Background:Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) rely on their upper limbs for body-lifting activity (BLA). While studies have examined the electromyography (EMG) and kinematics of the shoulder joints during BLA, no studies have considered foot position during BLA.Objects:This study compared the effects of different foot positions during BLA on the shoulder muscle activities, peak plantar pressure, knee flexion angle, and rating perceived exertion in individuals with SCI.Methods:The study enrolled 13 mens with motor-complete paraplegic SCI, ASIA (American Spinal Injury Association) A or B. All subjects performed BLA with the feet positioned on the wheelchair footrest and on the floor independently. Surface EMG was used to collect data from the latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major, serratus anterior, and triceps brachii. The peak plantar pressure was measured using pedar-X and the knee flexion angle with Image J. Borg’s rating perceived exertion scale was used to measure the physical activity intensity level. The paired t-test was used to compare the shoulder muscle activities, peak plantar pressure, knee flexion angle, and rating perceived exertion between the two feet positions during BLA.Results:The activity of the latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major, serratus anterior, and triceps brachii and rating perceived exertion decreased significantly and the peak plantar pressure and knee flexion angle increased significantly when performing BLA with the feet positioned on the wheelchair footrest compared with on the floor (p<.05).Conclusion:These findings suggest that individuals with SCI may perform BLA with the feet positioned on the wheelchair footrest for weight-relief lifting to decrease the shoulder muscle activities and the rating perceived exertion and to increase the peak plantar pressure and the knee flexion angle.

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