Background: The weakness of the gluteus medius (GM) is associated with various musculoskeletal disorders. The increasing GM activity without synergistic dominance should be considered when prescribing pelvic drop exercise (PD). Isometric hip extension or flexion of the non-weight bearing leg using thera-band at the ankle during PD may influence hip abductor activities. Objects: To determine how isometric hip extension or flexion of the non-weight bearing leg using thera-band at the ankle during PD influences the activities of three subdivisions of GM (anterior, GMa; middle, GMm; posterior, GMp), tensor fasciae latae (TFL), contralateral quadratus lumborum (QL), and GMp/TFL, GMm/QL activity ratios in patients with GM weakness. Methods: Twenty-three patients with GM weakness were recruited. Three types of PD were performed: PD, PD with an isometric hip extension of the non-weight bearing leg (PDE), and PD with an isometric hip flexion of the non-weight bearing leg (PDF). Surface electromyography (SEMG) was used to measure hip abductor activities. One-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to assess the statistical significance of muscle activities and muscle activity ratios. Results: GMa, GMm, and GMp activities were significantly greater during PDF than during PD and PDE (p < 0.001, p = 0.001; p = 0.001, p = 0.005; p = 0.004, p = 0.004; respectively). TFL activity was significantly greater during PDE than during PD and PDF (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). QL activity was significantly greater during PDF than during PD (p = 0.003). GMp/TFL activity ratio was significantly lower during PDE than during PD and PDF (p = 0.001, p = 0.001, respectively). There were no significant differences in the GMm/QL activity ratio. Conclusion: PDF may be an effective exercise to increase the activities of all three GM subdivisions while minimizing the TFL activity in patients with GM weakness.

Background: The alignment of the neck and shoulder is important in people with forward head posture. However, previous studies have mainly conducted fragmentary studies on the neck and shoulders, and studies on the combined movement of the neck and shoulders are incomplete. Objective: To investigate the effects of 6 week dynamic exercise program using Thera-band on craniovertebral angle (CVA) in adults with forward head posture. Design: Quasi-experimental study. Methods: The study was conducted on 24 adults with forward head posture and experimented with neck and shoulder exercises and divided them into groups of neck exercises, shoulder exercises, and neck and shoulder exercises to measure CVA values before and after the experiment. The neck exercise program included flexion and extension muscles of the neck and shoulder exercises included dynamic exercise of the upper extremities such as the trapezius muscles and serratus anterior muscle. The CVA results were measured using PA200. Results: Following the interventions, neck exercise group showed significant improvement in CVA (P<.05), but shoulder exercise group and combined exercise group did not show any significant results (P>.05). However, both groups showed some positive results. Significant differences were seen in the comparisons between the three groups (P<.05), and the results of the posthoc test showed significant differences in neck exercise group and shoulder exercise, neck exercise and combine exercise group. Conclusion: This study suggested that the Thera-band neck exercise is beneficial for foward head posture patients and is expected to be used in clinical trials.

본 연구의 목적은 플랭크 운동 시 세라밴드 적용 유·무에 따른 신체 근육의 근활성도를 비교·분석하는데 있었다. 본 연구의 대상자는 건강한 20대 남성 12명을 대상으로 실시하였고(연령, 21.75±0.57 세; 신장, 173.33±1.34cm; 체중, 65.92±1.64kg; 신체질량지수, 21.93±0.46kg/m2), 풀 플랭크, 엘보우 플랭크, 사이드 플랭크, 및 리버스 플랭크 운동은 4가지의 세라밴드(사용 안함(WT), 빨간색(RT), 파란색 (BT), 은색(ST))를 적용하여 수행하였으며, 표면전극 부착 부위는 척추기립근(ES), 삼각근(DA), 외복사근 (EO), 복직근(RA), 대퇴직근(RF), 광배근(LD), 대흉근(PM), 및 대퇴이두근(BF)으로 설정하였다. 본 연구의 결과는 다음과 같다. 풀 플랭크 동작 시 ES, DA의 근활성도는 WT적용 시 가장 높게 나타났고(p<.05), EO, RA, RF, PM의 근활성도는 ST적용 시 가장 높게 나타났다(p<.05). 엘보우 플랭크 동작 시 ES, DA의 근활성도는 WT적용 시 가장 높게 나타났고(p<.05), RF, PM의 근활성도는 ST적용 시 가장 높게 나타났다 (p<.05). 사이드 플랭크 동작 시 ES, EO, RA, RF, LD, PM, BF,의 근활성도는 ST적용 시 가장 높게 나타 났다(p<.05). 그리고 리버스 플랭크 동작 시 DA, EO, RA, RF, LD, PM, BF,의 근활성도는 ST적용 시 가장 높게 나타났다(p<.05). 따라서 본 연구의 결과는 향후 플랭크 운동 적용 시 효과적인 신체근육을 강화시 키기 위한 훈련프로그램의 자료가 될 것으로 기대된다.