Search

In this study, we analyzed the elderly joint movements and changes in muscle length during STS at various sitting heights through the motion analysis and the musculoskeletal modeling. Five elderly and five young were participated in this experiment. Three heights of sitting posture which could represent typical sitting in Korean daily life were chosen as table seat (42cm), bath seat (21cm) and bottom (0cm). As the results, the elderly showed both smaller knee/hip flexion and larger trunk flexion relatively in comparison to the young during table seat STS. The elderly also showed larger dorsi flexion and smaller ROM of knee, hip, trunk compared to the young during bath seat STS. Additionally, the elderly showed larger plantarflexion, hip flexion, smaller knee flexion and trunk flexion during the first half of bottom STS and larger knee flexion, hip flexion and trunk flexion during the second half of bottom STS. In addition, we could know contraction and relaxation characters of major muscles in lower limb during various STS through the analysis of changes in muscle length by musculoskeltal modeling.

This paper describes the investigation of Surface Electromyography (sEMG) signals of back muscles and hamstring muscles during forward flexion and extension in healthy and low back pain (LBP) women. There were two groups of Malaysian females aged between 20 to 55 years old voluntary participated in this study. Group 1 consisted of 10 healthy females while group 2 consisted of 6 females suffered with low back pain. Every subject was trained to perform two types of forward flexion; maximum forward flexion (bowing as far as they can) and 90° forward flexion with hands on the knees. The electromyogram (EMG) and the motion signals were recorded during forward flexion of the trunk at the back and hamstring muscles. The findings indicated that the flexion relaxation phenomenon (FRP) was found only at the back muscles in healthy subjects during full flexion of the trunk, however it was absent at the hamstring muscles. For low back pain patients, the FRP was absent in both muscles. Mann-Whitney test showed astatistically significant differences in flexion relaxation ratio (FRR) between two groups during maximum forward flexion (p

Examiner tests the movement patterns associated with relaxed and erect sitting postures and evaluates pelvic position.