Earticle

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the activity of the shoulder flexor and extensor when hold-relax and contraction-relax techniques were applied with shoulder joint flexion. Methods: The subjects of this study were 15 healthy women. With the shoulder joint flexion at 0° and 90°, hold-relax and contraction-relax techniques were applied for the same submaximal resistance to measure the activities of the deltoid muscle anterior fiber, deltoid muscle posterior fiber, pectoralis major fiber, and latissimus dorsi muscle with surface electromyography. An independent t-test was conducted in order to compare activities of each muscle according to the two techniques. Results: When the hold-relax and contraction-relax techniques were applied with the shoulder joint flexion at 0°, the activities of the shoulder flexor and extensor were not significantly different, but the activity of the flexor was higher when the contraction-relax technique was applied than when the hold-relax technique was applied. When the hold- relax and contraction-relax techniques were applied with the shoulder joint flexed at 90°, the activities of the shoulder flexor and extensor were not significantly different, but the activity of the extensor was relatively higher than when the flexor was at 0° Conclusion: When the hold-relax and contraction-relax techniques were applied with the shoulder joint flexion at 0°, the activities of the shoulder flexor and extensor were not significantly different, but the activity of the flexor was higher when the contraction-relax technique was applied than when the hold-relax technique was applied. When the hold- relax and contraction-relax techniques were applied with the shoulder joint flexed at 90°, the activities of the shoulder flexor and extensor were not significantly different, but the activity of the extensor was relatively higher than when the flexor was at 0°.

Purpose: This study aimed to examined the effects of upper and lower limb coordinated exercise of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) on static and dynamic balance ability. Methods: The subjects of this study were 18 patients who had been diagnosed with a stroke and hospitalized and who had received rehabilitation treatment at D rehabilitation hospital located in J city. They were randomly and equally assigned to a PNF upper and lower limb coordinated exercise group and an ordinary central nervous system development and treatment group, and they conducted exercises for eight weeks. They carried out exercise three times per week, for 30 minutes per each time. After each four minutes of exercise, each participant was given a and rest for one minute after exercise for four minutes was given. In order to test the subjects’ static and dynamic balance ability and their dynamic balance ability, frailty and injuries,: a cooperative studyies of intervention techniques (FICSIT-4) test, a four- step square test (FSST), a timed up and go test (TUG), and a TWT3M tests wasere conducted before and after the exercise. Descriptive statistics were taken for the general characteristics of the subjects, and an independent t-test was conducted both before and after the exercise in order to examine differences between the two groups before and after the exercise were conducted. The A statistical significance level was set at p= 0.05. Results: In all the tests (of FICSIT-4, FSST, TUG, and TWT3M), both the experimental group and the control group saw more improved results, but the experimental group’s results were significantly higher than those of the control group, and the size of the effects was larger in the experimental group than in the control group, with statistically significant results. Conclusion: PNF upper and lower limb coordinated exercise applied to chronic stroke patients produced brought significant results in static and dynamic balance ability. PNF and is considered as an important intervention program to improve stroke patients’ balance ability.

Purpose: This study aims to identify changes in the mirror neuron system in normal people through mu rhythm during action observation of occupation-based intervention, purposeful activity and prepare a method of intervention form of occupation using occupation and activity. Methods: TThis study aims to identify changes in the mirror neuron system in normal people through mu rhythm during action observation of occupation-based intervention, purposeful activity and prepare a method of intervention form of occupation using occupation and activity. The activation of the mirror neuron system was compaired among 3 condition by oneway ANOVA. Results: The result of analysis showed mu suppression in all conditions. Although all conditions showed mu suppression, there was no significant difference among the conditions. Conclusion: The results suggest that the mirror neuron system is activated during action observation to be able to occupational therapy but the mirror neuron system is not separately activated among the conditions.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of abdominal muscle contraction thickness using real-time ultrasound imaging while applying an abdominal draw-in maneuver (ADIM) and pelvic floor muscle contraction (PFC) to low back pain patients and healthy subjects. Methods: The subjects were 21 young adults; a group of 10 low back pain patients and a control group of 11 healthy subjects. Measurements were made with the subjects on a pillow in a supine position, with the knee joints flexed at 60 degrees. While the two groups conducted ADIM and PFC, their transverse abdominal muscle (TrA), internal abdominal oblique muscle (IO), and external abdominal oblique muscle (EO) thicknesses were measured using an ultrasound imaging system. Result: The TrA muscle contraction thickness ratio during PFC and ADIM was significantly lower in the low back pain group than in the healthy group (p<0.05). The EO muscle contraction thickness ratio during ADIM was also significantly lower in the low back pain group than in the healthy group. The healthy group’s muscle contraction thickness ratio was significantly lower during PFC than during ADIM in the TrA, IO, and EO (p<0.05). The low back pain group’s muscle contraction thickness ratio was lower during PFC than during ADIM in the TrA, IO, and EO, but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that oral direction during ADIM induced an appropriate contraction of the TrA. Therefore, the procedure reported here may be applied during rehabilitation for appropriate contraction of the TrA.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare changes in the flexibility of hamstring muscles which are relaxed on suboccipital muscle through suboccipital muscle inhibition and combination technique. Methods: Thirty sample subjects (16 male and 14 female) were randomly divided into an experimental group (n=15) and a control group (n=15). 1. Suboccipital muscle inhibition: Suboccipital muscles of the patients were placed on a bed. The occipital region was placed on a therapist's fingers, and the posture was maintained for three minutes before remeasurement. 2. Treatment with combination technique (body bolster and wooden pillow): Wooden pillows were placed where the participants could relax the posterior arch of the atlas; additional body bolsters were also placed to avoid high pressure, and the treatment was maintained for three minutes before remeasurement. Results: There was a statistical difference in finger floor distance (FFD) and straight leg raise (SLR) results for those treated with SMI (P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in FFD and SLR results for those treated with the combination technique (P>0.05). Conclusion: Between the two intervention methods; the suboccipital muscle inhibition technique was more effective in increasing the flexibility of subjects with a shortened hamstring than was the combination technique.

Purpose: The accelerometer is a tool for evaluating walking by the displacement of the center of mass (COM) in the body. Recently, smartphones have added an accelerometer app, and it can be used to evaluate outcomemanures in rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the COM in the bodies of normal persons and stroke patients using this smartphone application while walking. Methods: Twenty normal persons and twenty-two stroke patients were recruited and had their COM measured using G-walk and the smartphone application, SMAP, during 10 m walking. Subjects repeated the 10 m of walking 3 times, and we used the SMAP, Accelerometer Monitor ver. 1.5.0, to evaluate COM during the walk. To measure the displacement of COM, we used the difference in value between the maximal angle and the minimum anterior-posterior (AP), mediolateral (ML), and rotational angles during the walk. Results: For the normal persons, there was significant correlation between the AP and AP of SMAP, and was also a significant correlation between rotational angle and the ML of SMAP. In the stroke patients, there was significant correlation between AP and ML, and the rotational angle of SMAP. Conclusion: Our research results suggest that if the SMAP system is reinforced in the case of patients who have a greater displacement of COM, it may be used as an evaluation tool during walking.

Purpose: This study examined the effects of space fabric type air insole pressure differences on young adults’ dynamic balance ability. Method: The subjects of this study were 17 young female adults without musculoskeletal system disease. Balance ability was measured by dividing the subjects into three groups: an experimental group which did not wear an air insole (insole-off group), an experimental group which wore an air insole to which air pressure of 0.55㎏/㎠ was applied (insole-0.55 group), and an experimental group which wore an air insole to which air pressure of 0.75㎏/㎠ was applied (insole-0.75 group). For dynamic balance, the subjects stood on a balance pad, and perimeter length and medium speed were measured three times. The averaged values were recorded and statistically processed. Result: There were significant differences in average speed, and the insole-0.75 group’s average speed decreased compared to the insole-off group and the insole-0.55 group. Although the total movement distance did not statistically differ, the insole-75 group’s movement distance decreased compared to the insole-off group and the insole-0.55 group. Conclusion: Application of a space fabric type air insole, in particular insole-0.75, was helpful in improving balance ability. This is considered to occur because the space fabric structure was conducive to decreasing sway and producing balance.