Ju-Hyun Kim

Analysis of combat sports players' injuries according to playing style for sports physiotherapy research.

[Purpose] This study describes the characteristics of injuries in strike and non-strike combat sports, and the results are intended for use in the area of sports physiotherapy research. [Subjects and Methods] The study was conducted on 159 athletes involved in a variety of combat sports. The participants included elite college players of the following sports: judo (47), ssireum (19), wrestling (13), kendo (30), boxing (16), and taekwondo (34). Of the participants, 133 were male and 26 were female. In the case of ssireum and boxing, all of the athletes were male. [Results] In the case of the combat sports, the types of injury and injured regions differed according to playing style. Dislocation and injuries to the neck, shoulders, and elbows were more frequent in the non-strike sports, while injuries to the wrists and hands were more frequent in the strike sports. There was a high incidence of sprains, strains, bruises, and injuries to the lower limbs in both groups. [Conclusion] We suggest that the characteristics of injuries in combat sports differ according to playing style, and our study will therefore provide physical therapists and researchers with information that can be used to prevent injury.

Effects of conventional overground gait training and a gait trainer with partial body weight support on spatiotemporal gait parameters of patients after stroke

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to confirm the effects of both conventional overground gait training (CGT) and a gait trainer with partial body weight support (GTBWS) on spatiotemporal gait parameters of patients with hemiparesis following chronic stroke. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty stroke patients were alternately assigned to one of two treatment groups, and both groups underwent CGT and GTBWS. [Results] The functional ambulation classification on the affected side improved significantly in the CGT and GTBWS groups. Walking speed also improved significantly in both groups. [Conclusion] These results suggest that the GTBWS in company with CGT may be, in part, an effective method of gait training for restoring gait ability in patients after a stroke.

The effects of a progressive resistance training program on walking ability in patients after stroke: a pilot study

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a progressive resistance training (PRT) program on the walking ability of chronic stroke patients with hemiparesis following chronic stroke. [Subjects and Methods] The participants of this study were fifteen hemiplegic patients. The main outcomes measured for this study were the peak torque of the knee extensor; the gait ability as measured by electric gait analysis of walking speed, walking cycle, affected side stance phase, affected side stride length, symmetry index of stance phase, and symmetry index of stride length; and 10-m walking speed; and the Berg balance scale test. [Results] Walking speed and affected side stride length significantly increased after the PRT program, and 10-m walking time significantly decreased after RPT in stroke patients. [Conclusion] These results suggest that the progressive resistance training program may, in part, improve the stride of the affected side leg of stroke patients after stroke and also positively impact walking speed.

Analysis of the respirogram phase of Korean wrestling athletes compared with nonathletes for sports physiotherapy research

[Purpose] Respiratory function is important for patients including athletes who require physical therapy for respiratory dysfunction. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the differences in the respirograms between Korean wrestling athletes and nonathletes according to phase for the study of sports physiotherapy. [Subjects and Methods] Respiratory function was measured using spirometry in both the athletes and nonathletes while they were in a sitting position. [Results] Spirometry parameters in the athletes were significantly higher than in the nonathletes. In respirogram phasic analysis, the expiratory area and total area of forced vital capacity were significantly increased in the athletes compared with the nonathletes. The slopes of the forced vital capacity for athletes at slopes 1, 2, and 3 of the A area were significantly increased. In correlative analysis, chest circumference was significantly correlated with slope 3 of the A area of the forced vital capacity. [Conclusion] The results suggest that the differences in changes in the phases of the respirogram between the Korean wrestling athletes and nonathletes may in part contribute to our understanding of respiratory function in sports physiotherapy research.

DJ-1 protects against undernutrition-induced atrophy through inhibition of the MAPK-ubiquitin ligase pathway in myoblasts.

AIMSnThe purpose of this study is to explore whether antioxidant DJ-1 protein affects the atrophy of skeletal muscle cell induced by undernutrition.nnnMAIN METHODSnTo determine cell atrophic responses, L6 cell line and skeletal primary cells from mouse hind limbs were cultivated under condition of FBS-free and low glucose. Changes of protein expression were analyzed using Western blot. Overexpression and knockdown of DJ-1 was performed in cells to assess its influence on cell atrophic responses.nnnKEY FINDINGSnUndernutrition decreased cell size and increased the abundance of oxidized form and total form of DJ-1 protein in L6 myoblasts. The undernourished cells revealed an elevation in the expression of muscle-specific RING finger-1 (MuRF-1) and atrogin-1, and in the phosphorylations of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun N-terminal kinase compared with control groups. Moreover, DJ-1-knockout mice showed a decrease in cell size and an enhancement in the expression of MuRF-1 and atrogin-1, as well as in the phosphorylation of MAPKs in gastrocnemius muscles; these changes were also observed in L6 cells transfected with siRNA of DJ-1. On the other hand, L6 cells overexpressing full-length DJ-1 did not exhibit the alterations in cell size and ubiquitin ligases seen after undernourished states of control cells. Myotubes differentiated from L6 cells also showed elevated expression of MuRF-1 and atrogin-1 in response to undernutrition.nnnSIGNIFICANCEnThese results suggest that DJ-1 protein may contribute to undernutrition-induced atrophy via MAPKs/ubiquitin ligase pathway in skeletal muscle cells.

The effects of aquatic trunk exercise on gait and muscle activity in stroke patients: a randomized controlled pilot study.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between muscle activity and gait function following aquatic trunk exercise in hemiplegic stroke patients. [Subjects and Methods] This study’s participants included thirteen hemiplegic patients (ten males and three females). The aquatic therapy consisted of administering concentrative aquatic therapy for four weeks in a therapeutic pool. Gait parameters were measured using a gait analysis system adjusted to each subject’s comfortable walking speed. Electromyographic signals were measured for the rectus abdominis, external abdominal oblique, transversus abdominis/internal-abdominal oblique, and erector spine of each patients. [Results] The pre- and post-training performances of the transversus abdominis/internal-abdominal oblique were compared statistically. There was no statistical difference between the patients’ pre- and post-training values of maximal voluntary isometric contraction of the rectus abdominis, but the external abdominal oblique values tended to improve. Furthermore, gait factors improved significantly in terms of walking speeds, walking cycles, affected-side stance phases, affected-stride lengths, and stance-phase symmetry indices, respectively. [Conclusion] These results suggest that the trunk exercise during aquatic therapy may in part contribute to clinically relevant improvements in muscle activities and gait parameters.

Analysis of the respirogram phase of normal volunteers according to gender for healthy science research

Respiratory function is important for patients who require physical therapy for respiratory dysfunction caused by cerebral palsy, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and others. The purpose of this study is to analyze the respirogram with respect to gender differences according to its phase. Respiratory function was measured in 190 healthy subjects (ninety-five females, ninety-five males) while they were in the sitting position using spirometry. Body composition and spirometry parameters in the male group were significantly greater than in the female group. On the respirogram phasic analysis, the expiratory area, inspiratory area, and total area of forced vital capacity (FVC) were significantly increased in the male group compared with the female group. The slope of FVC for male at slope 1, 2, and 3 of ‘B’ area is reduced, but is increasing in female group. In the correlative analysis, chest and abdominal circumference were significantly correlated with area of FVC, respectively. Furthermore, the body composition was significantly correlated with area of FVC. These results suggests that respirogram phasic changed according to the gender difference may in part contribute to our understanding of the respiratory function for healthy science research.

Somatotype and body composition analysis of Korean youth soccer players according to playing position for sports physiotherapy research.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the somatotype and physical characteristic differences among elite youth soccer players. [Subjects and Methods] In the present study, we evaluated twenty-two Korean youth soccer players in different playing positions. The playing positions were divided into forward (FW), midfielder (MF), defender (DF), and goalkeeper (GK). The participants’ lean body mass (LBM), fat free mass (FFM), fat mass (FM), and basal metabolic rate (BMR) were measured and their somatotype determined according to the Heath-Carter method. [Results] The youth soccer players had twelve ectomorphic, eight mesomorphic, and two central predominant types. The DFs were taller than, but otherwise similar in physical characteristics to the FWs and MFs. The GKs were taller and heavier than the other players; however, their somatotype components were not significantly different. LBM, FFM, and BMR were significantly higher in GKs than in FWs and MFs. Although LBM, FFM, and BMR values between GKs and DFs showed large differences, they were not statistically significant. [Conclusion] The present study may contribute to our understanding of the differences in somatotype and body composition of Korean youth soccer players involved in sports physiotherapy research.

Analysis of isokinetic muscle strength for sports physiotherapy research in Korean ssireum athletes.

[Purpose] The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the muscle conditions such as the isokinetic muscle of Korean ssireum athletes. [Subjects and Methods] This study enrolled 25 elite ssireum athletes. We measured body composition and peak torque at an angular speed at 60°/s using an isokinetic muscle strength dynamometer. [Results] The lean body mass of the left upper limb was significantly higher than that of the right upper limb. However, the lean body mass of the left lower limb was significantly lower than that of the right lower limb. The peak torque for left elbow flexion was significantly higher than that for right elbow flexion. Conversely, the peak torque for left elbow extension was significantly lower than that for right elbow extension. Furthermore, the peak torque for the left knee was significantly lower than that for the right knee for both flexion and extension. [Conclusion] The data from this study elucidate in part the muscle conditions of Korean ssireum athletes, which can be used to establish a reference for the scientific study of sports physiotherapy.

Differences in two-point discrimination and sensory threshold in the blind between braille and text reading: a pilot study.

[Purpose] This study investigated two-point discrimination (TPD) and the electrical sensory threshold of the blind to define the effect of using Braille on the tactile and electrical senses. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-eight blind participants were divided equally into a text-reading and a Braille-reading group. We measured tactile sensory and electrical thresholds using the TPD method and a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator. [Results] The left palm TPD values were significantly different between the groups. The values of the electrical sensory threshold in the left hand, the electrical pain threshold in the left hand, and the electrical pain threshold in the right hand were significantly lower in the Braille group than in the text group. [Conclusion] These findings make it difficult to explain the difference in tactility between groups, excluding both palms. However, our data show that using Braille can enhance development of the sensory median nerve in the blind, particularly in terms of the electrical sensory and pain thresholds.