Earticle

This study aimed to identify alterationsin the thickness of the psoas major and the pelvic tilt angle in response to deep friction massage (DFM), modified Thomas stretching (MTS), or muscle energy technique (MET). The thickness of the psoas major was measured by ultrasound while that of the pelvic tilt angle was measured according to marks on the anterior-superior and posterior-superior iliac spines. This study involved 45 male subjects with noorthopedic or neurological disease. All subjects volunteered to participate in the study. In the MTS group, the subjects completed 10 repetitions of 10-second stretches. In the DFM group, friction was applied for 10 seconds at a frequency of 1 Hz. In the MET group, 7 seconds of isometric contraction and 10 seconds of stretching were applied. Pre- and post-treatment changes in the pelvic tilt angle were significant in the three groups (p<.05). Pre- and post-treatment changes in psoas major thickness were significant in the MTS (p<.05) and MET groups (p<.05) but not in the DFM group (p>.05). There were no significant pre- and post-treatment changes in pelvic tilt angle and psoas major thickness between the three groups (p>.05). This study compared three types of interventions to determine the most effective method for psoas major stretching. Our results can be used to treat patients with psoas shortening.

This study aimed to compare the effects of trampoline exercise with those of balance pad exercise on balance, gait, and knee joint function in elderly women with knee osteoarthritis. Twenty elderly women with knee osteoarthritis were randomly divided into a trampoline exercise group (n=10) and a balance pad exercise group (n=10). Both groups performed their group-specific exercise thrice a week for six weeks. Data were obtained for the two groups with the one-leg stance test (OLST), Timed Up and Go test (TUG), 10-meter walk test (10MWT), and all variables (pain, physical function, stiffness, and total) of the Korean version of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (K-WOMAC) conducted before and after exercise. Data were analyzed using the paired t-test to compare changes in the variables after exercise for each group. An independent t-test was used for comparison between the groups. Both groups showed statistically significant improvements in OLST, TUG, 10MWT, and all variables of the K-WOMACK after exercise. There were statistically significant differences between the trampoline and balance pad exercise groups in stiffness and total variables of the K-WOMACK. There were no statistically significant differences between the trampoline and balance pad exercise groups in OLST, TUG, 10MWT, and pain and physical function variables of the K-WOMACK. The results indicate that trampoline and balance pad exercises are effective in promoting balance, gait, and knee joint function in elderly women with knee osteoarthritis. In particular, trampoline exercise was more effective than balance pad exercise for knee joint function.

This study aimed to compare the activity levels of the neck extensor, upper trapezius, and erector spinae muscles according to walking posture while carrying three different types of bags. Electromyogram signals were measured in 18 women with chronic neck and lumbar pain as they walked back and forth five times a total of 10m. In the first condition, they carried a backpack on both shoulders. In the second condition, they carried a tote bag on one shoulder. In the third condition, they carried a tote bag on one forearm. Significant differences were recorded by repeated measures by one-way analysis of variance. Carrying a bag on one shoulder and the forearm significantly increased the activity levelsof the ipsilateral neck extensor, upper trapezius, and contralateral erector spinae muscles as compared with that noted when carrying a backpack on both shoulders (p<.05). Carrying a bag on one forearm also significantly increased the activity levels of the ipsilateral neck extensor and upper trapezius muscles as compared with that noted when carrying a bag on one shoulder (p<.05). Carrying a bag on one forearm increases the activity levelsof left and right neck extensor, upper trapezius, and erector spinae muscles in a more unbalanced manner than with the other bag-carrying methods. Therefore, women should avoid this bag-carrying method.

This study aimed to investigate the change in the activity of lower limb muscles when patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome performed single limb squats with resistance applied from different directions to their hip joints. Thirty-three subjects with patellofemoral pain syndrome performed single limb squats with knees flexed at 60° and resistance from three different directions (i.e., abductive, adductive, and without force) applied to their hip joints in each trial. Muscle activation was measured with surface electromyography from the vastus medialis oblique, vastus lateralis oblique, and vastus medialis oblique or vastus lateralis oblique. Comparative analyses were performed on the acquired data. The activation of the vastus medialis oblique showed statistically significant changes (p<.05) during exercise while the activation of the vastus lateralis oblique did not (p>.05). The activation of the vastus medialis oblique changed significantly between conditions of adductive resistance and without force and between conditions of abductive and adductive resistance. Therefore, a functional exercise such as a single limb squat with adductive resistance may serve as an efficient therapeutic activity for patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome. We expect to include rehabilitation treatments and training in exercise motion to generate further interest in this approach.

This study investigated the effects of various abdominal drawing-in methods (ADIMs) on the activation of abdominal muscles in healthy adults. 54 subjects were equally divided into three groups: an ADIM and pressure biofeedback group, a prone bridge exercise with a sling group, and prone bridge exercise with a sling and vibration stimulation group. Changes in the activity levels of the right internal oblique abdominal, external oblique abdominal, and rectus abdominis muscles were measured simultaneously. Upon completion of exercise, abdominal muscle activity was measured using the same method that was used prior to exercise. The activity of the internal oblique increased significantly withbridging exercise using a sling and vibration stimulation within the group and in the group that performed bridging exercise using a sling and vibration stimulation when compared with that of the group performing prone bridge exercise using a sling. Based on the above results, prone bridge exercise using a sling with vibration stimulation is likely to be an effective ADIM for enhancement of internal oblique abdominal muscle function.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of New-sports program on shoulder muscle function and hand grip strength. Thirty-one subjects with an average age 20.00 ± 0.58 years participated in our study. Upper trapezius and deltoid muscle functions of the dominant side were measured using a Myoton device and hand grip strength was measured using a hand dynamometer before and after intervention. We measured muscle tone, dynamic stiffness, and elasticity of the dominant upper trapezius and deltoid muscles. The upper trapezius muscle tone and dynamic stiffness decreased significantly after intervention but its elasticity increasedsignificantly in contrast, the deltoid muscle tone and dynamic stiffness increased significantly after intervention but its elasticity decreased significantly. However, grip strength did not change significantly after intervention. Thus, we conclude that application of a New-sports program can improve shoulder muscle function.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of electrical stimulation in low- and high- frequency ranges on sensation and pressure-pain thresholds. A group of 54 subjects were randomly assigned to a 1 Hz electrical stimulation group (Group 1) and a 200 Hz electrical stimulation group (Group 2). Sensory threshold and pressure-pain threshold tests were performed before and after electrical stimulation. Electrical stimulation in the low- and high-frequency ranges increased both the sensory and pressure-pain thresholds. Of note, high-frequency electrical stimulation increased the thresholds of sensation and pressure-pain more than that noted with low-frequency electrical stimulation. The findings of this study showed that high-frequency electrical stimulation was more effective than low-frequency electrical stimulation in improving sensation and pressure-pain thresholds.

This study analyzed the brain wave data of central cortical areas (C3, C4) during both action observation and motor execution of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) upper extremity (U/E) patterns in normal young adults. We measured suppression of the electroencephalographic (EEG) Mu rhythm, a reliable indicator of mirror-neuron activity,in central cortical areas during both action observation and motor execution of PNF U/E patterns. In all subjects, Mu-rhythm suppression was observed above C3 and C4 regions during both action observation and motor execution of the PNF U/E pattern and significant differences were observed in three experimental tasks when compared with that noted for the baseline (Wilcoxon signed rank test). Friedman test results indicated no significant differences in the suppression of Mu rhythm in the three experimental conditions. These results suggest that action observation and PNF U/E pattern can activate the mirror neuron system in central cortical areas, particularly in the form of Mu-rhythm suppression. These findings can prove useful ina clinical therapeutic intervention program and the practice of combining action observation and PNF U/E pattern could improve health and enhance physical performance in young adults.

The motor module is regarded as the strategy by which the central nervous system (CNS) simplifies various complex movements. It consists of two components:muscle synergy vectors (the relative weighting of muscles within each motor module) and synergy activation coefficient (the relative activation of the motor modules). This study investigated the structures of motor modules in athletes during gait. Eight elite hockey players and six non-athletes performed 10 trials of gait. Activity levels of sixteen lower limb and trunk muscles were recorded with electromyography and motor modules were extracted using non-negative matrix factorization. The least number of motor modules that can explain more than 90% (total variability accounted for; VAF total) of the original data were selected. Three statistical analyses were used to compare structures of motor modules in athletes and non-athletes: an independent t-test to record the number of motor modules, one-way analysis of variance to study muscle synergy vectors, and correlation analysis to determine synergy activation coefficients. Four motor modules were extracted from both athletes and non-athletes. Three motor modules were similar between the two groups (r>0.625) while one module was significantly different in the adductor muscles. Our study identified common motor modules between athletes and non-athletes during gait but also identified a specific motor module in athletes that demonstrated a high contribution of tensor fasciae latae.

This study aimed to confirm the effects of microcurrent stimulation of the rectus abdominisand erector spinae muscles on changes in trunk position. The experiment was performed on 10 healthy men with no metallic material in their bodies and without any peripheral or musculoskeletal disease. The subjects underwent microcurrent stimulation on each muscle with energy therapy equipment (300 μA, 50 pps, R4U, HumanDream, co., ltd., South Korea) for 10 minutes. After the intervention, front and back muscle positions were measured using 3D Moire Muscle and Body Type Inspector. There was no significant difference in the change in rectus abdominis position along vertical and horizontal lines (p>.05). However, the erector spinae position showed significant changes along horizontal lines (p<.05). Thus, microcurrent stimulation could be helpful in restricting muscle position changes. Further study is needed to evaluate the effect of microcurrent stimulation in a larger number of subjects with a longer intervention time.