To compare the effects of forward walking and backward walking on surface electromyographic analysis of quadriceps muscles at treadmill grades of 0%, 5% and 10%, subjects were randomized to eleven athletics (5 females, 6 males), with a mean age of 17.8 years, and a SD of 4.66 years. The values of the surface electromyographic (SEMG) activity of the rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL) and vastus medialis oblique (VMO) were measured during forward walking and backward walking on a treadmill at grades of 0, 5 and 10%. The subjects walked for approximately 10 seconds at 4.0 km/h. The data were analyzed by repeated measuring of the two-way ANOVA and analyzed by a paired t-test between forward walking and backward walking. The SEMG activity levels of the RF, VL and VMO were the highest when both the forward walking and backward walking increased incrementally for treadmill grades of 0% to 10%, but the VMO/VL ratio had no significant changes. The SEMG activity levels of the RF, VL and VMO were significantly different between directions. However, SEMG activity levels of the RF, VL, VMO and VMO/VL ratio did not show significant difference among the treadmill grades. No statistically significant interactions were detected between the direction of walking and treadmill grade. Backward walking on the treadmill at 4 km/h and grades of 0%, 5%, 10% elicited a greater SEMG activity on the quadriceps muscles than did forward walking under the same conditions. The results suggest that the quadriceps may be effectively activated by performance at treadmill grades of 10%. This investigation confirms that backward walking up an incline may place additional muscular demands on individuals.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of rehabilitation exercise and neuromuscular electrical stimulation on a visual analysis scale and functional visual analysis scale regarding functional capacity. A total of 7 consecutive patients with the complaint of patellofemoral pain syndrome who received this diagnosis from a sports medicine physician were recruited to assess the effect of rehabilitation exercise and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Functional Visual Analog Scale (FVAS), functional capacity patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome. The exercise rehabilitation consisted of a complex training program requiring five treatments a week for eight weeks. The training program consisted of four phases, and each lasted for two weeks. Statistical analyses were one-way ANOVA with repeated measures. The results were as follows: (1) There were significant differences in the VAS and FVAS during 8-weeks of rehabilitation exercise and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (p<.01). (2) There were no significant differences in the functional capacity during 8-weeks of rehabilitation exercise and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (p<.05). In conclusion, at the end of the eight weeks of this rehabilitation program and neuromuscular electrical stimulation, a significant reduction was found in VAS and FVAS, but there was no significant difference in functional capacity at the end of the treatment.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of resting periods between exercise sets during isokinetic contraction on recovery from muscle fatigue, strength, heart rate, blood pressure, and lactate level. Sixteen women performed 10 repetitions of isokinetic exercise for three sets in three different conditions. During the sets, they rested 50, 100, and 150 seconds in each condition. And the results were: 1) In this population, the peak torque of extensor during the isokinetic exercise in 100 second resting condition was significantly higher than that in 50 and 150 second resting conditions (p<.01). The total work of extensor was significant in the second and third sets in 50 and 100 second resting conditions (p<.01). 2) During the isokinetic exercise, the heart rate was progressively increased as the sets were advanced in all resting conditions (p<.01). And the increase was significant during the second and third sets than the first in 50 second resting condition (p<.01), while it was significantly greater after the third set than the first in 100 and 150 second resting conditions (p<.01). 4) No difference was found between the resting periods in blood lactate level and blood pressure during the isokinetic exercise. However, differences were found between the sets in these variables (p<.01).