• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.83-90
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• 2017

Objective: To investigate the effect of short-term vibration frequencies on muscle force generation capabilities. Method: Six healthy participants were recruited for this study and only their dominant leg was tested. The subjects were tested under five conditions of vibration frequencies with constant amplitude: 0 Hz (no vibration), 30 Hz, 60 Hz, and 90 Hz, and the vibration amplitude was 10 mm for all frequency conditions. The vibration was applied to the rectus femoris (RF). The subjects were then instructed to maintain a steady-state isometric knee joint torque (100 Nm) for the first 6 s. After the steady-state torque production, the subjects were required to produce isometric knee joint torque by leg extension as hard as possible with a start signal within the next 3 s. The vibration was applied for ~4 s starting from 1 s before initiation of the change in the steady-state knee joint torque. Results: The results showed that the maximum voluntary torque (MVT) of the knee joint increased with the vibration frequencies. On average, the MVTs were 756.47 Nm for 0 Hz (no vibration) and 809.61 Nm for 90 Hz. There was a significant positive correlation (r = 0.71) between the MVTs and integrated electromyograms (iEMGs). Further, the co-contraction indices (CCIs) were computed, which represent the ratio of the iEMGs of the antagonist muscle to the iEMGs of all involved muscles. There was a significant negative correlation (r = 0.62) between the CCIs and MVTs, which was accompanied by a significant positive correlation (r = 0.69) between the iEMGs of the vibrated muscle (RF). There was no significant correlation between the MVTs and iEMGs of the antagonist muscle. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the short-term vibration on the muscle increases the level of muscle activation possibly owing to the increased Ia afferent activities, which enhances the muscle force generation capability.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.187-199
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• 1999

Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) is used for muscle reeducation, reduction of spasticity, delay of atrophy, and muscle strengthening. FES stronger stimulation than other forms of electrical stimulation. The efficacy of FES in improving function has been substantiated in the literature. Treatment programs employing FES - activation of muscular tissue through the intact peripheral nervous system - can be broken into five major categories, according to the goal of treatment. These broad areas would include the use of FES to: (1) a direct excitation onto the alpha motoneuron, through peripheral stimulation of the Ia myotatic sensory system and ascending afferent information, which will be integrated at conscious and subconscious level of the CNS. (2) The quality of a stimulated muscle contraction is determined by combination of many parameters, including stimulus amplitude, pulse duration, stimulus frequency, and duty cycle. (3) A unit that has a pulse duration between 200 and $400{\mu}sec$ will be more than adequate for FES applications. (4) The neuromuscular plasticity is critically important to return of function using muscle re-education and facilitation applications. (5) Prior to using FES as an electrical orthosis, the patient should build up endurance in the muscles to be stimu1ated during the gait cycle.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2015

Background: The purpose is to investigate the immediate effects of kinesio taping on quadriceps induced fatigue by short-term squat. Methods: This research is cross-over designed study and conducted as a single-blind. Eleven students (Age: $18.91{\pm}0.49yrs$, height: $167.09{\pm}8.46cm$, $62.55{\pm}11.32kg$) were participated in this study. All the participants were applied short-term squat for inducing fatigue, and then intervented all three conditions (kinesio taping applied condition, placebo taping applied condition, non-taping applied condition). The interval of each intervention was at least a seven days to prevent carry-over effects. The participants were tested peak torque (isometric contracture) and active joint position sense (active JPS) pre-post intervention. A paired t-test was used to find the significance of pre-post intervention results and one-way ANOVA was used to find the significance between interventions with significant level as .05. Results: Peak torque was significantly increased on KT condition (p<.05). But there were no significant effects on active JPS. Because kinesio taping facilitates Ia afferent by tactile stimulation with stretched skin, reduced muscle power by short term squat which induce muscle fatigue was increased. But kinesio taping does not affect mechanoreceptor in muscles, induced active JPS by short-term squat had no changes.