Background: Osteoarthritis is a common condition with an increasing prevalence and is a common cause of disability. Osteoarthritic pain decreases the quality of life, and simple gait training is used to alleviate it. Knee osteoarthritis limits joint motion in the sagittal and lateral directions. Although many recent studies have activated orthotic research to increase knee joint stabilization, no study has used patellar tendon straps to treat knee osteoarthritis. Objects: This study aimed to determine the effects of patellar tendon straps on kinematic, mechanical, and electromyographic activation in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Methods: Patients with knee osteoarthritis were selected. After creating the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), leg length difference, Q-angle, and thumb side flexion angle of the foot were measured. Kinematic, kinetic, and muscle activation data during walking before and after wearing the orthosis were viewed. Results: After wearing the patellar tendon straps, hip adduction from the terminal stance phase, knee flexion from the terminal swing phase, and ankle plantar flexion angle increased during the pre-swing and initial swing phases. The cadence of spatiotemporal parameters and velocity increased, and step time, stride time, and foot force duration decreased. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, the increase in plantar flexion after strap wearing is inferred by an increase due to neurological mechanisms, and adduction at the hip joint is inferred by an increase in adduction due to increased velocity. The increase in cadence and velocity and the decrease in gait speed and foot pressure duration may be due to joint stabilization. It can be inferred that joint stabilization is increased by wearing knee straps. Thus, wearing a patellar tendon strap during gait in patients with knee osteoarthritis influences kinematic changes in the sagittal plane of the joint.

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of patellar height on quadriceps muscles' electromyography (EMG) activity during a squat exercise in adults with patella baja. For the study, we recruited 15 volunteers who had patella baja on the right side. We measured the EMG activity of the right rectus femoris, vastus medialis oblique, and vastus lateralis muscles during squat exercises under two conditions, specifically with and without an infra-patellar strap. The infra-patellar strap was applied below the tested patella to elevate the patella to a normal height. A paired t-test was used to compare the effects of patella height on EMG activity of the quadriceps muscles. The EMG activity of the rectus femoris (RF), vastus medialis oblique (VMO), and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles were significantly decreased during the squat exercise with the infra-patellar strap compared to the same exercise without the infra-patellar strap (p<.05), while the VMO/VL ratio was not different significantly between two conditions (p>.05). The findings of this study suggest that an infra-patellar strap may benefit people with patellar baja, as changes in patellar height could improve the efficiency of the quadriceps muscles.

일반적으로 사용되는 철근콘크리트 교량의 바닥판에는 겨울철 과다한 염화칼슘의 사용과 그로인해 유발되는 성능저하로 인해 균열이 발생하고 수분이 침투하여 바닥판 내부의 철근이 부식됨으로써 균열이 생성 및 진전된다. 이러한 철근콘크리트 바닥판의 단점을 원천적으로 차단하기 위하여 바닥판 내부의 철근을 제거한 후 바닥판 외부에서 Steel strap을 이용하여 거더의 횡방향 거동을 구속시킴으로써 아칭효과를 극대화하고 내하력을 향상시킨 무철근 교량 바닥판이 최근에 개발 및 실용화되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 횡구속된 무철근 바닥판의 영향인자를 파악하기 위하여 콘크리트의 비선형성을 고려하였고 바닥판의 두께, 지간장 및 횡방향 구속강성도 등에 대하여 유한요소법을 이용한 매개변수해석을 수행했다. 또한, 이러한 해석결과를 활용하여 우리나라의 실정에 적합한 설계식을 제안하였다.

In order to eliminate the defects of reinforced-concrete decks in terms of material, the steel-straped deck system is developed by maximizing the arching effect while the girders are restrained using straps in lateral direction to the bridge. In this paper, nonlinear FEA are performed for various parameters such as slab thickness, span length, strap spacing and sectional area, etc. in order to derive the equation to design the deck slab with steel-strap considering the minimum thickness of Korean design standards.

무철근 교량 바닥판은 콘크리트 내부의 철근을 없애고 거더를 Strap으로 횡구속시켜 Arching action을 극대화시킨 교량 바닥판이다. 본 연구에서는 무철근 바닥판의 균열제어를 목적으로 FRP bar의 배치량을 변수로 하여 내하력과 균열, 연성도, 파괴시 응력수준 등을 판단하여 FRP bar 최소 배치량을 제시하였다. 실험결과 Steel strap 무철근 바닥판은 최소 0.15% FRP 보강근만 배치하여도 내하력과 연성이 확연히 향상됨을 확인하였다. FRP bar를 보강한 무철근 바닥판에 대하여 피로실험을 수행하였으며 200만회 반복하중 재하후 균열, 잔류 처짐 등에서 장기 사용성에 문제가 없음을 확인하였다. 교량 바닥판은 대체로 펀칭전단 파괴를 하며 2방향 슬래브의 전단강도식을 적용할 수 있으나 ACI, AASHTO 등에서는 바닥판의 비선형 파괴형상과 횡구속에 의한 Arching 효과를 명확히 고려하지 못하기 때문에 실제 파괴강도보다 과소평가 한다. 본 연구에서는 Steel strap 바닥판의 실제 파괴형상과 Strap에 의한 횡구속도를 고려한 펀칭전단강도식을 제안하였으며 이는 실험결과와도 비교적 잘 일치하는 결과를 보여주었다.