Effects of a low back exercise program on low back pain patients’ lumbar lordotic angle, abdominal muscle power, and pain

Purpose: This study aims to identify the effects of a low back exercise program on low back pain patients’ lumbar lordotic angle, abdominal muscle power, and pain. Methods: This study was conducted with 20 low back pain patients. The lumbar lordotic angle, abdominal muscle, and pain of participants were measured before and after the interventions. The participants were asked to conduct McKenzie Exercise and William Exercise through a low back pain exercise program for 30 minutes three times a week for six weeks. Results: the lumbar lordotic angle increased after the interventions, but there was no significant difference, and there were significant differences in abdominal muscle power and pain (p < .05). Conclusion: As a result of this study, the low back exercise program acted positively on the increase in abdominal muscle power and pain reduction. Therefore, it is judged that a low back exercise program would help manage low back pain efficiently

Analysis of the lower extremity muscle activity depending on the use of a knee aid in elderly people with osteoarthritis

This study analysed the lower extremity muscle activity depending on the use of the Power Leg, a wearable knee aid, in elderly people with osteoarthritis. Eight participants who had osteoarthritis were asked to repeat sit-to-stand from a chair first without the knee aid, following which they were asked to repeat the same movement with the knee aid. Surface electromyography (EMG) was used to analyse muscle activities of the vastus medialis, rectus femoris, and vastus lateralis on the quadriceps femoris of the right leg while performing sit-to-stand motion. The result showed an 11.25% decrease in muscle activity of the vastus medialis, from 50.43% without the knee aid to 39.18% with the knee aid, which was significant (p < .05). Muscle activity of the rectus femoris decreased by 5.17%, from 29.49% without the knee aid down to 24.32% with the knee aid. However, the difference was not significant. The vastus lateralis had reduced muscle activity by 16.22%, from 57.15% without the knee aid to 40.93% with the knee aid, which was significant (p < .05). The results of this study showed that the Power Leg knee aid may decrease muscle activity by assisting lower extremity muscles during the sit-to-stand motion and effectively support the knee extensor during knee extension. Given these findings, as well as the ease of wearing and using the Power Leg knee aid, it is concluded that the wearable knee aid is very useful for the elderly with knee osteoarthritis

Electromyographic analysis of lower extremity muscle activities during modified squat exercise: Preliminary study

The squat is a movement that keeps the knee angle at 90° while keeping the weight of the one's shoulder to the shoulder width and maintaining equal weight load on the left and right legs. However, sufficient muscle activation of the lower limb is necessary to maintain a knee angle of 90 degrees. Thus, this study has been conducted to confirm the possibility that a modified squat exercise compared to traditional squat exercise can be recommended for elderly or patients. Two healthy adult males participated in this study. They performed a traditional squat exercise and a modified squat exercise. The modified squat exercise was performed in a general squat exercise posture while keeping the knee at 90 degrees and extending the hip joint with leaning the ball behind the back (supine position). The muscle activity of rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and gastrocnemius during exercises was measured by surface electromyography. As a result of this study, it was found that muscle activities were less in the right and left rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis during the modified squat exercise compared to the traditional squat exercise. The results showed that the muscle strength of the lower limb was activated to less than 50% compared with the traditional squat exercise during the modified squat exercise. These results may be used as an effective rehabilitation method for patients with weak muscles in the lower limb

Analysis of trunk and lower extremity electromyographic activity in horizontal whole-body vibration

Whole-Body Vibration (WBV) has been extensively investigated as a widely used training tool. However, previous studies mostly applied the WBV on synchronous or side alternating vibration platform devices. The present study was aimed to investigate the electromyographic activity of trunk and lower-extremity muscles as one stands on a flat floor, and during horizontal whole-body vibration (WBV). This was a comparative cross-sectional study. Sixteen healthy adults participated in the study. The electromyographic activity of the trunk and lower extremity muscles was collected while the participants stood on either a flat floor or a WBV device moving horizontally. Electromyography (EMG) was used to record the activity of trunk and lower extremity muscles (erector spinae, rectus abdominalis, rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius). The rectus femoris, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius muscles showed significantly higher muscle activation on the horizontal WBV device than on the flat floor (p<0.05). In particular, the electromyographic activity of Lt. rectus femoris (23.0 vs 14.3), Rt. rectus femoris (32.7 vs 15.1), Lt. tibiailis anterior (19.0 vs 9.8) Rt. tibiailis anterior (17.8 vs 7.9), and of the Lt. gastrocnemius (41.5 vs 15.7), Rt. gastrocnemius (32.7 vs 13.0) increased on the horizontal WBV device than on the flat floor. The muscle activity of the rectus femoris, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius muscles proved to be higher when the participants stood on the WBV device vibrating in a horizontal direction than on the flat floor. Further studies need to investigate the clinical applicability of horizontal WBV

Comparison of lower limb muscle activation according to horizontal whole-body vibration frequency and knee angle

Whole-body vibration refers to an exercise that stimulates the muscles, using a vibration with an amplitude and power, however, there are few studies that have dealt with fundamental questions such as optimal frequency or body position. This study aims to compare lower limb activation, according to horizontal whole-body vibration frequency and knee flexion angle, in healthy adults. Using 18 healthy adults aged 21–30, this study measured and analysed the activities of the vastus lateralis (VL), biceps femoris (BF), tibialis anterior (TA), and gastrocnemius (GCM) muscles, for different horizontal whole-body vibration frequencies (0 Hz, 2 Hz, and 4 Hz) and knee flexion angles (0°, 30°, and 60°), using surface electromyography (sEMG). There was a statistically significant increase in lower limb muscle activation according to horizontal whole-body vibration frequency and knee flexion angle: comparing muscle activation with frequency, the muscle activation of VL, BF, TA, and GCM increased with increase in frequency (p<0.05). The muscle activation of VL and TA increased with increase in knee flexion angle (p<0.05). In this study, it was observed that for whole-body vibration provided in a horizontal direction, larger the frequency and higher the knee flexion angle, greater the lower limb activation

Effect of ankle taping on the ankle muscle strength in young healthy women

Of the various approaches to manage or prevent injuries on the ankle joint, Kinesio taping improves static posture stability, stimulating the neuromuscular control system. This study aims to investigate of ankle taping on the peak torque and average power of ankle muscle in young heathy women. Taping was applied to the extensor digitorum, tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, soleus of the ankle in 16 healthy women. Isokinetic measurement of the dorsiflexion and plantarflexion patterns were recorded before and after taping. As a result of this study, the pre-post isokinetic parameters improved significantly for plantarflexion (p<0.05) while those for dorsiflexion did not. Through this study, it was found out that ankle taping improved the muscle power of the plantarflexor of young healthy women, and it is expected that applying ankle taping would help young healthy women

Fully Immersive Virtual Reality Game-Based Training for an Adolescent with Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy: A Case Report

Background: Recently, virtual reality-based training (VR-based training) is receiving attention as greater emphasis is placed on the importance of interest and motivation in participation. However, studies investigating the effects of fully immersive VR-based training are insufficient. Case presentation: We report a case of using a fully immersive VR game-based training in a patient with cerebral palsy. A 15-year-old girl was diagnosed with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy Gross Motor Function Classification System level II. A six-week intervention (18 sessions) phase was performed with one fully immersive VR game using PlayStation®VR in three sessions per week. After 18 sessions of training, the scores on the gross motor function measure-88 (Gross Motor Function Measure-88-GMFM-88), pediatric balance scale (PBS), timed up and go test (TUG), functional gait assessment (FGA), and 10 m walking test (10MWT) were improved: GMFM-88, 91.56 points (9.31 points increase); PBS, 45 points (6 points increase); TUG, 8.23 s (6.9 s decrease); FGA, 11 points (3 points increase); the 10 MWT, 5.27 s (6.59 s decrease). Conclusions: This study found that a fully immersive VR game-based training using PlayStation®VR may be an effective intervention for GMFCS level II adolescent, leading to some improvement of motor function, balance and gait skills in adolescents with cerebral palsy