Earticle

This study aimed to assess the effects of an aquatic bilateral exercise program on upper extremity function in a child with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP). The participant was a 5-year-7-month-old girl diagnosed with left spastic hemiparetic CP. A single-subject A-B-A experimental design was employed. Outcome measures included the Melbourne assessment and assessment of motor and process skills (AMPS) to evaluate upper extremity functions, as well as changes in shoulder and elbow flexion angles during reaching tasks. The intervention consisted of an aquatic bilateral exercise program based on the Halliwick 10-point program. Following the intervention, Melbourne assessment scores improved by 45.38%, with gains maintained during the follow-up phase (23.69%). Additionally, mean shoulder and elbow flexion angles changed from 64.86° to 69.21° and from 125.29° to 140.34° after the intervention, respectively. In the AMPS, the ADL (actvie daliy living) motor skill score increased from 0.54 points before the intervention to 0.84 points after the intervention. However, the ADL process skill score decreased from 0.90 to 0.71 points. These findings suggest that aquatic bilateral exercise may be beneficial for improving upper extremity function in hemiplegic CP. Further studies are warranted in this area.

The purpose of this study is to identify the incidence of restrictive lung disease (RLD) and risk factors for diseases in adults over 40 years of age in Korea, and to provide basic data for preventing the occurrence of RLD through management. Based on the 2019 data of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1,835 adults over 40 years of age who participated in lung function tests and health surveys were selected as subjects. Risk factors for RLD occurrence were analyzed using complex sample multiple logistic regression. As a result of the analysis, the incidence of RLD in Korea was 14.4%, and the risk of RLD was higher for men, older age groups, and obesity based on body mass index and waist circumference. In order to reduce the incidence of RLD, preventive interventions and education that can improve lifestyle habits are required for subjects with RLD risk factors.

Stroke is one of the main causes of death and disability in adults, and after stroke, patients are left with various symptoms such as motor paralysis, gait disturbance, sensory abnormalities, and cognitive impairment. In particular, despite receiving intensive rehabilitation treatment, 55-75% of post-stroke patients remain impaired in upper extremity function, which reduces the quality of life. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive treatment that has the effect of adjusting cortical excitability according to frequency. This literature review was conducted to provide a more diverse clinical basis for applying rTMS to stroke patients in the future for recovery of upper extremity function. The databases of PubMed and Embase were searched using combinations of the following terms: stroke AND upper extremity AND transcranial magnetic stimulation. 10 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that met the inclusion criteria were included in this literature review and extracted data included sample size, sample characteristics, study design, rTMS protocol, and outcome measurement. All included studies applied rTMS to M1 (primary motor cortex). 10 studies included in this literature review reported that HF-rTMS (High-frequency rTMS) or iTBS (intermittent theta-burst stimulation) to the ipsilateral M1 and LF-rTMS (Low-frequency rTMS) to the contralateral M1 resulted in significant improvements in upper extremity assessments, so this literature review suggests that rTMS is beneficial for the recovery of upper extremity function in stroke patients.

Shoulder impingement syndrome, the main cause of shoulder pain, is often caused by weakness of the scapular retractor muscles. The major scapular retractor muscles are the middle trapezius and rhomboid muscles, however, related research is still lacking. In this study, we used an ultrasound imaging device and a tape measure to quantitatively measure the muscle thickness and muscle length of the middle trapezius and rhomboid muscle, which are activated according to the shoulder abduction angle during the retraction motion in 24 healthy adults. Three motions were performed with shoulder abduction angles of 30°, 60°, and 90°. The mean and standard error of measurement of the muscle thickness and length were calculated, and repeated measures analysis of variance and post hoc tests were performed. Muscle thickness was significantly increased at abduction angle of 90° for the middle trapezius muscle (p<.05) and abduction angle of 60° for the rhomboid muscles (p<.05), respectively. Muscle length was significantly decreased at abduction angle of 90° at both middle trapezius muscle (p<.05) and rhomboid muscle (p<.05), separately. This study suggests that it can be effectively applied by distinguishing the shoulder abduction angles of the two muscles, middle trapezius and rhomboid, during scapular retraction.

The study aimed to determine the effect of manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) on pain, lymphedema, range of motion (ROM), and activities of daily living (ADL) in patients after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Nine patients after TKA participated in this study, and each participant received MLD therapy for 20 minutes per session, five times a week, for two weeks. The study participants had an average age of 71.33±5.14 years, with most being women, and an average body mass index of 28.32±2.31. Assessments of pain, lymphedema, range of motion, and ADL were conducted using the visual analog scale, lymphedema measurement, range of motion (ROM) assessment, and the Korean version of the modified Barthel index before and after the treatment. After the two-week intervention, patients experienced significant improvements in pain, lymphedema, ROM, and ADL (p<.05). These results suggest that MLD therapy improves pain, lymphedema, ROM, and ADL. This study demonstrates that MLD can have a positive effect on the recovery of TKA patients and provides valuable data for future research. Further studies with a larger number of participants and longer experimental durations are needed to strengthen these findings.

In the present study, effects of the muscle tone control technique and functional electrical stimulation approach for the stroke patient’s shoulder pain and upper extremity function. muscle tone control technique and functional electrical stimulation was conducted for 30 chronic stroke patients who were hospitalized or receiving physical therapy in the outpatient clinic at hospital in Gyeonggi province from june to august 2023. The subjects were divided into 2 groups of 15 participants each, a muscle tone control technique and functional electrical stimulation (MF) group and a conservative treatment (CON) group. and muscle tone control technique and functional electrical stimulation was administered for 30 minutes per session, 3 times a week for 8 weeks. The participants’ shoulder pain was measured via the visual analogue scale (VAS), pain threshold and upper extremity function was measured using the Jebsen-Taylor hand function test (JTT), manual function test (MFT). Paired t-tests were conducted to conduct within and between pre/post comparisons. In comparisons within each group, the two groups showed significant differences before and after the training (p<0.05). In the comparisons between the groups, the MF group showed more improvements in balance and attention than the CON group in all tests (p<0.05). MF group was more effective than CON group.

The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of ankle muscular strengthening exercise on balance and stair ascent and descent in college students. Selected 24 college students and randomly assigned them to the experimental and control groups. The experimental group performed ankle muscular strengthening exercise, while the control group engaged in walking exercises. The two groups performed 30-minute exercises three times a week for 4 weeks, and balance was measured using the BT4 and Step test (ST), while stair climbing and descending ability were assessed using the timed stair test (TST), The results of this study indicated that both the experimental and control groups showed a significant increase in dynamic balance, static balance and stair climbing and descending abilities (p<.05). These results suggest that the effects of four weeks of ankle muscular strengthening exercise were effective in improving balance and stair climbing and descending abilities in college students.

This study aimed to compare the effects of wearing and not wearing a baby carrier on diaphragm movement, thoracic mobility, and forced vital capacity (FVC). A baby carrier is a device used to hold a baby weighing about 3 to 8 kg or more for at least 6 months before it starts moving on its own or during the parenting period. Wearing a baby carrier for a long time increases pressure on the shoulders, chest, and abdomen, causing muscle fatigue. The current study comprised a cross-sectional design and randomized controlled trial including 20 healthy adult males between the ages of 19 and 29 attending the University in Chungnam. An ultrasound was used to measure diaphragm movement, while a tape measure was used to measure thoracic mobility before and after wearing a baby carrier. In addition, the FVC was measured using a spirometer. Diaphragm movement, thoracic mobility, and FVC were significantly decreased after wearing the baby carrier. These results suggest that wearing a baby carrier can negatively affect thoracic mobility, diaphragm movement, and FVC in healthy adult males.

The purpose of this study was to compare the differences in muscle thickness and muscle tone of the tibialis anterior and extensor digitorum longus based on different types of shoe. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: the slipper group and the sneakers group, with 14 participants in each group. Ultrasound was used to measure muscle thickness, while Myoton Pro was utilized to measure muscle tone. The participants walked for a duration of 10 minutes on a stable surface, synchronizing their steps with the beats of an electronic metronome. After completing the walking session, the muscle thickness and muscle tone were measured and recorded at the same location as before the walking session. Firstly, both groups showed a significant increase in muscle thickness of the tibialis anterior and extensor digitorum longus before and after walking. In the comparison of the difference values between the two groups, the muscle thickness of the extensor digitorum longus demonstrated a significant increase in the slipper group compared to the sneakers group. Both groups did not show a significant increase in muscle tension of the tibialis anterior and extensor digitorum longus in all parameters measured. The muscle thickness of the extensor digitorum longus increased more significantly when participants wore slippers during walking, compared to when they wore sneakers. Therefore, it can be concluded that the type of footwear can have an impact on various conditions affecting the foot.

The purpose of this study was to compare effects of self-myofascial release using a foam roller and the manual-myofascial release on the pectoralis minor index and the muscle tone in individuals with round shoulders. Thirty two participants who had round shoulder were involved in this study. The participants measured the pectoralis minor index and muscle tone before and after the myofascial release. For the myofascial release of this experiment, self-myofasical release using foam roller and manual-myofasical release were applied. The same the myofascial release was applied to all participants, and the order of the myofascial release was randomly assigned. There was a significant difference in the pectoralis minor index before myofascial release, after self-myofascial release, and after manual-myofascial release. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the pectoralis minor index between self-myofascial release and manual-myofascial release in the post hoc test. The self-myofascial release and manual-myofascial release effectively improve pectoralis minor index. Therefore, the self-myofascial release is an alternative intervention to manual-myofascial release for improving pectoralis minor index in individuals with round shoulder.

The aim of this study was to compare the respiratory muscle thickness, lung function and thoracic cage mobility in a 20s male adults according to smoking status. Forty-seven healthy males aged 20-29 participated in this study. The Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) and Cigarette dependence scale-12 (CDS-12) were used to evaluate smoking status, and they were divided into smoking group (n=23), and non-smoking group (n=24). The thickness of respiratory muscles (diaphragm, intercostal muscle, external oblique, internal oblique, and transverse abdominis) were evaluated using the ultrasound at maximum exhalation and inhalations. And, to measure the pulmonary function, FEV1 and PEF were evaluated using digital peak flow instrument. Additionally, thoracic cage mobility was measured. As the results, there was no significant between smoking group and non-smoking group in respiratory muscle thickness at maximum inhalation. At maximum exhalation, only external oblique thickness was a significantly lower in smoking group than non-smoking group (p=.039). And, in the lung function (FEV1 and PEF) and thoracic cage mobility, there was no significant between smoking group and non-smoking group. The correlation between nicotine dependence level and respiratory muscle thickness and lung function was no significant. Therefore, in their 20s male, smoking mostly did not have a structural and functional differences in the respiratory system. However, smoking is a major factor in reducing lung function, future study should be conducted on subjects with long smoking period or high nicotine dependence.

The study aimed to determine the effect of the proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) exercise on pain, pelvic structure, and function in chronic low back pain patients. The study included a patient with chronic low back pain who volunteered to participate. The patient received PNF exercise during 6 week at the 3 time per a week, each 30 minutes. The PNF exercise included a trunk stabilization exercise and lower extremity strengthening exercise. The degree of pain was measured using the visual analogue scale (VAS), structure of pelvic was measured using the Ganstead method and functional capacity was measured using the Korea version Oswestry idsability index (K-ODI). After the intervetnion, the VAS, difference in pelvis and K-ODI improved. PNF exercise may be effective in relieving pain, structure of pelvis and dysfunction in patient with chronic low back pain.

In recent years, the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders affecting the neck, shoulders, and lower back has significantly increased due to the extensive use of digital devices. Among these, the visual display terminal syndrome, associated with prolonged computer and smartphone usage, often leads to forward head posture and round shoulder posture, contributing to muscle imbalances, functional impairments, and pain. Traditional methods for assessing and correcting such postures lack real-time monitoring and precise evaluation capabilities. This study aims to examine the reliability and validity of inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors in measuring scapular range of motion (ROM) and kyphotic angle of upper thoracic, comparing with a conventional goniometer and a 3D motion capture system. Healthy young adults participated in this study. Scapular ROMs including neutral, protraction, and retraction were measured using IMU sensors and a goniometer. Kyphotic angle of upper thoracic were measured by an IMU sensor and 3D motion capture system. Results indicated high reliability for repeated measurements with IMU sensors across different scapular movements. The validity of IMU sensors compared to goniometers showed high intraclass correlation coefficients, demonstrating good agreement. Additionally, IMU sensors effectively captured upper thoracic kyphosis angles, aligning closely with data from the 3D motion capture system. These findings suggest that IMU sensors are reliable and valid for monitoring scapular and thoracic movements, offering a promising tool for real-time assessment and intervention of musculoskeletal disorders related to forward head posture and round shoulder posture. This technology can enhance personalized healthcare by providing accurate and continuous monitoring, facilitating early detection, and targeted management of posture-related musculoskeletal issues.

After a stroke, sensory-motor damage, cognitive impairments, and emotional problems can significantly impact an individual's level of functioning. These issues often persist for an extended period, necessitating long-term care for patients with stroke. Although some recovery may occur through acute management in the hospital, functional limitations may still remain. Therefore, it is crucial to implement community-based management even after the patient is discharged from the hospital. Professional rehabilitation within the community has been shown to aid in restoring independence and improving the performance of daily activities, thus enhancing functional recovery for patients with stroke. Stroke rehabilitation experts play a vital role in promoting functional activities as integral members of the community-based stroke rehabilitation (CBSR) services. To achieve this, an optimal treatment program should be established based on knowledge and evidence of the components and application models of the CBSR services. The CBSR services have proven effective in restoring function and providing healthcare for patients with stroke, helping to reduce the burden on both patients and caregivers, as well as lower overall medical costs. The successful implementation of the CBSR relies on providing flexible, patient-tailored services that are cost-effective and adhere to evidence-based stroke rehabilitation guidelines. Addressing challenges related to the CBSR application can be accomplished through further research, focusing on essential factors required to deliver evidence-based treatment in real-world settings. To ensure the application of optimal the CBSR services, additional studies should be conducted to determine the appropriate intensity and duration of professional stroke treatment in the community.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the prevalence of osteoporosis according to sex in Korean older adults and to provide basic data for prevention through this. Based on the data from the 2008-2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1,325 participants who investigated the bone mineral density test and health survey among adults over 65 years of age were selected. Related factors for osteoporosis were analyzed through complex sample multiple logistic regression analysis. As a result of this study, the prevalence of osteoporosis was 70.52%, and it was 25.06% and 95.01% in men and women, respectively. Related factors for osteoporosis in both men and women were identified as high age and low BMI, and associated factors only in men were low personal income level, blood vitamin D level, aerobic exercise, and diabetes, and low education level and muscle exercise in women. Therefore, lifestyle control and customized disease prevention programs are needed for subjects with risk factors for osteoporosis.