Performing warm-ups increases muscle temperature and blood flow, which contributes to improved exercise performance and reduced risk of injuries to muscles and tendons. Stretching increases the range of motion of the joints and is effective for the maintenance and enhancement of exercise performance and flexibility, as well as for injury prevention. However, stretching as a warm-up activity may temporarily decrease muscle strength, muscle power, and exercise performance. This study aimed to clarify the effect of stretching during warm-ups on muscle strength, muscle power, and muscle endurance in a nonathletic population. The subjects of this study consisted of 13 physically active male collegiate students with no medical conditions. A self-assessment questionnaire regarding how well the subjects felt about their physical abilities was administered to measure psychological readiness before and after the warm-up. Subjects performed a non-warm-up, warm-up, or warm-up regimen with stretching prior to the assessment of the isokinetic moments of knee joints. After the measurements, the respective variables were analyzed using nonparametric tests. First, no statistically significant intergroup differences were found in the flexor and extensor peak torques of the knee joints at 60°/sec, which were assessed to measure muscle strength. Second, no statistically significant intergroup differences were found in the flexor and extensor peak torques of the knee joints at 180°/sec, which were assessed to measure muscle power. Third, the total work of the knee joints at 240°/sec, intended to measure muscle endurance, was highest in the aerobic-stretch-warm-ups (ASW) group, but no statistically significant differences were found among the groups. Finally, the psychological readiness for physical activity according to the type of warm-up was significantly higher in ASW. Simple stretching during warm-ups appears to have no effect on variables of exercise physiology in nonathletes who participate in routine recreational sport activities. However, they seem to have a meaningful effect on exercise performance by affording psychological stability, preparation, and confidence in exercise performance.

[Purpose] Little data exist on systemic training programs to improve skating abilities in ice hockey players. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a complex training program on skating abilities in ice hockey players. [Methods] Ten male ice hockey players (training group) that engaged in 12 weeks of complex training and skating training and ten male players (control group) that only participated in 12 weeks of skating training completed on-ice skating tests including a 5 time 18 meters shuttle, t-test, Rink dash 5 times, and line drill before, during, and the training. [Results] Significant group-by-time interactions were found in all skating ability tests. [Conclusion] The complex training program intervention for 12 weeks improved their skating abilities of the ice hockey players.

Background: Dental health is an important factor in daily life routines and is closely associated with maintaining a health-related quality of life. This study examined denture procedure changes after implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Coverage of Dentures for the elderly. Methods: We used the “Korean Community Health Survey (KCHS)” developed by the Korea Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention. We analyzed the association between policy implementation and dental health-related outcomes using difference-in-differences (DID) analysis to compare patients aged ≥75 with those 65–74 years before and after coverage. Results: A comparison of age groups and coverage periods showed that patients aged ≥75 years had higher (OR: 1.038, 95% CI: 1.021–1.055) procedure rates after coverage. In particular, elderly patients on medical aid had significantly higher denture procedure rates, while those without oral health screening were more likely to have denture procedures. Conclusions: This study determined the impact of the NHI Coverage of Denture procedure policy for the elderly and found increased denture treatments in the elderly. This policy appeared to positively affect older patients by increasing denture procedures for low-income and medical aid beneficiaries. Hence, the government needs to increase oral health examination and dental health policies for the elderly.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to clarify the influence of static stretching at warm-up on the isokinetic muscle torque (at 60 degrees/sec) and muscle power (at 180 degrees/sec) of the flexor muscle and extensor muscle of the knee joint. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects of this study were 10 healthy students with no medically specific findings. The warm-up group and warm-up with stretching group performed their respective warm-up prior to the isokinetic muscle torque evaluation of the knee joint. One-way ANOVA was performed by randomized block design for each variable. [Results] The results were as follows: First, the flexor peak torque and extensor peak torque of the knee joint tended to decrease at 60 degrees/sec in the warm-up with stretching group compared with the control group and warm-up group, but without statistical significance. Second, extensor power at 180 degrees/sec was also not statistically significant. However, it was found that flexor power increased significantly in the warm-up with stretching group at 180 degrees/sec compared with the control group and warm-up group in which stretching was not performed. [Conclusion] Therefore, it is considered that in healthy adults, warm-up including two sets of stretching for 20 seconds per muscle group does not decrease muscle strength and muscle power.

Background: Although game-based exercises for injured patients are expected to reduce post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety while improving neuromuscular function and enhancing isokinetic moments, there is a lack of research. Furthermore, it is not known whether there are gender differences in these variables. Objective: To verify the effects of the interactive line game (ILG) on psychophysical conditions in knee injury patients. This study also aimed to observe changes in these variables based on gender. Methods: A total of 54 patients, aged between 20 and 24 years, were included. They were randomly assigned to either control group (CON, n  = 28) or game exercise group (GE, n  = 26), with an equal gender ratio in both groups. The ILG for the GE was performed 3 days a week for 8 weeks. Results: After 8 weeks of ILG, neuromuscular function scores tended to decrease in both genders in the CON, whereas they showed an improvement in both genders in the GE. In contrast to the changes observed in the CON, the peak torque (PT) of GE males showed a significant increase only in the right hamstring ( p  < 0.001), while no significant differences were found in other variables. Meanwhile, work per repetition (WR) improved in all regions for the GE male group, whereas in the GE female group, it showed a significant increase only in the right ( p  < 0.01) and left ( p  < 0.05) hamstrings. Notably, a significant reduction in total PTSD scores was observed in both males and females in the GE. However, for anxiety scores, a significant change was only evident in males ( p  < 0.001), although differences between groups were observed for females ( p  = 0.009). Conclusions: This study indicates that a gamified protocol designed for patients with knee injuries could promote the development of isokinetic moments through the enhancement of neuromuscular function, thereby effectively helping to alleviate PTSD and anxiety. Specifically, it showed more pronounced results in WR compared to PT, with clearer statistical outcomes in males than in females.

2019년 11월에 중국 우한지역에서 발생한 COVID-19가 세계적 대유행(Pandemic)이 시작된 지도 1여년이 지났다. 2021년 1월 현재, 세계적으로 9천 5백여만 명이 감염되었으며, 사망자는 2백만여 명을 상위하고 있다. 우리나라도 감염자가 7만 3천여 명, 사망자 1천 3백여 명에 달하여 감염예방을 위한 사회적 거리두기 등의 정책을 시행하고 있다. 이에 따라 각종 체육시설이 폐쇄되는 등 신체활동 환경에 많은 위축이 발생하였다. 국가 정책에 협조하면서도 감염의 예방과 건강생활을 유지하기 위한 신체활동에 대한 고찰이 필요하였다. 본 연구는 심장병과 당뇨의 위험을 감소시키고 골밀도를 개선시키며, 건강수명의 연장과 노화에 따른 활동수행력을 유지시키고 심리적 불안과 우울증을 개선시키는 신체활동의 이득을 살펴보았다. 더불어 COVID-19 감염 예방을 위한 사회적 거리두기 등으로 인한 운동중단 상황에서 발생할 수 있는 생리적 변화들을 고찰하였다. 중정도의 유산소운동은 자연살해세포와 호중성백혈구, 항체반응을 활성화시켜 면역기능 강화에 도움을 준다. 하지만 장시간 고강도 운동은 운동 후 수 시간동안 혈중 B-세포, T-세포, 자연살해세포의 수준과 기능을 감소시키며 비강의 호중성 백혈구의 식균작용을 저하와 염증성 사이토카인을 증가시켜 면역기능을 일시적으로 떨어뜨려 감염을 증가시킨다. 따라서 COVID-19 시대에는 면역기능에 장애를 초래하는 마라톤 같은 장시간 고강도 운동은 자제하고, 감염예방에 도움을 주는 빠르게 걷기 같은 중강도의 규칙적인 유산소성 운동과 근육량 감소를 예방하기 위한 저항운동에 참여할 것을 권장하고자 한다.