Background: Muscle activities of gluteus maximus (GM) and hamstring (HAM) have important roles in the stability and mobility of the hip joint during various functional activities including bridge and prone hip extension exercises. Objects: The purpose of this study is to investigate muscle activities of GM, multifidus (MF) and HAM during three different bridge exercises in healthy individuals. Methods: Twenty healthy subjects were participated. Electromyography device was used to measure muscle activities of GM, MF and HAM. Each subject was asked to perform three different bridge exercises with hip abduction (0°, 15°, 30°) in random order. One-way repeated measures analysis of the variance and a Bonferroni post hoc test were used. Statistical significance was set at α = 0.01. Results: The muscle activity of GM was significantly different among three conditions (hip abduction 0°, 15°, 30°) (adjusted p-value [Padj] < 0.01). The muscle activity of GM was significantly greater during bridge exercise with hip abduction 30° compared to 0° and 15° (Padj < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the muscle activity of MF and HAM muscle (Padj > 0.01). The ratio of muscle activity (ratio = GM/HAM) during bridge exercise with hip abduction 30° was significant greater compared to the hip abduction angles 0° and 15° (Padj < 0.01). Conclusion: Bridge exercise with hip abduction 30° can be recommended to selectively facilitate the muscle activity of GM and improve the ratio of muscle activity between GM and HAM.

본 연구에서는 무릎 굽힘각도와 완충재사이의 상관관계를 통해 올바른 걸음걸이의 중요성과 완충재의 마모에 관해 해석하였다. 완충재에 가해지는 등가응력의 분포형상을 볼 때, 그 마모의 정도를 유추할 수 있어 이를 통하여 인공관절 상, 하부 파트의 설계와 인공관절 착용자의 바른 자세를 유도할 근거를 제시할 수 있다. 본 연구를 통하여 얻어진 무릎관절의 역학적 메커니즘과 인공관절을 삽입했을 때 나타나는 메커니즘에 대한 구조 해석 결과를 적용하여 무릎관절에 가해지는 피해량에 대하여 해석할 수 있다. 또한 실제 시험을 위해 예비된 시뮬레이션 해석 결과로서 실제의 생체실험에 대한 기초연구 자료로 제공될 수 있으며 그 실험과의 비교 분석 자료로도 사용할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

This study investigates the wear degree of the shock absorber at the artificial knee joint due to bending degree of knee. As the stress distribution due to this angle is understood when the knee is bent, it can be shown how much and which configuration the wear of the shock absorber progresses in. On the basis of the analysis result, the stress applied at the shock absorber becomes higher and the equivalent stress becomes higher as the bending angle of knee is increased. The walking habit as the right attitude can be examined by applying the general joint as well as the artificial knee joint by using this study result

The purpose of this study was to compare electromyography (EMG) activity for the middle and lower trapezius muscle according to various shoulder abduction angles. Thirty healthy male subjects were recruited for this study. Each subject performed three repetitions of horizontal abduction at 75˚, 90˚, 125˚, 160˚, and 180˚ of shoulder abduction angle in a prone position. Surface EMG activity was recorded from the middle and lower trapezius while the subjects held for five seconds at a predetermined position. The EMG activity was normalized using the maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) elicited using a manual muscle testing technique. A repeatedly measured ANOVA was performed by Bonferroni's post hoc test. The EMG activity of the middle and lower trapezius was significantly different among shoulder abduction angles (p<.05). The greatest level of muscle activity for the middle and lower trapezius were demonstrated at and of shoulder abduction angle, respectively. These results suggest that middle and lower trapezius strengthening exercise and manual muscle testing should be performed at different shoulder abduction angles.

The purpose of this study was to compare EMG activity for pectoralis major muscle during shoulder movement with various abduction angle and rotation position in supine position. Fifteen healthy subjects were recruited for this study. All subjects performed shoulder horizontal adduction holding a 2 kg dumbbell in shoulder abduction 40˚, 70˚, 90˚, 130˚, 160˚ with shoulder neutral, internal rotation (IR), and external rotation (ER). Surface EMG activity was recorded from pectoralis major clavicle part and pectoralis major sternum part for 5 seconds and EMG activity was normalized to the value of maximal voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC). Dependent variables were examined with 3 (Neutral, IR, ER) 5 (40˚, 70˚, 90˚, 130˚, 160˚) analysis of variance with repeated measures. The EMG activity of pectoralis major muscle was significantly different between shoulder abduction angles and between shoulder rotation positions (p<.05). The highest value of EMG activity of pectoralis major clavicle part among shoulder abduction angles was in 70˚ and, 90˚ in that order. The highest value of EMG activity of pectoralis major sternum part among shoulder abduction angles was in and 130˚, 90˚ in that order. According to the rotation degree, shoulder ER showed the highest value and IR showed the lowest value in both muscle parts. These results suggest that shoulder abduction 70˚, 90˚, 130˚ will be effective during manual muscle testing (MMT) and strengthening exercise for pectoralis major muscle. It is also supposed that shoulder ER is the efficient posture for strengthening of pectoralis major muscle.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of concurrent and reciprocal isometric contraction and angle of ankle joint on fatigue of concentrically contracting contralateral dorsiflexor and plantar flexor. Seventeen able-bodied subjects participated in the study. Concurrent and reciprocal isometric contraction were performed under three different ankle joint angles (dorsiflexion, neutral position, plantar flexion). During concurrent or reciprocal isometric contraction. fatigue of concentrically contracting contralateral tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, and soleus was investigated and compared. There was no interaction between different ankle joint angles and direction of isometric contraction (p<.05). No significant differences were found among three different ankle joint angles (p<.05). Contralateral muscle fatigability was lower in reciprocal isometric contraction than that in concurrent isometric contraction (p<.05). Therefore, the findings of this study suggest that reciprocal isometric contraction is more beneficial than concurrent isometric contraction inducing less fatigability during contralateral concentric contraction.

Altered scapular kinematics in the scapular joint is commonly believed to be a factor contributing to trunk posture. The purpose of this study was to analyze the muscle activity with several changes of the shoulder angle. Tests were performed on 10 male subjects by repeated measures. Each subject was measured while sitting in both erect and slouched trunk positions. In each sitting posture, a three-dimensional motion analysis measurement was used to measure thoracic angle and shoulder abduction angle. Measurements were taken with the shoulder abdcution angle at , , , , , and . By using surface Electromyography (EMG) electrodes, we recorded the activity of the upper trapezius, middle trapezius, lower trapezius, middle deltoid, and serratus anterior muscle while the subject held a 4 kg weight at each angle. The mean of root mean square (RMS) of EMG activity was calculated. The middle trapezius, lower trapezius, and middle deltoid muscle activity showed significantly higher results but serratus anterior muscle activity showed significantly lower results (p<.05). With the shoulder angle increased, the muscle activity was also significantly increased (p<.05). In conclusion, the thoracic spine posture significantly affects the scapular muscle during scapular plane abduction, and the slouched posture is associated with increased trapezius muscle activity and with decreased serratus anterior muscle activity.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of donning of a hard insole in patients with hallux valgus. Fourteen subjects were selected from patient with foot pain at Lee Chang-Heon Foot Clinic from August 4, 2000 to September 15, 2000. The hallux valgus angle and the first-second intermetatarsal angle were radiographically measured before and after donning the hard insole. Based on these two kinds of angles, a mild hallux valgus deformity group was characterized by the hallux valgus angle of less than 20 degrees, and a moderate hallux valgus deformity group was characterized by the hallux valgus angle of 20 to 40 degrees. After three weeks with the hard insole donned, the foot angles of the patients with hallux valgus were measured again. The data were analyzed by Wilcoxon signed ranks test, and the following results were obtained: 1) After the trial, both mild hallux valgus deformity group and moderate hallux valgus deformity group demonstrated that the hallux valgus angles were significantly decreased. 2) After the trial, mild hallux valgus deformity group demonstrated that the first-second intermetatarsal angle was significantly decreased. 3) After the trial, moderate hallux valgus deformity group demonstrated that the first-second intermetatarsal angle was not significantly decreased. The above findings revealed that according to donning hard insole, the hallux valgus angles of mild and moderate hallux valgus deformity groups and the first-second intermetatarsal angle of mild hallux valgus deformity group were significantly decreased. The results of this study have some limitation for generalization due to the limited number of subjects. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of hard insole on hallux valgus with more precise laboratory equipments and measurements in patients with hallux valgus.

In this paper, the prototype of surface EMG (ElectroMyoGram) sensor is developed for the robotic rehabilitation applications, and the developed sensor is composed of the electrodes, analog signal amplifiers, analog filters, ADC (analog to digital converter), and DSP (digital signal processor) for coding the application example. Since the raw EMG signal is very low voltage, it is amplified by about one thousand times. The artifacts of amplified EMG signal are removed by using the band-pass filter. Also, the processed analog EMG signal is converted into the digital form by using ADC embedded in DSP. The developed sensor shows approximately the linear characteristics between the amplitude values of the sensor signals measured from the biceps brachii of human upper arm and the joint angles of human elbow. Finally, to show the performance of the developed EMG sensor, we suggest the application example about the real-time human elbow motion acquisition by using the developed sensor.