• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.30-37
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• 2008

Anticipatory postural adjustments are pre-planned by the central nervous system (CNS) before the activation of agonist muscles in the limbs, and minimize postural sway. Most previous studies on this topic have focused on upper-limb movement, and little research has been conducted on lower-limb movement. The purpose of this study was to investigate the recruitment order of left and right trunk muscles during limb movement. Fifteen healthy subjects (10 male, 5 female) were enrolled. Electro-myographic signals were recorded on the muscles of: (1) deltoid, lumbar erector spinae, latissimus dorsi and internal oblique during shoulder flexion, (2) rectus femoris, rectus abdominis, external oblique and internal oblique during hip flexion. During right upper limb flexion, the onset of left erector spinae muscle and left internal oblique muscle activity preceded the onset of right deltoid by 8.09 ms and 19.83 ms, respectively. But these differences were not significant (p>.05). A similar sequence of activation occurred with lower limb flexion. The onset of left internal oblique muscle activity preceded the onset of right rectus femoris muscle by 28.29 ms (p<.05). The onset of right internal oblique muscle activity preceded the onset of left rectus femoris muscles by 23.24 ms (p<.05). The internal oblique muscle was the first activated during limb movement. Our study established the recruitment order of trunk muscles during limb movement, and explained the postural control strategy of the trunk muscles in healthy people. We expect that this study will be used to evaluate patients with an asymmetric recruitment order of muscle activation due to impaired CNS.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1969-1974
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• 2020

Background: Early rehabilitation after partial meniscectomy is important to recover the balance of the vastus medialis oblique and vastus lateralis and prevent pathological problems in the lower extremities and the whole body. Objective: To compare muscle activations for patients after partial meniscectomy. Design: Dual-group Pretest-Posttest Design from the Quasi-Experimental Research. Methods: Twenty participants after partial meniscectomy were recruited and were randomly divided into a Q-setting sensorimotor training group (QSMTG) and Q-setting exercise group (QSEG). Muscle activity of the vastus medialis oblique and vastus lateralis was measured before and after intervention. Results: In the two groups, the vastus medialis oblique and vastus lateralis activations increased significantly (P<.05). The Q-setting sensorimotor training group showed more increases than the Q-setting exercise group, and there were significant differences between the groups (P<.05). The activation ratio of the vastus medialis oblique and vastus lateralis had increasingly significant differences in the Q-setting sensorimotor training group (P<.05), and there were no significant differences between the groups (P>.05). Conclusion: Q-setting exercise with sensorimotor training was a useful method that improved the balance of vastus medialis oblique (VMO) and vastus lateralis (VL) activity after meniscectomy.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.119-126
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• 2022

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of the application of abdominal brace techniques on muscle activity of the trunk and lower extremities when walking. Design: Cross-sectional study Methods: This study was conducted on 26 healthy adults in their 20s, and the subjects performed two conditions in random order: walking with the abdominal bracing technique and walking in an abdominal relaxation state (normal gait). Muscle activity was measured on the dominant side of all subjects using surface electromyography, and the attachment sites were the erector spinae, external oblique, internal oblique, vastus lateralis, and vastus medialis oblique muscles. Each condition was measured three times to calculate and analyze the average value. Results: When walking using the abdominal brace technique, the muscle activity of the erector spinae, external oblique, internal oblique, and vastus lateralis increased significantly (p<0.05), and the muscle activity of the vastus medialis increased as well but was not significant. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that it is possible to be used as an effective guide to increasing the muscle activity and stability of the trunk and lower extremities through the application of the abdominal bracing technique during walking.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2017

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to identify comparison of the abdominal muscle thickness and activity by using tool and unstable surface which is accompanied bridge exercise doing abdominal drawing-in breath. Method : This study was performed on normal 13 males and 17 females subjects doing bridge exercise accompanied abdominal drawing-in breath used tools. At this time muscle thickness and muscle activity is measured through ultrasound and EMG. Result : The results of this study, rectus abdominis, internal oblique and transverse abdominis showed a significant difference in muscle thickness when performed using pilates circle. And external oblique showed a significant difference muscle thickness when performed using gym ball. Rectus abdominis and external oblique showed a significant difference in muscle activity when performed using pilates circle. And internal oblique showed a significant difference in muscle activity when performed using sling. Conclusion : Therefore it is suggested that it would be effective to apply the gymball and pilates circle in the unstable surface for abdominal weakness.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.193-198
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• 2019

Purpose: This study examined the effects of plank exercise combined with breathing and arm exercises on the external oblique, internal oblique, and transverse abdominal muscle thickness. Methods: Thirty healthy adults consisting of 12 males and 18 females from K area were divided into a plank exercise combined with breathing and arm exercises group (n = 15) and a plank exercise only group (n=15). The changes in muscle thickness before the exercise and four and eight weeks after the exercise were analyzed using a two-way repeated analysis of variance (ANOVA). The significance level was set to ${\alpha}=0.05$. Post-hoc t-tests were conducted to detect the interactions between the time and groups, and the significance level was set to ${\alpha}=0.01$. Results: According to the experimental results, the external oblique abdominal muscle showed significant differences over time (p<0.05). The internal oblique abdominal muscle also showed significant differences over time and in the interactions between the time and groups (p<0.05). The transverse abdominal muscle showed significant differences over time, in the interactions between time and groups, and in the changes between the groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: The results indicated that plank exercise combined with breathing and arm movement exercises led to increases in the abdominal muscle thickness. These types of exercises may be useful in lumbar stabilization rehabilitation treatment.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.55-62
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• 2013

Purpose : This study was assessed muscle activity and onset time in trunk and upper extremity on functional reaching. Methods : The participant was 18 female(young 10, old 8). As functional reaching, we collection data by using EMG(MP150) on transverse abdominis, external oblique, erector spinae, deltoid middle and serratus anterior. Results : 1) In functional reaching, transverse abdominis, external oblique, erector spinae and deltoid middle muscle activity was augmented on old female(p>.05). Serratus anterior was augmented on young female(p>.05). 2) In functional reaching, transverse abdominis and erector spinae muscle onset time is significantly faster old female than young female(p<.05). External oblique and serratus anterior muscle onset time is faster old female than young female(p>.05). 3) As increase of age muscle activity of external oblique was more increased that we found .511 a coefficient correlation and onset time more faster on transverse abdominis and erector spinae were each -.492 and -.554 coefficient correlation. Conclusion : The muscle activity and onset time was difference in functional reaching according to ageing and task context. It is necessary concentration and attention to old female than young female. Therefore, these results suggest that importance of anticipatory postural control and selective strategy of postural control.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.95-100
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• 2015

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the angles of the knee and heel-off on the muscle activity during a bridge exercise. METHODS: 15 healthy adult men and women with the balance ability and joint working range required for performing a bridge exercise participated in this study, in which $120^{\circ}$, $90^{\circ}$ and $60^{\circ}$ angles of the knee-flexion and heel-off were applied during the bridge exercise. RESULTS: Our data showed that there were significant differences in muscle activities of elector spinae and rectus abdominis when $120^{\circ}$ and $60^{\circ}$ angles of the knee were applied, of internal oblique when $120^{\circ}$ and $60^{\circ}$ were applied, and external oblique when $90^{\circ}$ and $60^{\circ}$ were applied. When heel-off was applied, there were significant differences in muscle activities of elector spinae and rectus abdominis when $120^{\circ}$ and $60^{\circ}$ were applied, of internal oblique when $120^{\circ}$ and $60^{\circ}$ were applied, and external oblique when $90^{\circ}$ and $60^{\circ}$ were applied. CONCLUSION: In this study on an application of heel-off to the bridge exercise, we showed that the effect of the angles of the knee on the muscle activities of elector spinae, rectus abdominis, internal oblique and external oblique were all similar to the regular bridge exercise, but overall muscle activities were increased with heel-off when compared with the regular bridge exercise.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.78-85
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• 2024

Objective: This Study aimed to examine the changes in muscle activity of trunk muscles by performing three squat exercises on normal adults. Design: cross-sectional study Methods: Thirty-two adult subjects participated in this study. General squat, overhead squat, and overhead squat combined with abdominal stabilization were randomly performed for 5 seconds, 3 times, to calculate the average muscle activation. Muscle activation was normalized using electrodes on the rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, and erector spinae muscles to measure maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) for 5 seconds, repeated 3 times each. Results: There was a significant difference in the mean and maximal muscle activity of the bilateral erector spinae (ES) when comparing the squat to the overhead squat (p<0.05). There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in the mean and maximal muscle activity of the bilateral external oblique (EO) when comparing the overhead squat to the overhead squat combined with the abdominal stabilization technique. When comparing the squat to the overhead squat with abdominal stabilization, there was a significant difference in the mean and maximum muscle activity of the bilateral RA, EO, and left Internal oblique (IO) (p<0.05), and there was a significant difference in the maximum muscle activity of the bilateral erector spinae (ES) (p<0.05). Post hoc tests showed significant differences between squatting methods for the RA, EO, IO, and ES (p<0.017). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that squats combined with abdominal stabilization were more effective at activating core muscles than squats or overhead squats alone.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.159-163
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the interaction among the neck, trunk, and lower extremities on the non-paretic side in head rotation along with non-paretic-side weight shifting of stroke patients. To compare stroke patients' ability to control posture through muscle activity variation related to pertubation during head rotation along with the non-paretic limb. Methods: We tested 15 hemiplegic patients and 15 normal individuals. Each group's muscle activity was measured by electromyography in neutral head position and head rotation position. We compared each group's resu lt based on measured values in patients' non-paretic neck muscles, trunk muscles, and lower limbs muscles activation. Results: The study showed that muscle activity increased in the sternocleidomastoid muscle (102.26%, 53.00%), splenius capitis muscle (97.93%, 54.93%), erector spinae muscle (241.00%, 127.60%), external oblique abdominal muscle (256.66%, 152.00%), and internal oblique abdominal muscle (252.80%, 152.6%), peroneus longus muscle (117.53%, 137.13%) and gastrocnemius muscle (119.06%, 137.20%), while the results for the sternocleidomastoid muscle, splenius capitis muscle, erector spinae muscle, external oblique abdominal muscle, internal oblique abdominal muscle, peroneus longus muscle, and gastrocnemius muscle showed a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). Conclusion: It is hard for stroke patients to engage in normal movement control under suggested conditions because of the insufficient movement against gravity on the stroke patient's non-paretic side and impaired cooperative patterns. To solve these problems, patients need their bodies to improve through effective movement, resulting in advanced control of their effective and functional activity.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.146-150
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of active vibration exercise on trunk muscle activity, balance, and activities of daily living in patients with chronic stroke. Methods: Twenty-four patients with chronic stroke were randomly assigned to an experimental (n=12) or a control (n=12) group. The experimental group performed an active vibration exercise workout for 20 minutes a day five times a week for 4 weeks using a flexi-bar. Trunk muscle activity was measured using surface electromyography. Balance was measured using the Berg balance scale. Activities of daily living were measured using the functional independence measure. Results: The intragroup comparison showed significant differences in the rectus abdominis, internal oblique, and external oblique muscle activity values, Berg balance scale score, and functional independence measurement values in the experimental group. The intergroup comparison showed that differences in the rectus abdominis and internal oblique external oblique muscle values, Berg balance scale score, and functional independence measurement value for the experimental group were significantly related to those in the control group. Conclusion: Based on these results, this study proved that the active vibration exercise effectively improved trunk muscle activity, balance, and activities of daily living in patients with chronic stroke.