Earticle

The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation of neck pain and disability and stress in university students. 136 participants with volunteered for this study. General characteristics of the participants, neck disability index, and stress response inventory was collected by using the survey, and its data were included in the final analysis. The neck disability index score showed positive correlation with neck pain (r=.415, p=0.00) and stess level (r=.419, p=0.00). Finally, neck disability index score of university students was a factor affecting on neck pain (ß=.654, p<.001) and stress level (ß=.094, p<.001). These findings suggest that neck pain and disability and stress level might have correlation with each other, and neck pain can be considered as the main variable. Further studies need to warrant these findings.

The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between pain pressure threshold, joint position sense, static balance and gait in patients with moderate neck dysfunction index (NDI). A total 27 subjects with chronic neck pain participated in this study. A NDI survey was conducted to select subjects with moderate ability (NDI score: 15～24). The pressure pain thresholds, joint position senses, static balance(sway length and foot pressure balance), and gait were measured, and the correlation between the NDI and each measuring element was analyzed. As a result, NDI had a positive correlations with joint position sense (r=0.708), sway length (r=0.506), and foot pressure on the front left foot (r=0.453). Among them, the correlation between NDI and sway length had a strong positive correlation. Whereas, NDI had not correlations with pressure pain thresholds, and gait factors. These results indicate that moderate neck dysfunction can decreased static balance ability and joint position sense of neck. Although there was no significant correlation between NDI and gait, further research is needed to apply task with gait or identify on the neck pain patients with severe ability.

Background: Cervical headache (CGH) is a common condition that causes serious damage. Mulligan described a sustained natural apophyseal glides (SNAGs) as a manual therapy approach to treat this dysfunction. Although there have been several case studies to evaluate the effectiveness of SNAG, the efficacy of SNAG for cervical headaches is still controversial. Therefore, this study examined the effects of Mulligan’s SNAG technique on cervical headache and pain intensity to present basic clinical data. Methods: Thirty-two subjects participated in this study, 16 each in the experimental and control groups. The experimental group applied Mulligan’s SNAGs technique and the control group applied the placebo SNAGs technique. Results: Significant differences (p<.05) in the changes in pain, neck disability index (NDI) and Hamilton rating scale for depression (HRSD) were observed between the two groups. Conclusion: The application of Mulligan’s SNAG technique to patients with cervical headaches effectively reduced headache, depression, and neck dysfunction. Based on this study, Mulligan’s SNAGs technique can be used as an objective research method for additional studies targeting cervical headache patients in the future.

Background: This study conducted a meta-analysis of domestic randomized controlled trials to evaluate how various manual therapy techniques influence neck disability. Although manual interventions such as Maitland, McKenzie, Mulligan, Kaltenborn, and chiropractic methods are routinely used for non-specific neck pain, their aggregate effects on pain reduction, functional improvement, and cervical range of motion remain unclear. Methods: The five domestic databases were used to implement literature searches independently. A total of 19 out of 925 selected articles were used to analyze, except those overlapped (n=219), those irrelevant to neck disability (n=364), those consisting of the abstract and presentation notes alone (n=19), those without manual therapy intervention or dealing with other types of intervention (n=298), and those making it possible to apply the same kind of intervention to other sites (n=6). The intervention followed the guidelines presented as five types of manual therapy, and used the risk of bias in Cochrane library to assess the quality of the literature. Results: An uncertain risk was ‘random sequence generation' in three articles and ‘non-public grouping' in fifteen articles. ‘Blinding of the subjects and the researcher' was mentioned in only one article, and no article mentioned ‘blinding for result assessment'. Seven articles were at high risk of ‘incomplete results,' and one was at high risk of ‘selective result report'. Conclusion: Current domestic evidence indicates that manual therapy methods significantly alleviate pain, decrease neck-related disability, and enhance cervical mobility in patients with neck dysfunction. To strengthen these findings, future trials should employ rigorous blinding, standardized intervention protocols, and larger samples. Integrating manual therapy into multidisciplinary rehabilitation programs is supported by this meta-analysis as an effective approach for managing neck disability.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of using smartphones for tele- rehabilitation on head position and neck dysfunction in workers with visual display terminal (VDT) syndromes over a four-week period. Methods: Sixteen VDT workers volunteered to participate in stretch exercise and posture education sessions. The subjects were divided into three groups as follows: five subjects in the visit group (VSG), six subjects in the video group (VEG), and five subjects in tele-rehabilitation group (TG). The subjects in all the groups performed the exercises three days per week for four weeks. Cranial rotation angle (CRA), craniovertebral angle (CVA) measurement, and neck disability index (NDI) tests were performed before and four weeks after the intervention. Results: No significant difference in the CRA and CVA variables was found among groups. No significant difference in the CRA variable was found within each group. A significant difference in the CRA variable was found in the VSG after the four-week intervention. No significant difference in NDI was found among the groups. The NDIs among all the groups were significantly decreased after the intervention when compared with the NDIs measured before the intervention. Conclusion: The use of smartphones in the tele-rehabilitation of VDT workers with neck pain was found to be as effective on neck function as the conventional intervention method. The tele-rehabilitation of VDT workers with neck dysfunctions may be presented as an alternative way.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effect of mobilization with movement (MWM) applied to the ankle joint, on the craniovertebral angle (CVA), pressure pain threshold, and neck disability index (NDI) in asymptomatic adults with a forward head posture (FHP). Methods: A total of 32 subjects with FHP were assigned to either the MWM group (N=16) or the cranio-cervical flexion exercise (CCFE) group (n=16). The CVA, pressure pain threshold and NDI were measured before and 4 weeks after the intervention. Results: A significant improvement in the CVA was observed in the MWM group (p<.05), whereas no significant changes (p>.05) were observed in the CCFE group. Both groups showed significant differences in the pressure pain threshold and NDI before and after the intervention (p<.05). Conclusion: The results of the study suggest that MWM applied to the ankle joint can effectively improve the CVA, pressure pain threshold, and NDI of adults with a forward head posture. Based on this study, the ankle MWM technique for dorsiflexion can be used as an objective research method for additional studies targeting FHP patients in the future.

Background: This study aimed to determine the effects of training on breathing re-education on pain and dysfunction levels, posture, quality of life (QoL), and pulmonary function in patients. Methods: This study included 34 patients with chronic neck pain and upper thoracic breathing pattern were included. The participants were assigned to either the routine physical therapy program (RPTP) (CG; n=17) or RPTP and breathing pattern re-education training (EG; n=17). The CG and EG groups performed RPTP for 40 minutes, and only the EG groups performed breathing re-education training for 10 minutes. Exercises were performed thrice weekly for both groups. Level of pain and dysfunction, posture, QoL and pulmonary function status were assessed before and after the intervention. Results: After four weeks of intervention, numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), Korean version of neck disability index, cranio-vertebral angle, cranial rotation angle, and 12-item short form health survey-physical and mental component summaries had significant differences before and after intervention in both groups (p<.01). However, only NPRS, forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1s, and maximum voluntary ventilation showed significant interactions between the two groups and measurement time (p<.01). Conclusion: Breathing re-education training and RPTP may be optimal for patients with chronic neck pain and may be more effective in improving neck pain and pulmonary function.

Purpose: Bone mineral density (BMD) determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry is considered a gold standard for diagnosingosteoporosis. Some people show discordance in BMD values measured at the femur and that at the lumbar spine (LS). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether differences in BMD T-scores between the LS and femur neck (FN) are associatedwith renal dysfunction in the general population of Korea. Materials and Methods: We analyzed national data for 17306 adults from the Korean National Health and Nutrition ExaminationSurvey conducted between 2008 and 2011. BMD T-score differences between LS and FN (termed BMD offset) were calculated bysubtracting FN T-scores from LS T-scores. Diminished renal function was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR)less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Results: Among those aged ≥50 years, BMD offset was negatively associated with eGFR levels. Additionally, eGFR levels decreasedlinearly across increasing BMD offset quartiles. Men and women with an offset of >1.5 showed a 4.79-times and 2.51-times higherrisk of renal dysfunction, respectively, compared to individuals with an offset of ≤0, after adjusting for age, body mass index, educationallevel, current smoking, and physical activity. In contrast, there was little evidence of an association between renal dysfunctionand BMD offset in subjects aged <50 years. Conclusion: Discordance between LS and FN BMDs was significantly associated with renal dysfunction in subjects aged ≥50 years. When assessing bone health in older chronic kidney disease patients, physicians should consider the possibility of BMD discordancebetween LS and FN.