• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.30 no.1 s.56
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• pp.171-179
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• 1997

This study was performed to see whether neurobehavioral tests was affected by the exposure-free time in the workers chronically exposed to organic solvents. Thirty-four female workers were participated and four items among neurobehavioral core test battery of World Health Organization, including digit span, Santa Ana Dexterity, digit symbol and Benton Visual Retention, were administered to the workers. Test was conducted three times-preshift on Monday, preshift on Weekday and during shift on Weekday-per person and the interval of tests was 2 weeks. Digit span forward, Santa Ana Dexterity, digit symbol, and Benton Visual Retention showed significant decrements by performing time, especially during shift on Week-day versus preshift on Monday and preshift on Weekday. In addition, the score at preshift on Weekday was significantly lower than preshift on Monday, in preferred Santa Ana Dexterity and digit symbol. Generally, those who were exposed to high concentration, over 50 years and under 6 years of education showed marked decrease of score at during shift. So, it would be desirable that neurobehavioral test is conducted at preshift on Monday and items related to short term memory could be considerable to be done at preshift on Weekday.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.2644-2651
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate difference between grip strength, upper limb dexterity, and hand function according to touch and heat sensory stimulus. Forty healthy men were recruited. After obtaining subjects characteristics, examined grip strength, upper limb dexterity, and hand function, then we made touch sensory input using soft brush and tried the test again. Next day, we made thermal input using hot pack and did retest, too. The result showed significant differences appeared on every variable in grip strength and upper limb dexterity test (p<.001), and significant differences appeared on every variable except lifting small objects in hand function (p<.01). In conclusion, sensory input is to increase grip strength, upper limb dexterity, and hand function. The thermal sensory input has a tendency to increase grip strength, upper limb dexterity, and hand function than that of touch sensory input in effect of stimulus classification. The application of proper stimulus helps to facilitate upper limb and hand function in rehabilitation and in industrial field. So it is necessary to try more tests of frequency and intensity of stimulus.

• The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.55-66
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• 2013

Objective : The purpose of present study was to determine effects of task oriented action observation training on dexterity of upper limb function after stroke. Training was progressed to imitation and intensive training after observation to required action in ADL. Method : 15 stroke patients were selected and one group pretest-posttest design was applied. Targets observed performance actions of task orientated task through a video and limitated action repeatedly, Training was performed 3 times a week and 20~30 minutes for each round for 3 weeks. Manual function test and 10-second test and Box and block test were performed for a dexterity of upper extremity motor function, Modified Barthel index and Motor activity log were performed for ADL. Result : After the training, a dexterity of affected upper extremity motor function of the target showed significant difference between before and after intervention, ADL showed significant improvement between before and after intervention. Conclusion : Task orientated Action observation lead a positive effect of recovering a dexterity of upper extremity motor function and ADL. Therefore, this study suggest a action observation training as one strategy of an intervention type of th e occupational therapy.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.161-169
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• 2022

Engagement is an important factor in the field of rehabilitation as it is a known factor that have a positive influence on functional gaining in people who receive rehabilitation therapy. Although a number of measurements for engagement have been recently developed, investigation of possible factors that may have influence on engagement is not well established. Currently available evidence suggests that engagement is affected by mood and it is hypothesized that a personal factor may contribute to engagement. Therefore, this study aims to test the hypothetical relationship between mood and engagement while performing a manual dexterity task through an experiment in healthy participants prior to investigation on people with medical condition who requires rehabilitation therapy. After inducing target mood (positive or negative mood) for study participants by asking them to recall autobiographical memories, change in muscle activity, which was operationalized as an indicator of engagement, was investigated. Electromyogram (EMG) was recorded from four muscle areas in non-dominant hand side to quantify muscle activity. The results show that the target moods were appropriately induced with the method. Although there were subtle differences in the level of engagement between different moods, certain variables derived from muscle activity were significantly different; mean amplitude for wrist extensor EMG showed significant difference between different moods (Z = -2.023, p < .05) indicating that muscle activities in the wrist extensor are greater for positive mood than negative mood region during manual dexterity task. Meanwhile, performance outcomes of Minnesota Manual Dexterity Test (MMDT), such as mean completion time and number of errors, between moods showed no significant difference in two different moods, resulting in MMDT administration may not be useful task in distinguishing the level of rehabilitation engagement.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.45-51
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• 2008

Purpose: We evaluated the physical stress and pain to the musculoskeletal system of a dental practitioner when engaging in a dental scaling training exercise to prevent the development of musculoskeletal injuries. Methods: The 18 female (average age: 21$\pm$1 years) subjects were voluntarily picked from a group of juniors who have completed a one-and-a-half year training course that includes training exercises on the dentiform and on live subjects (other trainees). The test is done by measuring pain, activity, grip strength, and finger dexterity for each subject's hand and wrist. Before the test all subjects were confirmed to be right-handed and were informed of the study and its objective. Measuring was done before and after each subject performed dental scaling for one hour using the scaler and the curet. Results: Pain levels increased for both hand and shoulders, but hand pain was often greater than shoulder pain. Grip strength significantly declined in the right hand but not the left. For joint mobility, the flexion and the extension for the shoulder joint did not change; but the range of motion for both wrist joints significantly increased. For the dexterity test, both hands showed increased dexterity after the exercise. Conclusion: Dental scaling can affect the shoulders and wrists/hands. Therefore, a musculoskeletal injury prevention program for dental practitioners, which may include encouraging them to assume correct body posture when at work, must be sought. This study evaluated only the shoulders, wrists, and hands; but future studies should include areas such as the cervical area, the back, and the lower limbs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.201-207
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• 2009

Purpose：The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of $\alpha$-wave music and art appreciation on hand function in stroke with hemiplegia. Methods：A total of 32 stroke with hemiplegia participated in this study experimental group(16 subjects) received $\alpha$-wave music and art appreciation with general neurologic therapy. Control group(16 subjects) received general neurologic therapy. All subjects were assessed for hand function(manual dexterity, power grip, pinch grip, two point discrimination(parm, finger), tactile sense(parm, finger) using a purdue pegboard, dynamometer, pinch gauge, two-point anethesiometer and semmes-weinstein monofilament wire. The data were analyzed using paired and independent t-test. Results：The results were as follows : 1. In the experimental group, manual dexterity were significantly increased between pre and post intervention(p<.05). 2. In the experimental group, tactile sesne in finger were sifnificantly increased between pre and post intervention(p<.05). Conclusion：The results of this study shows that $\alpha$-wave music and art appreciation affect the hand function of hemiplegic side with regard to manual dexterity and tactile sense.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.1-9
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an immersive, virtual reality-based exercise program on range of motion and dexterity in the upper extremities of stroke patients. Methods: Fifteen patients with hemiparesis after stroke participated in this study. The participants participated in Rapael Semart GloveTM, an immersive, virtual reality-based exercise program, performed for 30 minutes-, 3 times per week for 4 weeks. The Rapael Smart GloveTM program and a Box and Block Test (BBT) were used to measure range of motion and to assess dexterity, respectively, pre-and post-intervention. Results: Range of motion in pronation and supination of the forearm and flexion, extension, and ulnar deviation of the wrist improved after the intervention. Dexterity measured by BBT also improved. However, range of motion in flexion and extension of the fingers and radial deviation of the wrist did not improve. Conclusion: This study presents the effects of an immersive, virtual reality-based exercise program on hand function. In the future, a study comparing an immersive, virtual reality- based exercise program to other upper-extremity interventions for stroke patients should be conducted. A study about the effects of an immersive virtual reality program on activities of daily living is also needed.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.296-303
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• 2022

Objective: In general, macular degeneration, cataracts and glaucoma generally cause visual injury in clinical settings. This study aimed to examine the effects of low visual acuity simulations on hand manual dexterity function and brainwaves in healthy young adults. Design: Cross-sectional study design Methods: This study was an observational, cross-sectional study. Seventy healthy young adults participated in this study. To evaluate the effects of low visual acuity simulations on hand function and brain waves, this study involved four different visual conditions including (1) normal vision, (2) simulated cataracts, (3) simulated glaucoma, and (4) simulated macular degeneration. The hand function was measured to use the Minnesota manual dexterity test (MMDT), and the brainwaves was also measured to use the electroencephalography. Results: In hand function, placing and turning performance on the MMDT in the normal visual condition was significantly different than that in the cataract and macular degeneration conditions (p<0.05), and the placing performance was significantly differred in the normal condition than that in the simulated glaucoma. However, turning was not significantly different in the normal condition than that in the simulated glaucoma. The alpha, beta, and gamma waves did not significantly differ among the four visual conditions (p>0.05). Conclusions: The results suggest that limited visual information negatively affects the ability to perform tasks requiring arm-hand dexterity and eye-hand coordination. However, the effectiveness of low visual acuity on the brainwaves should be further studied for rehabilitative evidence of visual impairment.

• The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.63-73
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• 2014

Objective : The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of crafts and handwriting on bilateral coordination during task performance. Methods : Randomly selected 30 college students without hand disability were invited for the study, and grouped 3(test group 1 for crafts, test group 2 for handwriting, and control group) with 10 students per group respectively. Then Jebsen-taylor hand function test, Purdue pegboard test, and Minnesota manual dexterity test were employed for evaluating changes before and after the intervention. Results : After training intervention of crafts and handwriting for two test groups, test groups showed better bilateral coordination significantly than the control group. Especially test group 1(crafts) showed a bigger difference at Jebsen-taylor hand function test, and likely test group 2(handwriting) did at Purdue pegboard test. Conclusion : It was found that crafts increase bilateral coordination, while handwriting increase hand dexterity during task performance. That is, crafts and handwriting affect tasks differently. Further studies applying various crafts and handwriting for many age groups will be helpful for identifying the better way of occupational intervention for individuals in lack of bilateral coordination.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.111-118
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• 2012

Purpose : The purpose of present study was to determine effects of action observation training on upper limb function after stroke. Training was progressed to imitation and intensive training after observation to required action in ADL. Methods : Among the single case study was used to ABA design. pre base line(A) was only collected participant information without intervention in 5 times. action observation intervention(B) was carried out 10 times and 5 times to base lime(A) after intervention. Results : Results indicated that 10-second test, box and block test, manual function test was increased when compared action observation intervention(B) to pre base line(A). Conclusion : To stroke action observation training was evaluated gross manipulation, dexterity and upper limb function in related with ADL. action observation training benefits were maintained after intervention(B) and showed improvement on upper limb function of stroke.