• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.11-22
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• 2021

Background: This study was to investigate the effects of active stretching and stability exercise on piriformis muscle thickness and low back pain of male patients with chronic low back pain. Design: Randomized Controlled Trial. Methods: 45 male patients participated in this study. All subjects were randomly assigned. Subjects divided into 15 who underwent contract relaxation (CR) of the proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) to their hip joints, 15 who underwent a combination of isotonic (CI) of the PNF, and the rest 15 who underwent the two techniques (CR+CI). Real-time diagnostic ultrasound was used to measure thickness of the piriformis muscles. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to measure degrees of low back pain. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the average values. The SPSS 24.0 was used as the statistical program, and the significance level was set at .05. Results: The CR and the CR+CI groups had more decreased thickness of piriformis muscle when compared to the CI group. The CR+CI group had more decreased pain when compared to the CR and the CI groups. Conclusion: These results suggest that combination of stretching and stability exercise was effective on male patients with chronic low back pain showing limited hip medial rotation.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2014

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify the effects of the lower trunk stabilization exercise using neurodevelopmental technique (NDT) on muscle activity in lumbar region and balance in the patients with hemiplegia. Methods: Fifteen participants were allocated in two groups: NDT group (n=8) or control group (n=7). NDT group performed NDT exercise program, while control group conducted walking exercise. Both interventions were given for 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week, for 5 weeks. To measure the muscle activity in rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO) and internal oblique (IO), electromyography (EMG) was used. And, Timed-Up and Go (TUG) test and Berg-Balance Scale (BBS) were performed to assess balance before and after intervention. Results: NDT group showed a significant improvement of muscle activity in RA and EO, while control group did not show significant changes in three muscles. Also, there was a significant difference in muscle activity of RA and EO between two groups. In BBS and TUG test, participants in two groups showed significant improvements after intervention. Especially, significant difference was observed in TUG test between two groups (p<.05). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that NDT exercise is an effective intervention to improve the muscle activity in trunk region and to increase balance in patients with stroke. Thus, we suggested that NDT exercise program would be a treatment intervention in stroke rehabilitation.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.11-17
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• 2009

Background: The purpose of this study was designed to find out the effectiveness of reposition sense, muscle fatigue response on lumbar spine after apply lumbosacral stabilization exercise program to 4 patients with chronic low back pain and for 12 weeks. Method: In this study the reposition sense was measured in 3 angle(60, 30, 12) of the lumbar spine motion with blind by MedX test machine and the difference of instability to lumbar vertebra segments in flexion, extension test of standing position and spinal load test Mattress Test by Spinal Mouse. The stabilization exercise program was applied 2 times a week for 12 weeks in hospital and 2 times a day for 20 minutes at home. Result: The results of the present study were that the repositioning sense was appeared the most error in 12 angles of lumbar flexion and Men was appeared to decrease an error more than female in average value of 4 angles after 12 weeks. And average error of male was decrease more than female. Thus the effects of lumbosacral stabilization exercise was improved repositioning sense of prorioceptor. Fatigue response test(FRT) results, in male, was raised muscle fatigue rate during increase weight, on the other hand female appeared lower than male. Conclusion: As a results, lumbosacral stabilization exercise was aided to improvement of lumbar spine repositioning sense and vertebra segments stabilization. It was showed the rate of decrease in typically 12 degree angle point of each 3 angle(60, 36, 12). Especially, that spine instability patients will have a risk when in lifting a load or working with slight flexion posture around 12 degree during the daily of living life and it is probably to increase recurrence rate. Thus, not only lumbar extension muscle strength but also stability of vertebra segments in lumbar spine may be very important.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.81-86
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigated the muscle activity difference of lower extremity by abdominal co-contractive activation. 30 healthy women without pain in the low back and lower extremity were conducted. Muscle activities of lower extremity were measured with the active straight leg raise (ASLR) in 20cm raised from the floor without bending the knee at rest, abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) and abdominal bracing maneuver (ABM), respectively. Hip adductor longus (HadL), rectus femoris (RF), and biceps femoris (BF) muscle activity in the Abdominal bracing maneuver were statistically significantly higher, also gluteus medius (Gmed) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscle activity in the ADIM were higher. We provide the evidence to the positive effects of individual abdominal co-contractive activation training which can enhance postural stability and lower extremity strengthening with volitional preemptive abdominal contraction.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.38-47
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• 2022

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the combined application of manipulation and stabilization exercises on pain and spinal curvature in patients with chronic back pain. Design: Randomized controlled trial Methods: The research subjects included 24 women in their 40s and 50s who have chronic back pain. The sample was evenly divided into an experimental group, which received the combined application of manipulation and stabilization exercises, and a control group, which received stabilization exercises only. The 30-minute intervention was applied five times a week for eight weeks. A bivariate repeated measures analysis of variances was conducted to identify the differences between the two groups before the experiment, after the fourth week, and at the end of the eight-week experiment. The level of statistical significance was set at.05. This analysis examined the within-group changes and the between-group changes using a paired t-test and an independent t-test, respectively. Results: Changes in pain differed significantly depending on the time of the measurement, the interaction between the time of the measurement and each group, and between the two groups (p<.05). Changes in the curvature of the bones of the neck, the bones of the back, and the lumbar vertebrae differed significantly depending on the time of the measurement and the interaction between the time of the measurement and each group (p<.05). Conclusion: The combined application of manipulation and stabilization exercises demonstrated a positive effect on changes in pain and spinal curvature, and the method is expected to be a useful intervention for reducing pain and improving spinal curvature in patients with back pain.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.115-123
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• 2021

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the benefits of thoracic manipulation and the trunk stability exercises on spine trunk flexibility and the pain index of chronic low back pain patients. METHODS: The study included 44 patients suffering from chronic low back pain. The participants were divided into two groups: the first group was assigned for trunk stability exercises (TSE), and the second group was randomly assigned TSE and thoracic manipulation at the same time (TSE+TM). Both groups carried out each assigned treatment thrice a week for 8 weeks. The study outcome was based on assessment of spine trunk flexibility and the pain index. Spine trunk flexibility was measured by spine flexion and extension through a range of motion and thoracic cage circumference. The pain index was measured using a visual analog scale (VAS). RESULTS: Spine flexion and extension range of motion showed a significant difference within each group and between the groups before and after the treatment. The measurement of the thoracic cage circumference also showed a notable difference within each group and between the groups before and after the treatment. There was no change in the pain index. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that thoracic manipulation with the trunk stability exercises is an efficient treatment for improving the spine trunk flexibility and soothing pain for chronic low back pain patients.