To identify the effects of core stabilization exercise on the Cobb angle and lumbar muscle strength of adolescent patients with idiopathic scoliosis. Subjects in the present study consisted of primary school students who were confirmed to have scoliosis on radiologic examination performed during their visit to the National Fitness Center in Seoul, Korea. Depending on whether they participated in a 12-week core stabilization exercise program, subjects were divided into the exercise (n=14, age 12.71±0.72 years) or control (n=15, age 12.80±0.86 years) group. The exercise group participated in three sessions of core stabilization exercise per week for 12 weeks. The Cobb angle, flexibility, and lumbar muscle strength tests were performed before and after core stabilization exercise. Repeated-measure two-way analysis of variance was performed to compare the treatment effects between the exercise and control groups. There was no significant difference in thoracic Cobb angle between the groups. The exercise group had a significant decrease in the lumbar Cobb angle after exercise compared to before exercise (P<0.001). The exercise group also had a significant increase in lumbar flexor and extensor muscles strength after exercise compared to before exercise (P<0.01 and P<0.001, respectively). Core stabilization exercise can be an effective therapeutic exercise to decrease the Cobb angle and improve lumbar muscle strength in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis.

This study aims to identify the effects of exercise type on estrogen, tumor markers, immune function, antioxidant function, and physical fitness in postmenopausal obese women. The subjects were 30 post-menopausal obese women with body fat percentage higher than 30%. Participants were divided into aerobic exercise group (n=10; age, 53.70±3.37 years), resistance exercise group (n=10; age, 52.20±2.15 years), and control group (n=10; age, 52.50±2.68 years). Estrogen and growth hormone showed no significant difference in the aerobic exercise group, resistance exercise group, and control group. Tumor marker alpha-fetoprotein was increased in the aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, and control groups (P<0.01). The metabolic syndrome risk factor was decreased in the aerobic and resistance exercise groups, which was shown by the reduction of weight (P<0.001), body fat percentage (P<0.001), waist circumference (P<0.05), and increase of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (P<0.001). natural killer cell activity was increased in the aerobic exercise group, resistance exercise group, and control group (P<0.001). Oxidative stress was decreased in the aerobic exercise group, resistance exercise group, and control group (P<0.001). Maximum oxygen uptake was increased in the aerobic and resistance exercise groups, but aerobic exercise was more effective (P<0.05). Knee isokinetic extensor muscle was increased in both the aerobic and resistance exercise groups (P<0.001). Aerobic and resistance exercise of postmenopausal obese women can be considered an effective intervention program to prevent metabolic syndrome and improve physical fitness.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the risk factors of metabolic syndrome, cardiorespiratory fitness, knee isokinetic function, and osteoarthritis index inpatients with knee osteoarthritis women. Subjects were divided into the exercise group (n=9, aged 60.89±5.06), and the control groups (n=8, aged 61.25±1.91). Aquatic exercise was performed for 12 weeks, 3 times a week, 60 min a day. The changes of metabolic syndrome risk factors, cardiorespiratory fitness, knee isokinetic function, and WOMAC index (Western Ontario and McMaster University osteoarthritis index) were measured and analyzed at pre- and postexercise program for verifying exercise effectiveness. As a result, fasting blood glucose (P<0.05), glycosylated hemoglobin (P<0.01), and triglyceride (P<0.05) were significantly decreased in the risk factors of metabolic syndrome. The maximum oxygen uptake in cardiorespiratory fitness was not significantly different. The left and right extensor muscles of knee isokinetic function increased significantly (P<0.01, P<0.01, respectively). There was no significant difference in flexor muscles. Osteoarthritis index was significantly improved in stiffness (P<0.01) and physical function (P<0.05). In conclusion, aquatic exercise can be regarded as an effective exercise program for managing metabolic syndrome risk factors, increasing muscle function, and improving osteoarthritis index in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of lumbar stabilization exercise and sling exercise on lumbosacral region angle, lumbar muscle strength, pain scale of patients with chronic low back pain. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects of this study were 29 chronic low back pain patient women who were selected among participants in exercise class at K Region Health Promotion Center in South Korea and were randomly assigned to the lumbar stabilization exercise group (n=10), sling exercise group (n=10), and the control group (n=9). Both lumbar stabilization and sling exercise programs were executed for 60 minutes, three times a week, for 12 weeks. Before and after exercise we measured lumbosacral region angle (lumbar lordosis angle, lumbosacral angle, sacral inclination angle), lumbar muscle strength, and pain scale in all subjects. Two-way analysis of variance was conducted to analyze experimental data. In order to analyze the interaction effect, we conducted paired t-test before and after treatment. [Results] Lumbar stabilization exercise group and sling exercises group did not affect lumbar lordosis angle, lumbosacral angle and sacral inclination angle. Whereas the lumbar flexion muscle strength and lumbar extension muscle strength significantly increased in the lumbar stabilization exercise group and sling exercise group. The flexibility increased in the lumbar stabilization exercise group and sling exercise group. The pain scale decreased in the lumbar stabilization exercise group and sling exercise group. [Conclusion] Both lumbar stabilization exercise and sling exercises are useful therapeutic approaches to chronic back pain.

This study aimed to determine the effects of resistance exercise and interval training on the visceral fat to skeletal muscle area, physical fitness, cognitive functions, and mental health in old women. The study was conducted among 30 older women enrolled in the National Fitness Center in Seoul. They were randomly sampled into the resistance exercise and interval training group (RI group: n= 10, aged 64.10± 3.35), the resistance and aerobic exercise group (RA group: n= 10, aged 65.20± 5.10), and the control group (n= 10, aged 63.20± 2.62). Twelve weeks of exercise involving 30-min resistance exercise followed by 30-min interval training or aerobic exercise, 3 times a week, were performed by each group. A computed topography was used to the measure visceral fat area and the thigh skeletal muscle area. For physical fitness, maximum oxygen uptake, knee isokinetics muscle functions, ankle range of motion, and functional fitness of the elderly (muscle strength, cardiorespiratory endurance, flexibility, balance, and agility) were measured. For blood test, the metabolic syndrome risk factors, growth hormone, testosterone, and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) were measured. A self-administered questionnaire was used to measure cognitive functions and quality of sleep. The 12-week RA and RI groups were effective in changing the thigh skeletal muscle area, IGF-1, knee joint extension and flexion, ankle range of motion, functional fitness, and quality of sleep. In conclusion, resistance exercise, followed by interval training or aerobic exercise, was effective in improving the skeletal muscle function indexes, physical fitness, and quality of sleep for the elderly. However, no difference was found between the two types of exercise.