Recently, people have interest in health and exercise for improvement of the quality of life. But most people have wrong common sense of body and exercise, that made them lost their health. Especially, the bad life posture and the wrong exercise habit caused the adversely affect the body''s functioning as called muscle imbalance. The people seems to have overlooked important fact of muscle imbalance and, only have interest in exercise effect as muscle strengthening, skill and appearance. However, the muscle imbalance brought many problem to human body as pelvic asymmetry, twist spine, functional trouble to shoulder, the acromion difference between left and right side with pain or body transformation. Nevertheless, the studies in muscle imbalance only a few progressed including method to estimation. The studies of muscle imbalance did not discover yet precisely as evaluation or improving method. Therefore, this research could be first study to approach the estimation and development of exercise load method for improving muscle imbalance in human body including safety and significance.
In this research, we discuss the characteristics of exercise load deviation methods to muscle imbalance for improving during whole body exercise as rowing performance in normal people. Our studies divided with three parts. One was to observe improving effect of muscle imbalance in upper and lower limbs according to load deviation method. the other was to observe correction effect of muscle imbalance in left and right arms as side to side one by adapting load deviation method. Another was to compare exercise effect of muscle strength to previous one among non-load deviation, load deviation upper-lower limbs only and load deviation upper-lower and left-right arms.
First the purpose of this study was to verify the validation of exercise effect with loading deviation during rowing exercise. We performed evaluation of based physical fitness and joint torque before the experiment for finding muscle unbalance. So we recruited twenty four subjects who have bigger muscle strength in more 20% than average one. Subjects divided two groups. One is dominant upper limbs(DU) and the other was dominant lower limbs(DL). Subjects performed rowing exercise using electric equipment (Robo.gym.Humonic.korea). Exercise is performed four sets a day including 25 times a set, and three days a week. Measurement consist of evaluation of based physical fitness and joint torque using biodex(biodex system3.USA). Evaluation of exercise effect performed each week in joint torque of shoulder, lumbar and knee joint and each month in based physical fitness. Also we adapted 30% of 1RM for muscular endurance and 70% of 1RM for muscle strength as exercise load. Previous rowing exercise machine provided positive direction. However, for the reverse direction in our study, it provided separate exercise direction between upper and lower limbs with fixed pelvic during rowing exercise. This reverse direction could provide balanced exercise momentum using independent movement. The results showed that the difference of maximal peak torque were getting decrease significantly during exercise. Also difference of various factor in based physical fitness were getting increase significantly except flexibility and agility. This interpreted that rowing exercise with loading deviation types could provide muscle strength and muscular endurance exercise in same time. These results could be interpret to two ways. One is effect of improving physical fitness for rowing exercise and the other meaned validation of loading deviation in rowing exercise. Our study is going to verify the validation of loading deviation during rowing and we found out that loading deviation could provide muscle strength and muscular endurance exercise for improving muscle unbalance.
Second study was to provide independent exercise loads in rowing exercise machine, on the improvement of muscle strength imbalance. We recruited twenty four subjects who exhibited one side''s muscle strength is bigger in more of greater than 20% than other on one side. One group was dominant left side and the other group was dominant right side. Subjects performed the rowing exercise in electric load deviation rowing machine (Robo.gym, Humonic Co., Ltd, Daegu, Korea). The exercise was progressed to four sets a day including twenty five repetitions per set, and three days a week, for a total of eight weeks. Measurements consist of evaluation of muscular activity of trapezius, deltoid medius, erector spinae and multifidus using Bagnoli-ch8 system(Delsys. Inc, Boston), and joint torque in the elbow, shoulder using biodex system3. Exercise load deviation adapted that difference value of muscle strength between left and right side arms multiply %1RM and its plus 1-RM 50% in each side. Also, we suggested the new pattern as the exercise direction. Previous positive exercise direction occurred by the movement of the upper and lower limbs in the same direction using pelvic strategy. But the reverse direction as new pattern, it provided separate exercise direction between upper and lower limbs with fixed pelvic during rowing exercise. This reverse direction could provide balanced exercise momentum using independent movement by giving the independent load. The result showed that the muscular activity level of imbalance significantly decreased in trapezius, deltoid medius, erector spinae and multifidus. Also the results of maximal strength and muscular reaction difference in shoulder and elbow joint decreased significantly by adapting exercise load deviation. We found out that exercise load deviation provided to the positive effect of improving muscle imbalance by providing both muscle strength and endurance at the same time. exercise load deviation and pulling exercise during rowing performance could bring the overall muscle balance caused by balanced muscle strength between upper and lower trapezius muscles. Also exercise load deviation and reverse exercise direction could bring the muscle balance caused by balanced human body reaction with perceived load adaptation status of muscles by stimulating the proprioception between left and right arms. We considered that these results were appeared by providing each arms for exercise of muscle strength exercise and muscular endurance according to deviation of exercise load with one exercise pattern. Also, these results seem to be results of muscular activities. This was effect period of muscle balance that deviation of exercise load was to adapt for requiring training in flexor carpi ulraris and biceps brachii muscle with controlled elbow joint. As a result of this study, rowing exercise using the exercise load deviation is effective for improving muscle strength imbalance in left and right arms.
Final study was to compare exercise efficiency with improvement effect of muscle function according to comparing muscle balance pattern using dependent load deviation methods. We recruited one hundred individuals and measured joint torque of shoulder, elbow, lumbar and knee using biodex system. After test, twenty-four subjects were recruited by muscle imbalance over 20% of muscle strength average at each plane. Also we divided into three groups with muscle imbalance in upper and lower limbs and left and right arm. The first group was the normal exercise load group using water load as previous one(Naptune, Australia), the second group was exercise load deviation in upper and lower limbs, and the third group was exercise load deviation in upper and lower limbs with left and right side. Rowing exercise was carrying out twenty five times a set, four sets a day. Subjects did rowing exercise three days a week and exercised total eight weeks. Evaluations were joint torque in elbow, shoulder, lumbar and knee using Biodex system3 for estimating improvements of muscle function. Basic fitness evaluation consisted of body composition for rate of body fat and fitness evaluation for muscle strength, muscular endurance, muscle reaction, agility, flexibility and exclusive power. The reusults showed that before the experiment, there were few differences of joint torques in elbow, shoulder, lumbar and knee among the groups. After rowing exercise, it appeared significant improvement in each joints. All contents of basic fitness increased significantly. Especially, muscle strength was good as joint torque results. As follow our results, for every joint it appeared bigger improved trend with over 30% to be adapted dependent load deviation type than previous one in water load. This meant that dependent load deviation is more effective for providing muscle strength to non-dominant side and endurance exercise to dominant side at same time from one form exercise, by causing muscle balance. Moreover, it could correct muscle imbalance according to balanced effect of muscle strengthen from neural adaption of muscles. The human body maintains motor coordination of muscle contraction during rowing exercise. Achieving muscle balance in the upper-lower and left-right arms, it seems to be very effective. Specifically, we found that exercise considering the muscle balance in the upper?lower limbs and left-right arms was better for improving muscle strength than only balancing the upper and lower limbs. Also, the variation of joint torques and deviation of exercise loads provided improvement of muscular sensation and proprioception for efficient movement of the body in response to independent force patterns in the upper limbs. This muscle balance could improve muscle strength more effective according to provide more efficient ATP consume, the bigger recruitment of motor unit and endurance exercise effect by causing slow muscle fiber’s activation. In this paper, exercise method using dependent load deviation could be more efficient to improve muscle imbalance and strengthen muscle.
Our research goal was to compare the improving efficiency of the muscle function in relation to muscle balance types using dependent load deviation methods. We proposed new methods to be adopted for correcting muscle imbalance, for comparing improvement of muscle function with quantification. As the results, we reached the followed conclusions.
First, the load deviation is more effective for providing muscle strength to non-dominant side and endurance exercise to dominant side at same time from one form exercise, by maintaining muscle balance. It could correct muscle imbalance according to balanced effect of muscle strengthen from neural adaption of muscles.
Second, exercise load deviation and reverse exercise direction could bring the muscle balance caused by balanced human body reaction with perceived load adaptation status of muscles by stimulating the proprioception between left and right arms. Also, exercise load deviation and pulling exercise during rowing performance could bring the overall muscle balance caused by balanced muscle strength between upper and lower trapezius muscles and we could find effect of reducing difference between left and right of acromion.
Third, we judged that the exercise load deviation and reverse exercise direction were effective for reducing the body fat because of aerobic exercise with effect of muscular endurance exercise.
Forth, we thought that the exercise load deviation could bring the more effective improvement of muscle function. This mean that the muscle balance according to exercise load deviation could improve muscle strength more effective according to provide more efficient ATP consume, the bigger recruitment of motor unit and endurance exercise effect by causing slow muscle fiber’s activation.
Fifth, reverse exercise direction could provide prevention of injuries and efficient exercise caused by continuous and stable muscle contraction by keeping range of motion of lumbar joint.
As follow the results, we indicated that exercise load deviation could bring muscle balance back from muscle imbalance of human body. This was very significant and effective results that all participants''s difference of muscle strength and reaction reduced including the pain or fatigue intensity in participants. That is the major reason to suggest the importance of stable muscle balance according to improvement of muscle imbalance using exercise load deviation. Also, we thought that balancing muscles according to exercise load deviation and reverse exercise direction could help to bring the positive effect in weight loss and improving muscle function, and prevent the injuries by correcting muscle imbalance from wrong life posture and exercise habit in athletes, patients and aged people.