduction, is known as an effective exercise to increase scapular stabilizer muscle activation. Previous studies revealed that scapular exercise are more effective when combined with trunk stabilization exercises in decreasing scapular winging and increasing scapular stabilizer muscle activation. Objects: The purpose of our study was to clarify the effect of MSE with or without trunk stabilization exercises in subjects with SDRS. Methods: Eighteen volunteer subjects (male=10, female=8) with SDRS were recruited for this experiment. All subjects performed MSE under 3 different conditions: (1) MSE, (2) MSE with an abdominal draw-in maneuver (ADIM), and (3) MSE with an abdominal expansion maneuver (AEM). The muscle thickness of the lower trapezius (LT) and the SA were measured using an ultrasonography in each condition. Electromyography (EMG) data were collected from the LT, LS, SA, and upper trapezius (UT) muscle activities. Data were statistically analysed using one-way repeated analysis of variance at a significance level of .05. Results: The muscle thickness of the LT and the SA were the significant different in the MSE, MSE with ADIM (MSE+ADIM) and MSE with AEM (MSE+AEM) conditions (p<.05) In both LT and SA, the order of thick muscle thickness was MSE+AEM, MSE+ADIM, and MSE alone. No significant differences were found in the EMG activities of the SA, UT, LS, and LT in all condition. Conclusion: In conclusion, MSE is more beneficial to people with SDRS when combined with trunk stabilization exercises by increased thickness of scapular stabilizer muscles.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.15-25
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• 2022

PURPOSE: This study examined the effect of bridge exercise-abdominal draw-in maneuver (ADIM) with hip adductor co-contraction on the TrA thickness and whether it is effective as a core stability exercise. METHODS: The subjects of this study, 33 men with no history in the past and who provided prior consent, were selected through interviews with male students of S University. The subjects performed five movements, including bridge exercise and ADIM, and performed two demonstrations and two exercises in advance. The abdominal muscles were measured using ultrasonography once in each movement, and the abdominal muscle tone was measured using a soft tissue tone measurement. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the thickness between the TrA and Internal Oblique Muscles at various bridge positions (p < .05), and no significant difference with the External Oblique Muscle (p < .05). There was no significant difference in muscle tone in the Rectus abdominis part (p > .05), but a significant difference in the Oblique Muscle part (p < .05). The muscle tone of the Oblique Muscles by position showed a significant difference in Bridge, BHa, and BA compared to the rest position (p < .05), but no significant difference with BHaA (p > .05). CONCLUSION: The thickness of TrA could be increased through bridge exercise, and TrA could be activated properly using ADIM and may be an effective exercise for core stabilization.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2021

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of single limb stance exercise according to the support surface on dynamic balance ability and abdominal muscle thickness. Methods : We recruited 28 healthy subjects in this study. Subjects were assigned to 2 groups by matching method. The control group was 5 males and 9 females, and single limb stance exercise was performed on the stable support surface. The experimental group consisted of 6 males and 8 females, and trained to stand on the unstable support. During the single limb stance exercise, the dominant foot was set as the foot that appeared numerically through the exercise of the dynamic balance meter (Biorescue). Single limb stance exercise along the supporting surface was maintained for 15 seconds and then rested for 15 seconds. It was repeated 5 times. Particularly, the balance exercise on the unstable support surface was sufficiently practiced. Independent t test was performed for comparison between groups. Paired t test was performed to compare before and after each group. Results : There was no difference between the control group and the experimental group in the comparison of dynamic balance ability (p>.05). However, there were significant differences before and after exercise in both the control and experimental groups (p<.05). Similarly, in the comparison of abdominal muscle thickness, there was a significant difference within each group, especially internal oblique and transverse abdominis (p<.05), and no difference between groups (p>.05). Conclusion : Based on these results, although there was no difference between the groups, in the experimental group, numerical increase in dynamic balance ability and abdominal muscle thickness was confirmed. Therefore, single limb stance exercise on the unstable support surfaces activates core muscles and has a positive effect on dynamic balancing ability.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2020

Objective: The purposes of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic values of abdominal muscles thickness and sterno-costal angle as the quantitative diagnostic indicators for young adults with rounded shoulders. Design: A observational, cross-sectional study. Methods: This study included thirty-three male participants in order to examine the relationship among thoracic kyphosis, sternocostal angle, and abdominal muscle thickness. We used ultrasound imaging to measure the muscle thickness, two gravity-dependent inclinometers to measure the kyphosis angle, and Image J to measure the sterno-costal angle. Results: There was a significant positive correlation between the amount of thoracic kyphosis angle and muscle thickness of the external oblique (EO) on the right side (r=0.931), and on the left side (r=0.432), and the transverse abdominis (TrA) (r=0.649). There was also a significant negative correlation between the thoracic kyphosis angle and the sterno-costal angle at the right side (r=-0.942) and at the left side (r=-0.860). There was a significant positive relationship with muscle thickness of the EO and TrA on the right side with the thoracic kyphosis angle, and was significant negative relationship with the sterno-costal angle on both sides. Conclusions: The results of the study suggest that the thoracic kyphosis angle is related to muscle thickness of the EO and TrA on the dominant side and the sterno-costal angle. We also suggest that future studies are needed to determine how strengthening the abdominal muscles may contribute to preventing excessive thoracic kyphosis in young adults.