• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.161-166
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• 2016

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the knee and ankle joint kinematics and kinetics by comparing downhill walking with valley-shape combined slope walking. Method: Eighteen healthy men participated in this study. A three-dimensional motion capture system equipped with eight infrared cameras and a synchronized force plate, which was embedded in the sloped walkway, was used. Obtained kinematic and kinetic parameters were compared using paired two-tailed Student's t-tests at a significance level of 0.05. Results: The knee flexion angle after the mid-stance phase, the mean peak knee flexion angle in the early swing phase, and the ankle mean peak dorsiflexion angle were greater during downhill walking compared with valley-shape combined slope walking (p < 0.001). Both the mean peak vertical ground reaction force (GRF) in the early stance phase and late stance phase during downhill walking were smaller than those values during valley-shape combined slope walking. (p = 0.007 and p < 0.001, respectively). The mean peak anterior GRF, appearing right after toe-off during downhill walking, was also smaller than that of valley-shape combined slope walking (p = 0.002). The mean peak knee extension moment and ankle plantar flexion moment in late stance phase during downhill walking were significantly smaller than those of valley-shape combined slope walking (p = 0.002 and p = 0.015, respectively). Conclusion: These results suggest that gait strategy was modified during valley-shape combined slope walking when compared with continuous downhill walking in order to gain the propulsion for lifting the body up the incline for foot clearance.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze kinetic variables of lower limbs according to types of ankle taping in drop landing. For this, targeting seven male basketball players (average age: $20.8{\pm}0.74yrs$, average height: $187.4{\pm}3.92cm$, average weight: $79.8{\pm}7.62kg$) with no instability of ankle joints, the drop landing motion was conducted according to three types of inelastic taping (C-type), elastic taping (K-type), and no treatment (N-taping). Based on the result, the next conclusion was reached. First, the effect of taping for the players with stable ankles was minimal and the high load on ankle joints offset the fixing effect of inelastic taping. Thus the inelastic taping for the players with stable ankles did not have an effect on the control of dorsal flexion during one-foot landing. Second, increasing angular velocity by increasing the movable range of knee joints disperses impact forces, yet inelastic taping restricted the range of knee joint motion and at the same time increased angular velocity, adding to a negative effect on knee joints. Third, inelastic taping induced inefficient motion of Lower limbs and unstable impact force control of ankle joints at the moment of landing and produced maximum vertical ground reaction force, which led to an increase of load. Therefore, inelastic ankle taping of players whose jump actions occur very often should be reconsidered. Also, it is thought that this study has a great meaning in proving the problem of inelastic taping related to knee pain with unknown causes.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.140-147
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study is to identify the mechanism of changes in maximum voluntary torque with the magnitude and duration of pre-activation torque during voluntary isometric knee extension. Method: 11 male subjects (age: 25.91±2.43 yrs., height: 173.12±3.51 cm, weight: 76.45±7.74 kg) participated in this study. The subjects were required to produce maximal voluntary isometric torque with a particular pre-activation torque condition. The properties of pre-activation torque consisted of the combinations of 1) three levels of magnitude, e.g., 32 Nm, 64 Nm, 96 Nm, and 2) two levels of duration, e.g., 1 sec, and 3 sec; thus, a total of six conditions were given to the subjects. The force and EMG data were measured using the force transducers and wireless EMG sensor, respectively. Results: The results showed that the maximum voluntary torque increased the most with relatively large and fast (96 Nm, 1 sec) pre-activation condition. Similarly, with relatively large and fast (96 Nm, 1 sec) preactivation, it was found that the integrated EMG (iEMG) of the agonist muscles increased, while no significant changes in the co-contraction of the antagonist muscles for the knee extension. Also, the effect of pre-activation conditions on the rate of torque development was not statistically significant. Conclusion: The current findings suggest that relatively larger in magnitude and shorter in duration as the properties of pre-activation lead to a larger magnitude of maximal voluntary torque, possibly due to the increased activity of the agonist muscles during knee extension.

• International Journal of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2021

Gait kinematics and kinetics have a similar tendency between men and women, yet it remains unclear how walking while carrying a load affects the gait mechanism. Twenty adults walked with preferred velocity on level ground of 20 m relative to change of a load carriage (no load, 15%, 30% of the body weights) aimed to observe gait mechanism. We measured gait posture using the three-dimensional image analysis and ground reaction force system during stance phase on left foot. In main effect of gender difference, men showed increased displacement of center of gravity (COG) compared to women, and it showed more extended joint angle of hip and knee in sagittal plane. In main effect of a load difference, knee joint showed more flexed postuel relative to increase of load carriage. In main effect of load difference on the kinetic variables, medial-lateral force, anterior-posterior force (1st breaking, 2nd propulsive), vertical force, center of pressure (COP) area, leg stiffness, and whole body stiffness showed more increased values relative to increase of load carriage. Also, men showed more increased COP area compared to women. Interaction showed in the 1st anterior-posterior force, and as a result of one-way variance analysis, it was found that a load main effect had a greater influence on the increase in the magnitude of the braking force than the gender. The data in this study explains that women require little kinematic alteration compared to men, while men in more stiff posture accommodate an added load compared to women during gait. Additionally, it suggests that dynamic stability is maintained by adopting different gait strategies relative to gender and load difference.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.424-433
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of gender difference in injury experience on biomechanical variables of lower extremity during two leg drop landing. 20 male(injury experience=8, non-injury experience=12) and 20 female(injury experience=11, non-Injury Experience=9) in their 20's were selected as subjects. Two-way mixed ANOVA was performed on the biomechanical variables obtained from the two leg drop landing in a 45cm height box and post-test was performed with bonferroni adjustment(p <.05). The results of this study suggest that the group of female who injury experience could induce the reduction of the peak vertical ground reaction force by increasing the valgus and internal rotation of the knee joint and flexion and internal rotation of the hip joint. In the INE(injury non-experienced) female group, the peak knee flexion angle was the smallest, as well as the flexion of the hip joint and the external rotation angle, and the peak vertical ground reaction force was the highest. On the other hand, the INE female group showed high vertical ground reaction force because they did not utilize the knee and hip joints relatively than the IE(injury experienced) female group, this means that it is relatively exposed to the risk of injury. Therefore, it was found that gender difference in injury experience is a factor affecting factors of knee and hip joint movement and peak vertical GRF(ground reaction force).

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.202-212
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• 2022

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Cheong-A-Won Gagambang (JCE003) treatment for degenerative knee osteoarthritis. Methods: This was a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot clinical trial. There were 36 adults with degenerative knee osteoarthritis who were randomly allocated into JCE003 1,000 mg, JCE003 2,000 mg, or the placebo group (in a 1:1:1 ratio). The participants received 12 weeks of treatment and had scheduled tests every 6 weeks. The primary outcomes were measured using the Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities scale, and the secondary outcomes were measured using the visual analog scale, European quality of life-5-dimensions, patient global impression of change, C-reactive protein, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Changes between baseline scores and scores following study completion were analyzed. Results: There were 29 participants whose data were analyzed in this study. The change of Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities, visual analog scale, European quality of life-5-dimensions scores showed significant improvement in the JCE003 1,000 mg group. The change of patient global impression of change was significantly improved in the placebo group. There were 14 adverse events, but there was no clinically significant relationship with the intake of JCE003 compared with the placebo. Conclusion: Taking JCE003 may be effective at improving knee pain in patients with degenerative knee osteoarthritis and appears to be safe. Based on this study, the concentration and feasibility of the test group may be used when conducting a large-scale clinical trial of degenerative knee osteoarthritis in the future.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.83-99
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• 2004

Objectives : Daeganghwal-Tang(DGHT) is one of the prescriptions used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis(RA) in oriental medicine. The present study aimed to examine the analgesic effect of DGHT on a rat model of CFA-induced arthritis, and the relations between DGHT-induced analgesia and endogenous nitric oxide(NO) and inducible NO synthase(iNOS)/neuronal NOS. Methods : CFA-induced arthritis model used to test the effect of DGHT was chronic pain model. After the induction of arthritis, rats subsequently showed a reduced stepping force of the affected limb for at least the next 18 days. the reduced stepping force of the limb was presumably due to a painful knee. DGHT dissolved in water was orally administrated. After the treatment, behavioral tests measuring stepping force were periodically conducted during the next 4 hours. Results : DGHT produced significant improvement of stepping force of the hindlimb affected by the arthritis lasting at least 2 hours. DGHT produced the improvement of stepping force of the affected hindlimb in a dose-dependent manner. Both NO production and nNOS/iNOS protein expression which is increased by arthritis were suppressed by DGHT administration. Conclusions : The data suggest 1) that DGHT produces a potent analgesic effect on the chronic knee arthritis pain model in the rat and 2) that DGHT-induced analgesia modulate endogenous NO through the suppression of nNOS/iNOS protein expression.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.417-423
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to compare two saddle height determination methods by the effectiveness of pedal reaction force. Ten male subjects (age: $24.0{\pm}2.4years$, height: $175.1{\pm}5.4cm$, weight: $69.3{\pm}11.1kg$, inseam: $77.8{\pm}4.5cm$) participated in three minutes, 60 rpm cycle pedaling tests with the same load and cadence. Subject's saddle height was determined by $25^{\circ}$ knee flexion angle (K25) when the pedal crank was at the 6 o'clock position (knee angle method) and 97% (T97), 100% (T100), 103% (T103) of trochanter height (trochanteric method). The RF (resultant force), EF (effective force), and IE (index of effectiveness) were compared by measuring 3D motion and 3-axis pedal reaction force data during 4 pedaling phases (phase1: $330^{\circ}-30^{\circ}$, phase2: $30^{\circ}-150^{\circ}$, phase3: $150^{\circ}-210$, phase4: $210^{\circ}-330^{\circ}$). Results showed that there were significant differences in EF at phase1 between T97 and K25, in EF at phase4 between T100 and T103, in IE at total phase between T97 and K25, between T100 and T103, in IE at phase1 & phase2 between T97 and K25. There was higher IE in the K25 than any other saddle heights, which means that K25 was better pedaling effectiveness than the trochanteric method. Therefore it was suggested the saddle height as 103.7% of trochanter height that converted from K25.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.171-179
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to generate cycling motion for FES (functional electrical stimulation) using knee muscles only. We investigated the possibility by simulation. The musculoskeletal model used in this simulation was simplified as 5-rigid links and 2 muscles (knee extensor and flexor). For the improvement of the present feedforward control in FES, we included feedback path in the control system. The control system was developed based on the biological neuronal system and was represented by three sub-systems. The first is a higher neuronal system that generates the motion command for each joint. The second is the lower neuronal system that divides the motion command to each muscle. And the third is a sensory feedback system corresponding to the somatic sensory system. Control system parameters were adjusted by a genetic algorithm (GA) based on the natural selection theory. GA searched the better parameters in terms of the cost function where the energy consumption, muscle force smoothness, and the cycling speed of each parameter set (individual) are evaluated. As a result, cycling was implemented using knee muscles only. The proposed control system based on the nervous system model worked well even with disturbances.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.509-515
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to analyze the correlation between passive ankle movement range and knee joint kinetic variables during squat movement. In this study, a total of 27 subjects participated in this study, 19 men and 8 women, who had no history of the musculoskeletal system of the lower extremity. To verify the correlation between the ankle joint flexibility and the knee joint kinetic variables during deep squat, it was performed pearson's correlation coefficient and variables showing statistically significant correlation were performed by simple regression analysis at a significant level of α .05. Through this study, the relationship between the peak joint moment and joint reaction force factors that determine ankle joint flexibility and knee joint pressure was confirmed. Therefore, when applying an exercise that can generate a lot of load on the knee joint such as deep squats during strength training, checking the degree of flexibility of the ankle joint among physical characteristics to the individual may reduce the stability of the body and the risk of injury to the knee joint. It is expected to be helpful in setting the intensity of exercise that can be done.