Earticle

This study aimed to identify the effect of a trunk stability exercise using visual feedback on the motor function, balance and activities of daily living (ADL) in patients with acute stroke. eleven subjects with post-stroke hemiparesis volunteered to participate in this study. All subjects underwent the trunk stability exercise for averaging 20 minutes daily for 4 weeks (total of 20 sesions). Assessment tools were made with Fugl-Meyer assessment scale (FMA), Berg balance scale (BBS), timed up and go test (TUG) and modified Barthel index (MBI) before and after the 4-week training period. FMA, BBS, TUG and MBI showed significant improvement after trunk stability exercise using visual feedback (p<0.05). This study demonstrates that a turnk stability exercise using visual feedback may be favorable for enhancing motor function, balance and ADL of patients with acute stroke. This study provides valuable information for future studies in this field. Further studies with wider range of subjects and longer experiment span are required to strengthen the results of this study.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of cervical mobilization technique, neuromuscular release, and cervical traction on cervical alignment and muscle activity in people with forward head posture. Thirty healthy young people were recruited for this study. Subjects were divided into three groups which were undergone cervical mobilization technique, neuromuscular release, and cervical traction during 15 min respectively, 10 in each group. Measurements comprised the craniovertebral and cranial rotation angles and muscle activity of upper trapezius, sternocleidomastoid and serratus anterior. The findings appeared to be significantly different in craniovertebral angle between three groups (p<0.05), with a result of post-hoc test revealed a difference between cervical mobilization technique and cervical traction groups, and between neuromuscular release and cervical traction groups. In addition, all parameters showed significant differences between pre-and post-test (p<0.05). This findings suggest that cervical mobilization and neuromuscular release techniques are probably advantageous to improve cervical alignment and muscle activity of people with forward head posture.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of muscle energy technique(MET) on the Hamstring flexibility of healthy adults by comparing stretching exercise. The subjects were consisted of healthy adults(10 male, 10 female). All subject randomly assigned to the Stretching group and MET group. Stretching group received hamstring stretching for 75 seconds and MET group received Hamstring MET for 75 seconds. Then subject did the sit and reach test at before treatment, right after treatment and after 10 minutes treatment. Result of sit and reach test according to measurement time changed, three groups were all improved and significant difference(p<0.01) was observed among three groups. Compared to before treatment and right after treatment result, MET group was more significant improved(p<0.01) than stretching group. Compared to before treatment and after 10 minutes result, MET group was more significant improved(p<0.01) than stretching group. According to above results, improvement of hamstring flexibility, MET was more effect than stretching exercise.

In spastic diplegia, the unstable control of head and trunk becomes one of major factors to make optimal posture and balance during daily activities, thereby leading to the lack of postural adjustment in sustainedly changing environmental conditions. This study aimed to illustrate the detailed procedure of visiuoperceptual training with head control, and report its outcomes. A subject was 8-year old female who was diagnosed as cerebral palsy of spastic diplegia, associated with periventricular leukomalacia. Specific protocol for visuopercetual training with head control was used to improve her physical function for a period of 8 week, which consisted of an elongation of tense neck muscles, scapular mobilization, co-contraction of trunk muscles, and visuoperceptual training exploring numbers and putting puzzles. Outcome measures included a Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) and Jebsen Hand Function Test (JHFT), and measurements were performed at baseline and after the intervention. After the 8-week intervention, Sub-items of the GMFM improved by a range of 0-20%, with an increase of 5% in total score. in addition, sub-scales of the JHFT improved by a range of 1-158 sec for nondominant hand and by a range of 2-9 sec for dominant hand. these findings suggest that visiuoperceptual training with head control might be beneficially used to enhance physical function of children with spastic diplegia.

This study aimed to identify the effects of a 4-week of treadmill training focusing on postural alignment corrected on a three-dimensional plane using visual feedback in individuals with post-stroke hemiparesis. Two patients with chronic stroke participated in the study. Treadmill training taken under postural alignment corrected on a three-dimensional plane using visual feedback was performed for 1 hour, three times per week for a period of 4 weeks (a total of 12 sessions) using the Functional Training System (FTS®). Timed up to go test (TUG), stair up test, Figure-of walk test (F8WT), and Rivermead mobility index (RMI) measured three times; pre-test, post-test, and 4-week follow-ups. TUG, stair up test, F8WT, and RMI scores improved after intervention in the results. Furthermore, stair up test, F8WT, and RMI scores were favorably maintained at the 4-week follow-ups. These findings suggest that the treadmill walking training focusing on 3-dimensional postural correction using visual feedback may be a beneficial methods for improving the walking and balance ability in patients with chronic stroke.

Chronic pain may be one of major challenging factors to interfere the functional recovery and rehabilitation of persons with spinal cord injury, regardless either incomplete or complete paralysis. Hence, it needs to provide a literature review for establishing optimal protocol and guideline of treatment and management of chronic pain after spinal cord injury. The aims of this study were to describe prevalence, classification, assessment, and therapeutic intervention of chronic pain after spinal cord injury by reviewing literatures. Severity and quality of the pain might not be different depending on the completeness and level of injury. Types of pain can be classified into ‘nocioceptive pain’, ‘neuropathic pain’, and ‘unknown pain’. Musculoskeletal pain is most prevalent in patients with spinal cord injury, followed by neuropathic and visceral pains. In general, clinical decision-making process to decrease chronic pain of spinal cord injury should depend on the types of pain. Use of valid and refined assessment tools are imperative to build the efficacy of treatment and management of chronic pain, and prevent the complications of chronic pain. Despite the lack of evidence of pharmacological management, medication has been known to be beneficial to control pain condition following spinal cord injury. In addition, physical therapy, including therapeutic exercise and massage, stimulation of central nerve system such as brain and spinal cord injury, and acupuncture may be favorable therapeutic options to reduce the perceived level of pain. Based on biopsychosocial mechanisms of chronic pain, psychological interventions is helpful to develop coping strategies, cognitive-behavioral treatments, and social supports. Therefore, clinicians are necessary to include pain control management in creating rehabilitation plan and treatment protocol, facilitating functional recovery and rehabilitation to return to community and premorbid life.