• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.235-243
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• 2021

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the short-term effects of flexion-distraction spinal manipulation on intervertebral height, pain, spine mobility in patients with lumbar degenerative disc disease. Design: Randomized controlled trial with a pretest-posttest control group design Methods: A total of 96 participants with degenerative disc disease participated in the study and were randomly divided into two groups. Both groups received intervention for 3-5 minutes a day. The experimental group (n=48) underwent flexion-distraction spinal manipulation for 3-5 minutes, and the control group (n=48) was maintained in the same position as the experimental group for 5 minutes without any intervention. The intervertebral height was measured by computed tomography, pain was assessed using visual analog scale, and the spine in flexion mobility was measured using the finger-to-floor distance test and passive straight leg raise test. Pre-test and post-test measurements were obtained. Results: The experimental group showed significant improvement in intervertebral height, degree of pain, and spinal mobility (p<0.05). The intervertebral height increased from 6.32±1.90 to 6.93±1.85 mm (p<0.05), lower back pain decreased from 69.17±13.35 mm to 48.48±12.20 mm (p<0.05), lumbar spine mobility changed from 17.37±4.49 to 12.69±4.34 cm (p<0.05), and passive straight leg raise test range increased from 46.94±13.05° to 56.01±12.20° (p<0.05). Conclusions: This study suggests that flexion-distraction spinal manipulation could be an effective treatment for decreasing pain and improving function in patients with degenerative disc disease.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.327-333
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• 2008

Objective: The purpose of this study is to verify the usefulness of the rabbit model for disc degeneration study. Materials: The L1-L2, L2-L3, L3-L4. or L4-L5 lumbar intervertebral disc (IVD) of 9 mature male New Zealand White rabbits were injured by inserting a 16-gauge needle to a depth of 5 mm in the left anterolateral annulus fibrosus while leaving L5-L6 IVD uninjured. Three other rabbits also received intradiscal injections of rabbit disc cells transfected with adenovirus and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (ad-BMP-2) at L4-L5 in addition to injury by 16-gauge needle at the L1-L2 level. Using digitized radiographs, measurements of IVD height were made and analyzed by using the disc height index (DHI). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the injured discs, injected discs, and uninjured L5-L6 discs were performed at 15 weeks post surgery and compared with preoperative MRI scans. Results: All twelve rabbits showed consistent results of disc degeneration within 15 weeks following annular puncture. DHIs of injured discs were significantly lower than that of the uninjured L5-L6 discs (p<0.05). The mean value of disc degeneration grade of injured discs was significantly higher than that of uninjured discs (p<0.05). The injection of disc cell transfected with ad-BMP-2 did not induce disc regeneration at 15 weeks after injection. Conclusion: This study showed that the injured disc had a significant change in DHI on simple lateral radiograph and disc degeneration grade on MRI scans within 15 weeks in all rabbits. Rabbit annular puncture model can be useful as a disc degeneration model in vivo.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.15-21
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the influence of respiration on the segmental motion of the lumbar spine in the lying position. Methods: Twelve healthy females without a history of low back pain participated. Lumbosacral lordosis, intervertebral body angles, intervertebral body displacements, and anterior heights of the intervertebral disc of the lumbar spine were measured at inspiration, expiration and forced expiration in the supine and prone positions via fluoroscopy. Results: The results of lumbar kinematic analysis in the supine position according to respiration pattern were as follows. The L4/5 intervertebral body angle was significantly higher at forced expiration than at expiration (p<0.05). The L3/4 anterior height of the intervertebral disc was significantly higher at expiration than at forced inspiration and the L5/S1 anterior height of the intervertebral disc was significantly higher at inspiration than at forced expiration (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in the intervertebral body displacements and lumbosacral lordosis in the supine position (p>0.05). The results of lumbar kinematic analysis in the prone position according to respiration pattern were as follows. The L5/S1 anterior height of the intervertebral disc was significantly higher at inspiration than at forced expiration (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the intervertebral body angle, the intervertebral body displacements, and the lumbosacral lordosis (p>0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggested that respiration can affect the intervertebral body angle and anterior height of the intervertebral disc in some segments. The results from this study serve as a step in the development of guidelines for lumbar kinematic analysis for lumbar breathing training.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Agricultural Machinery Conference
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• 2000.11c
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• pp.827-834
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• 2000

A granular herbicide applicator attached to conventional ride-on rice transplanter with 6 rows was developed in order to carry out both transplanting and herbicide application at once. It resulted in labor saving by 98%. The prototype is composed of a metering device and a spinning disc spreader. The application rate per 10a can be varied from 1 to 3 kg and the application swath is 1.8 m, which is the planting width of the ride-on rice transplanter with 6 rows. The angular speed of spinning disc and the application height were used as design factors to obtain the uniform distribution of herbicide granules. As the result of experiment, the distribution uniformity showed a tendency to be proportional to the increases of both spinner angular speed and application height. The prototype with angular speed of spinning disc of 7359 rpm and the application height of 20 cm was made and its distribution uniformity was relatively uniform with the CV(coefficient of variation) of 21.7%. In field test, when the tested herbicides such as ACl40+Stomp and Londax+YRC were applied, the weed control has continued for 65 days since transplanting was done.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.89-96
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• 2018

Objective : Morphometric data for the lumbar posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) was investigated to identify whether there is a difference in the morphometry of the PLL of the lumbar spine at each level with respect to the pattern of intervertebral disc displacement. Methods : In 14 formalin-fixed adult cadavers (12 males and 2 females), from L1 to L5, the authors measured the width and height of the PLL and compared them with other landmarks such as the disc and the pedicle. Results : Horizontally, at the upper margin of the disc, the central portion of the superficial PLL covered 17.8-36.9% of the disc width and the fan-like portion of the PLL covered 63.9-76.7% of the disc width. At the level of the median portion of the disc, the PLL covered 69.1-74.5% of the disc width. Vertically, at the level of the medial margin of the pedicle, the fan-like portion of the PLL covered 23.5-29.9% of the disc height. In general, a significant difference in length was not found in the right-left and male-female comparisons. Conclusion : This study presents the morphometric data on the pattern of intervertebral disc displacement and helps to improve the knowledge of the surgical anatomy of the lumbar PLL.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.99-103
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• 2009

We studied the historical changes of intervertebral disc displacement using magnetic resonance imaging. The phenomenon of the spontaneous regression of herniated discs is well known. The case of a 40-years-old male presenting with a large disc herniation at L5-S1, experiencing severe sciatic pain, and having the straight leg raising test positive at 25 degrees is presented. The extruded disc was documented by clinical examination. He was treated conservatively with epidural steroid injection (ESI), medication, physical therapy and self-exercise and reevaluated in 10 weeks later, 30 and 1 year. Large extruded disc can be treated successfully by physical therapy with ESI. However, the degeneration and the dehydration of disc result in decrease of disc height. Consequently, the regression of extruded disc might have been due to the resorption and the dehydration.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.109-114
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• 2001

Forming pressure of the rupture disc has been analyzed theoretically and verified by experiments. Final shape of the rupture disc after forming process is assumed to be hemi-ellipsoid for small height of the rupture disc. The predicted forming pressures are in good agreement with those by experiment. A new simple model has been proposed to predict the burst pressure of the rupture disc. Experimental results show that the proposed model of burst pressure describes the bursting characteristics of the rupture disc very well.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.19-22
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• 2013

Background: Excessive pronation of the feet can cause excessive inner rotation of the femur, followed by increased stress in the gluteus maximum, increased front slope of the pelvis, and lumbar lordosis, which leads to lumbar pain. The aim of the present study was to use the navicular drop test to examine foot pronation that can cause lumbar lordosis and to determine whether the navicular drop is lower in patients diagnosed with lumbar disc than in patients without this diagnosis. Methods: The Navicular Drop score was set by subtracting the navicular height at a standing position from the navicular height in a sitting position. The Navicular Drop measurements for college student with and without Lumbar Herniated Intervertebral Disc were compared using an independent t-test. Results: The control group were measured right $7.44{\pm}2.96$ and left $8.04{\pm}3.23$. The experimental group were measured right $2.12{\pm}1.33$ and left $2.80{\pm}1.29$. Therefore significant difference was found between the two groups (p<0.05). Conclusions: The navicular drop affected lumbar herniated intervertebral disc.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.515-521
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• 2009

Objective : The purpose of this study was to compare clinical and radiological outcomes of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) and open lumbar microdiscectomy (OLM) for recurrent disc herniation. Methods : Fifty-four patients, who underwent surgery, either PELD (25 patients) or repeated OLM (29 patients), due to recurrent disc herniation at L4-5 level, were divided into two groups according to the surgical methods. Excluded were patients with sequestrated disc, calcified disc, severe neurological deficit, or instability. Clinical outcomes were assessed using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Radiological variables were assessed using plain radiography and/or magnetic resonance imaging. Results : Mean operating time and hospital stay were significantly shorter in PELD group (45.8 minutes and 0.9 day, respectively) than OLM group (73.8 minutes and 3.8 days, respectively) (p < 0.001). Complications occurred in 4% in PELD group and 10.3% in OLM group in the perioperative period. At a mean follow-up duration of 34.2 months, the mean improvements of back pain, leg pain, and functional improvement were 4.0, 5.5, and 40.9% for PELD group and 2.3, 5.1, and 45.0% for OLM group, respectively. Second recurrence occurred in 4% after PELD and 10.3% after OLM. Disc height did not change after PELD, but significantly decreased after OLM (p = 0.0001). Neither sagittal rotation angle nor volume of multifidus muscle changed significantly in both groups. Conclusion : Both PELD and repeated OLM showed favorable outcomes for recurrent disc herniation, but PELD had advantages in terms of shorter operating time, hospital stay, and disc height preservation.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.130-137
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• 2016

At a brewery, the base plate-to-shell weld seam of a $90-m^3$ vertical cylindrical steel tank failed catastrophically. The 4 ton tank "took off" like a rocket leaving its contents behind, and landed on a van, crushing it. The top of the tank reached a height of 30 m. The internal overpressure responsible for the failure was an estimated 60 kPa. A rupture disc rated at < 50 kPa provided overpressure protection and thus prevented the tank from being covered by the European Pressure Equipment Directive. This safeguard failed and it was later discovered that the rupture disc had been installed upside down. The organizational root cause of this incident may be a fundamental lack of appreciation of the hazards of large volumes of low-pressure compressed air or gas. A contributing factor may be that the standard piping and instrumentation diagram (P&ID) symbol for a rupture disc may confuse and lead to incorrect installation. Compressed air systems are ubiquitous. The medium is not toxic or flammable. Such systems however, when operated at "slight overpressure" can store a great deal of energy and thus constitute a hazard that ought to be addressed by safety managers.