• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.66-74
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• 2024

This study analyzed the occurrence of abnormal muscle coactivations based on the assistance of upper limb weight during reaching task in stroke patients. Nine chronic stroke survivors with hemiplegia performed reaching tasks using a programmable haptic robot. Electromyography (EMG) coactivation levels in the upper limb muscles were analyzed using a linear model describing the activation levels of two muscles when the patient's upper limb weight was assisted at 0%, 25%, and 50%. As the upper limb weight assistance of the haptic robot decreased, the magnitude of the EMG signal in both the deltoid and biceps muscles increased simultaneously on both the paretic and non-paretic sides. However, no difference was found between the paretic and non-paretic sides when comparing the slope of the linear model describing the activation relationship between the deltoid and biceps. The aforementioned results suggest that in some stroke survivors, the deltoids, triceps, and biceps on the paretic side may not be abnormally coupled when supporting the upper limbs against gravity. Furthermore, these results suggest that the combination of haptic robots and EMG analysis might be utilized for evaluating abnormal coactivations in stroke patients.

• PNF and Movement
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.79-86
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate muscle activity according to knee flexion angle during single-limb-deadlift exercises. Methods: In total, 26 healthy volunteers participated. The single-limb-deadlift consisted of 0˚, 15˚, and 30˚ knee joint bending. The electromyography data were collected from the semitendinosus (SM), the biceps femoris (BF), the rectus femoris (RF), the vastus lateralis (VL), and the vastus medialis (VM). In addition, hamstrings and quadriceps (HQ) ratio was measured during the single-limb-deadlift using electromyography. Results: During the single-limb-deadlift, RF, VL, and VM were significantly higher at 30˚ bending angles compared to muscle activity of 0˚ and 15˚ knee-joint bending. The HQ ratio had significant differences in all three knee joint bending angles. In particular, the single-limb-deadlift carried out to a 30˚ knee-joint bend showed the closest value to 1. Conclusion: The most balanced coactivation ratios were observed during a single-limb-deadlift to a 30˚ knee-joint bend angle. A single-limb-deadlift at a knee-bend angle of less than 30˚ could be used as an exercise to prevent ACL injury. It could also be used for post-injury rehabilitation programs by increasing knee-joint stability.

• Transactions on Control, Automation and Systems Engineering
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.43-48
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• 2002

We show that humans execute the postural control ingeniously by regulating the impedance properties of the musculo-skeletal system as the motor command against the alteration of the environment. Adjusting muscle activity can control the impedance properties of the musculo-skeletal system. To quantify the changes in human arm viscoelasticity on the vertical plane during interaction with the environment, we asked our subject to hold an object. By utilizing surface electromyographic(EMG) studies, we determined a relationship between the perturbation and a time-varying muscle co-activation. Our study showed when the subject lifts the object by himself the muscle stiffness increases while the torque remains the same just before the lift-off. These results suggest that the central nervous system(CNS) simultaneously controls not only the equilibrium point(EP) and the torque, but also the muscle stiffness as themotor command in posture control during the contact task.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.11-16
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• 2015

Objective: Prone bridge exercise is one of the core strengthening exercise for improving abdominal, lower and upper extremity muscles. In addition, coactivation of the trunk muscles and extremities is important for treatment of low back pain. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the thickness, cross-sectional area of the target muscle, and endurance during prone bridge exercise. Our hypothesis was that an increase in muscle thickness is positively related to the hold time for the static prone bridge exercise. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Fourteen healthy university students (8 men and 6 women) voluntarily participated in the study at Sahmyook University. Hold time for the prone bridge with one and both legs was measured. The resting and contracted thickness of the lateral abdominal, rectus femoris, and triceps muscles was measured using rehabilitative ultrasound imaging. The correlation between muscle thickness and endurance for maintenance time was evaluated. Results: The prone bridge with both legs and the contraction thickness of the triceps muscle showed a positive correlation (r=0.692, p<0.05); the prone bridge with one leg and the contraction thickness of the internal oblique and transversus abdominis muscles showed a positive correlation (r=0.545, 0.574, p<0.05, 0.05, respectively). Conclusions: Endurance for the prone bridge exercise with a stable support surface is correlated with the contraction thickness of arm muscles; the prone bridge exercise with an unstable support surface is correlated with the contraction thickness of the deep abdominal muscles.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.61-70
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• 2005

This study investigated the spinal loads(L5/S1 disc compression and shear forces) predicted from four biomechanical models: one EMG model and three optimization models. Three objective functions used in the optimization models were to miminize 1) the cubed muscle forces : MF3, 2) the cubed muscle stress : MS3, 3) maximum muscle intensity : MI. Twelve healthy male subjects participated in the isometric voluntary exertion tests to six directions : flexion/extension, left/right lateral bending, clockwise/ counterclockwise twist. EMG signals were measured from ten trunk muscles and spinal loads were assessed at 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90%MVE(maximum voluntary exertion) in each direction. Three optimization models predicted lower L5/S1 disc compression forces than the EMG model, on average, by 31%(MF3), 27%(MS3), 8%(MI). Especially, in twist and extension, the differences were relatively large. Anterior-posterior shear forces predicted from optimization models were lower, on average, by 27%(MF3), 21%(MS3), 9%(MI) than by the EMG model, especially in flexion(MF3 : 45%, MS3 : 40%, MI : 35%). Lateral shear forces were predicted far less than anterior-posterior shear forces(total average = 124 N), and the optimization models predicted larger values than the EMG model on average. These results indicated that the optimization models could underestimate compression forces during twisting and extension, and anterior-posterior shear forces during flexion. Thus, future research should address the antagonistic coactivation, one major reason of the difference between optimization models and the EMG model, in the optimization models.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제18권11호
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• pp.1532-1537
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• 2008

무릎인공관절 단축범위 수술자와 다축범위 수술자를 대상으로 영상분석과 근전도 분석 그리고 운동생리학적 분석을 통하여 얻은 결과는 다음과 같다. 한 계단 오르기와 내리기 동안 소요시간은 대상자들 간에 통계적으로 큰 차이(p=0.380, p=0.171)는 없었지만 평균에서는 약간의 차이가 나타났다. 단 축범위 수술자가 다축범위 수술자보다 오르기와 내리기에서 평균속도가 빠른 것으로 나타났다. 한 계단 오르기 동안 고관절의 각속도, 무릎의 각속도, 발목의 각속도는 세 관절 모두 통계적으로는 유의한 차이(p=0.078, p=0.095, p=0.069)는 없었지만 평균의 비교에서는 단축관절 수술자가 다축관절 수술자보다 빠르게 나타났다. 한 계단 오르기 동안 관절의 최대 토크는 통계적으로 차이(p=0.052, p=0.096, p=0.134)는 나타나지 않았으나 평균의 비교에서는 단축관절 수술자가 다축관절의 수술자보다 각관절의 토큐가 모두 크게 나타났다. 굴곡과 신전으로만 움직이게 단축으로 제작된 인공관절에서는 볼 수 없는 변인으로서 연구의 의미가 있다고 사료된다. 계단 오르기와 내리기 동안 외전과 내전이 일어나는 각도를 알아본 결과 통계적으로는 큰 차이는 없었으나(p=0.103) 계단 오르기 동작 ($6.2^{\circ},\;7.8^{\circ}$)이 내리기 동작($5.8^{\circ},6.4^{\circ}$)보다 약간 크게 나타났다. 다축범위 수술자와 단축범위 수술자의 등장성 수축 시 하지의 근육변화를 알아보기 위하여 $15^{\circ}-75^{\circ}$ 사이의 무릎을 펴는 동안 VM, VL, RF, BF, ST의 근육들의 EMG값을 비교해본 결과 통계적으로 유의한 차이(P<0.05)가 나타났다. Table 5에서 보면 다축범위 수술자와 단축범위 수술자간에 대퇴사두근과 무릎오금근에서 유의한 차이(p<0.05, p<0.01)를 나타내고 있다. 무릎을 펴는 등장성 수축 동작에서 VM EMG값은 단축범위 수술자가 다축범위 수술자보다 $31^{\circ}-45^{\circ}$ 그리고 $61^{\circ}-75^{\circ}$에서 더욱 크게 나타났다. BF EMG값은 모든 구간에서 단축범위 수술자가 다축범위 수술자보다 크게 나타났다. 서로 다른 4그룹에서 운동 강도별 피험자의 체지방율의 변화는 젊은 일반군(C), 노인군(E), 단축범위 수술자(S), 다축범위 수술자(M) 에서 운동시기별 측정값의 통계적 유의한 차이는 나타나지 않았으나, C 그룹에서 시기별 체지방률이 감소하였고, 고강도 운동인 HI 시기에 가장 낮은 값을 나타내었다. 반면에 E, S 및 M 그룹에서는 시기별 감소하는 경향은 있었으나, 증가된 곳도 있고 HI 시기에서는 모든 그룹에서 감소하였다. 하지만 모든 시기에서 통계적인 차이를 나타내지 않았다. 서로 다른 4그룹에서 운동강도별 피험자의 안정시대사량의 변화는 그룹별 용이한 비교를 위하여 체표면적으로 나눈 값으로 표기하였다. C 그룹에서 시기별 안정 시 대사량 값이 증가하여 저강도 운동 후 가장높은 값을 보였고 통계적으로도 유의하게 증가함을 알 수 있었다(p<0.05). 서로 다른 4그룹에서 운동 강도별 피험자의 평균에너지 지출량의 변화는 운동 중과 운동 후 30분간의 에너지 지출량의 평균값을 나타낸 것으로 시기별 C 그룹에 대하여 다른 그룹을 비교 하였다. 우선 고강도 운동 시 C 그룹에 비해 E, S, M 그룹에서 낮은 에너지 소비량 값을 보였고, 모든 그룹에서 통계적으로 낮은 값을 보였다(p<0.05). 그리고 이러한 결과는 저 강도 운동에서도 같은 경향을 보이며 나타났는데, 저강도 운동 시 평균 에너지 지출량은 C그룹에 비하여 E, S, M 그룹에서 낮은 에너지 소비량 값을 보였다. 무릎인공관절 단축범위 수술자와 다축범위 수술자를 대상으로 운동역학적인 변인과 운동생리학적 변인을 동시에 병행하여 연구를 시도한 결과 우선 실험상의 어려움들이 많이 나타났다. 현재는 인공관절 수술이 두 종류의 형태뿐만 아니라 재료가 다른 여러 종류의 인공관절도 제작되고 있다. 계속적으로 추가적인 연구가 실시되어야 할 것으로 사료된다.