Background: Whole-body vibration (WBV) has been used to alleviate proprioceptive damage by musculoskeletal and neurological conditions. However, no study has determined whether wearing shoes while applying WBV can affect proprioception precision of the knee joint. Objects: This study aimed to determine the differences in the proprioceptive precision of the knee joint before and after WBV and to compare the proprioceptive precision of the knee joint between barefoot and shoe-wearing conditions. Methods: This study recruited 33 healthy participants. A passive-to-active angle reproduction test was used to measure the proprioception precision of the knee joint using an electrogoniometer, and the target angle was set to a knee flexion of 30°. Proprioception precision was calculated using the error angle (angular difference from 30°). Proprioceptive precision was measured in weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing positions before and after applying WBV for 20 minutes at 12 Hz in barefoot and shoe-wearing conditions. Mixed repeated analysis of variance was used to determine the differences in changes in the proprioceptive precision of the knee joint according to foot conditions. Results: There were significant improvements in the weight-bearing (p = 0.002) and nonweight- bearing (p < 0.001) proprioceptive precision of the knee joint after applying WBV. However, there was no significant difference in the change in proprioceptive precision of the knee joint after applying WBV between the barefoot and shoe-wearing conditions. Conclusion: WBV stimulation had an immediate effect on improving the proprioceptive precision of the knee joint. However, foot conditions (barefoot or shoe-wearing) during WBV application did not influence the proprioceptive precision of the knee joint.

A flight suit worn by fighter pilots in the Korea Air Force is in the form of coveralls and can be donned/doffed with a slide fastener located on the center front of the body. This all-in-one styled garment encompasses the easy movement of an Air Force pilot in the cockpit (Choi, 2012) as well as protects from flames in an emergency. The standard Korean flight suit was designed based on a modulated American flight suit (Jeon, Park, You, & Kim, 2010); however, it is necessary to develop a new Korean flight suit with a Korean pilot-centered design. This study investigates wearing conditions and satisfaction of Korean flight suit wearers and provides basic data for a user-centered Korean flight suit design. Researchers visited two Korea Air Force wings and interviewed the fighter pilots. The results of the interview were derived through a questionnaire. The main topics of the questionnaire were: demographics, actual wearing conditions, size/fit, subjective perceptions of comfort on mobility, satisfaction of appearance, frequency of pocket usage, improvement requirements and fabric satisfaction. A total 439 questionnaires were collected in January 2015 and 428 used for analysis analyzed (except for 11 female responders).The average age of respondents was 29.12±4.67 years old and their mean work experience was 5.96±4.46 years. Over half of those questioned were captains(52.6%).The results of the questionnaires are summarized as follows. First, only 45.8% of respondents filled their chest size; however, most of them completed their height and weight. There were 52.8% who referred to their height (or used eye measurement)when selecting the flight suit size, even though the actual sizing system for Korean flight suits suggests a height and chest size by choice. It is necessary to offer new guidelines in which the wearer could select their size easier. Second, the summer flight suit appearance satisfaction was significantly lower(p<0.01) than winter flight suits and could infer (based on the pre-interview responses) that the air- summer suit vents might be a factor that lowered the appearance satisfaction. Third, the responders felt crotch and shoulder inconvenience during body motions; therefore, it is important to set quantitative standard of ease based upon the extension of skin surface and anthropometric properties of pilots. Forth, questions on suit fabric indicated that they were generally satisfied with protection characteristics such as anti-electrostatic qualities (3.27±0.78, 5-point Likert scale) while comfort characteristics such as thermal insulation, absorbency and elasticity indicated a relatively low satisfaction (2.39±0.794, 2.99±0.87 and 2.65±0.83 respectively, 5-point Likert scale). Therefore, fabric development is also needed to improve user satisfaction. Fifth, survey respondents had a negative opinion on changing flight sites. They preferred improvements in quality or better ease of length and width. Therefore, we have to find a way to improve flight suit function with respect to current designs rather than pursuing a dramatic change of appearance.

본 연구에서는 인체 상 하체에 대한 적정 의복압값과 평소 착용습관에 따른 주관적 압박감의 차이를 알아보기 위해 30-40대 중년여성을 대상으로 거들과 웨이스트 니퍼를 착용한 후 압력값과 주관적 압박감을 측정하였다. 또한 화운데이션 착용 시 주관적 압박감에 영향을 미치는 제반 요소(자세변화, 착용시간, 심호흡 등)에 대하여 알아보고자 의복압과 주관적 압박감를 측정하고 분석하여 다음과 같은 결론을 얻었다. 적정 의복압의 평균 결과 거들은 2.1±0.8 kPa, 웨이스트 니퍼는 1.5±0.8 kPa로 하체의 적정 평균 의복압이 상체에 비하여 높게 나타났으며, 하체보다는 상체에서 평소 느슨하게 입을수록 압박 수준에 대한 민감도가 컸다. 화운데이션 착용습관 조사를 통해 느슨하게 입는 그룹을 'loosely', 조여입는 그룹을 'tightly'로 분류하여 압력값과 주관적 평가의 상관관계를 살펴본 결과 'loosely' 그룹에서 객관적 압력값과 주관적 평가 간에 또한 주관적 평가와 선호도 간에 상관계수가 더 높게 나타나 평소의 착용습관이 압박감각에 영향을 미침을 알 수 있었다. 자세(선 자세, 앉은 자세)에 따른 압력값의 변화는 웨이스트 니퍼에서만 유의한 차이가 나타나(p=.001), 웨이스트 니퍼 설계 시 적정 의복압을 유지하기 위한 주의를 거들보다 더 기울여야 함을 알 수 있었다. 또한, 시간이 지남에 따라 실제 압력값은 변화가 없었으나 주관적 압박감은 대체적으로 적응을 하여 장기간 착용 시 생리적으로 부정적 영향을 미쳐도 인식하지 못할 수 있음을 알 수 있다.