• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.126-131
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the change in pain, Neck Disability Index score, and the craniovertebral angle by performing scapular correction exercise or general neck exercise for five weeks in participants with mechanical neck pain. Methods: A total of 31 participants were randomly assigned between the scapular correction exercise and the general neck exercise groups, and all participants performed intervention for 40 minutes each, three times a week for five weeks The effects were evaluated by measuring the Visual Analog Scale score, the Neck Disability Index score, and the craniovertebral angle, before and after the intervention. Independent t-tests were used to compare differences between two groups, and to compare differences between pre- and post-intervention, paired t-tests were used. Results: As measured before and after the intervention, the scapular correction exercise group showed significant improvement in all variables (p<0.05), while the general neck exercise group improved only in the neck disability index score. The differences between the two groups revealed further improvement in the scapular correction exercise group compared to the general neck exercise group (p<0.05). Conclusion: We found that five weeks of the scapular correction exercise to modify the position and movements of the scapula is clinically an important treatment tool for recovery from chronic mechanical neck pain symptoms and restoration of proper neck function.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.5-16
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• 2021

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of an oral exercise program including whole-body exercises on oral function in older people. Methods: The participants (aged ≥65 years) were divided into three groups: intervention group I (only oral exercise), intervention group II (oral exercise with whole-body exercises), and control group (no intervention). The oral health status, saliva flow rate, and oral muscle strength were evaluated. Analyses were performed to compare the three groups and identify the changes in the aforementioned parameters before and after the program. Results: The saliva flow rate significantly increased in intervention groups I and II after the program. Oral muscle strength evaluation using the Iow a oral performance instrument showed that the anterior tongue strength increased significantly in intervention group I; the posterior tongue strength and cheek strength also increased but not significantly. The anterior tongue, posterior tongue, and cheek strengths significantly increased in intervention group II. Conclusions: The oral exercise program including whole-body exercises showed positive effects on the saliva flow rate and oral strength. No significant differences were observed in the quality of life related to oral health.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.65-72
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• 2024

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of aquatic exercise on the functional activities of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. METHODS: This study was a single-group experimental ABA design in three children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The study period was 20 weeks, consisting of 4 weeks of baseline, 12 weeks of intervention, and 4 weeks of maintenance, with 40 minutes of aquatic exercise once a week in the intervention. The Duchenne muscular dystrophy upper extremity patient-reported outcome scale and the expanded version of the Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale version of the Hammersmith Functional Movement Scale were used to determine the effects of aquatic exercise on the patient's functional activity. The measurements were taken five times: once at baseline, three times at intervention, and once at maintenance. The data collected in this study were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0, with a statistical significance level of α of .05, and the Friedman test, a non-parametric method was conducted. RESULTS: The functional activity scores improved significantly after 12 weeks of the intervention compared to the baseline and were maintained for up to 4 weeks after the intervention was complete. CONCLUSION: Aquatic exercise is an effective intervention for improving the functional activity of children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and should be utilized in clinical practice.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.274-281
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• 2022

Background: The range of motion (ROM) and balance ability of the ankle joint affect the stability of the ankle and prevent injuries or hurts from falling. In the clinical tests conducted recently, the floss band is widely used to enhance the range of joint motion and exercise performance, and there are many studies that have applied it to ankle joint increasing dorsi flexion (DF) angle. Objects: This study compared the effects on the range of ankle motion and static/dynamic balance ability of the ankle through three conditions (before floss band intervention, after floss band intervention, and after active exercise intervention) for adults. Methods: One intervention between floss band and active exercise was applied randomly and another intervention was applied the next day. After each intervention, the ROM of the ankle joints and the static balance was checked by measuring conducting one leg test. And the dynamic balance was checked by conducting a Y-balance test. Results: In the case of DF, the range of joint motion showed a significant increase after floss band intervention compared to before floss band intervention (p < 0.05). Static balance ability showed a significant increase after the intervention of floss band and active exercise compared to before the intervention of floss band (p < 0.05). The dynamic balance ability showed a significant increase after the intervention of the floss band compared to before intervention of the floss band and after active exercise intervention (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Based on these results, it was confirmed that the application of floss band to the ankle joint increases DF and improves the static and dynamic balance ability. Based on this fact, we propose the application of a floss band as an intervention method to improve the ROM of the ankle joint and improve the stability of the ankle in clinical field.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.261-267
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• 2023

Forward head posture (FHP) is a musculoskeletal disorder that causes neck pain. Several exercise interventions have been used in South Korea to improve craniovertebral angle (CVA) and relieve neck pain. There has been no domestic literature review study over the past 5 years that has investigated trends and effects of exercise intervention methods for CVA with neck pain. This domestic literature review aimed to evaluate the trends and effects of exercise interventions on CVA and neck pain in persons with FHP. A review of domestic literature published in Korean or English language between 2018 and 2022 was performed. Literature search was conducted on Google Scholar and Korea Citation Index by using the following keywords: "exercise," "exercise therapy," "exercise program," "forward head posture," and "neck pain." Ten studies were included in this review. All of the studies showed positive improvements after intervention programs that included exercises. Notably, four of these studies demonstrated significant differences in results between the experimental and control groups. Among the 10 studies, nine measured visual analogue scale or numerical rating scale scores and reported significant reductions in pain following interventions, including exercise programs. Five of these studies showed significant differences in results between the experimental and control groups. Furthermore, six studies that used neck disability index exhibited a significant decrease in symptoms after implementing intervention programs that included exercise, and significant differences in results were found between the experimental and control groups. This domestic literature review provides consistent evidence to support the application of various exercise intervention programs to improve CVA and relieve neck pain from FHP. Further studies are warranted to review the effects of various exercise interventions on FHP reported not only in domestic but also in international literature.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.93-101
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• 2017

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe the effects of short term Schroth exercise on the Cobb angle, angle of trunk rotation (ATR), cosmetic appearance, and quality of life (QOL) in idiopathic scoliosis patients. METHODS: Five subjects with idiopathic scoliosis, (female, 3; male, 2) curvature type: thoracic, 2; lumbar, 3 underwent short term Schroth exercise for seven days. The exercise was performed for 3 h long sessions per day. The Cobb angle and QOL were measured before and after the intervention. ATR and cosmetic appearance were measured once. Sessions consisted of one baseline, seven intervention and three follow-up phases. The sessions were conducted with a one day interval. RESULTS: After the intervention, the Cobb angle was found to be significantly improve (p <.05), while the QOL did not differ (p>.05). The ATR showed decreased trends in the intervention phase. Data points during the intervention and follow-up phases showed a decrease in comparison with data points at the baseline, indicating that Schroth exercise might be effective in reducing the ATR and that these effects can be maintained after the intervention. Cosmetic appearance did not showed changed trends during the Schroth exercise intervention phase. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that short term Schroth exercise may be valuable in improving the Cobb angle and ATR in patients with idiopathic scoliosis.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.186-190
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• 2014

Background: Physical exercise during leisure time is known to increase physical capacity; however, the long-term effects on work ability and work strain are inconclusive. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a 6-month physical exercise program on work ability and work strain after 6 months and 30 months, among women with menopausal symptoms at baseline. Methods: A questionnaire including questions on work ability and work strain was mailed in the beginning, at 6 months and after 30 months after the intervention to occupationally active women participating in a randomized controlled study on physical exercise and quality of life. The intervention included aerobic exercise training 4 times per week, 50 minutes per session. Work ability was measured with the Work Ability Index (WAI) and with questions about physical and mental work strain. Results: Women aged 47-62 years (N=89) who were occupationally active at baseline were included in the analyses. The increase in WAI from baseline to the end of the exercise intervention (6 months) was statistically significantly greater among the intervention group than among the control group (regression coefficient 2.08; 95% confidence interval 0.71-3.46). The difference between the groups persisted for 30 months. No significant short- or long-term effects on physical and mental work strain were found. Conclusion: A 6-month physical exercise intervention among symptomatic menopausal women had positive short-term as well as long-term effects on work ability.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.989-993
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of occipital bone stimulation by cervical stabilizing exercise on the muscle tone, stiffness, ROM, and cervical lordosis in patient with forward head posture(FHP). This study was a case study of a single patient with forward head posture. This study used a ABA' design, A and A' were the baseline phases and B was the intervention phase. The intervention was occipital bone stimulation by cervical stabilization exercise. It was administered once daily for 7 days. The therapist kept hands together, and placed the two index fingers under the subject's occipital bone. The subject performed the chin-in exercise with a maximum isometric contraction for 20 sec.The exercise was implemented by performing the movements 10 times as a set and repeating the set three times. The muscle tone was not significantly changed after intervention. However, the stiffness was decreased and lasted the effect lasted without intervention. The cervical flexion angle was increased, but the cervical extension angle was not significantly changed after the intervention. The left and right lateral flexion angles were increased and the effect lasted without any intervention. However, the left and right rotation angles were significantly changed after the intervention. Cervical lordosis increased not from $37^{\circ}$ to $41^{\circ}$ after the intervention. These results suggest that occipital bone stimulation by cervical stabilizing exercise had a positive effect on cervical stiffness, flexion and lateral flexion ROM, and lordosis in a patient with forward head posture.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.184-193
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• 2023

Background: Studies investigating the immediate effects of a single intervention to correct forward head posture are rare. Objects: This study aimed to compare the changes in treatment effects in patients with forward head posture and neck pain after manual and self-exercise therapy over a 1-hour period. Methods: Twenty-eight participants were randomly divided into manual and self-exercise therapy groups. Following the initial evaluation, manual or self-exercise therapy was applied to each group for 30 minutes each in the prone, supine, and sitting positions. The variables measured were the craniovertebral angle (CVA), stress level, pain level, and sternocleidomastoid (SCM) stiffness. After the intervention, re-evaluation was conducted immediately, 30 minutes later, and 1 hour later. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the maintenance of treatment effects between the two groups. Results: Based on the two-way mixed ANOVA variance, there was no interaction between the groups and time for all variables, and no main effects were found between the groups. However, a significant effect of time was observed (p < 0.05). Post hoc tests using Bonferroni's correction revealed that in both groups, the CVA, pain, and stress showed significant improvements immediately after the intervention compared with before the intervention, and these treatment effects were maintained for up to 1 hour after the treatment (p < 0.0083) in the manual therapy group. However, the stress level was maintained until 30 minutes later (p < 0.0083) in the self-exercise group. There was no significant decrease in right SCM stiffness before and after the intervention; however, left SCM stiffness significantly decreased after the self-exercise intervention (p < 0.0083). Conclusion: Both manual and self-exercise therapy for 30 minutes were effective in reducing forward head posture related to the CVA, pain, and stress levels. These effects persisted for at least 30 minutes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.173-182
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• 2012

Purpose : This study was investigated the effect of lower extremity muscle activity during open kinetic chain exercise (OKC) and closed kinetic exercise (CKC) in normal young adults. Methods : The participants were consisted of forty-one. All subjects were randomly assigned to two groups of open kinetic chain exercise group (n=21) and closed kinetic chain exercise group(n=20). It was perform 3 sets, 3 times per week for 6 weeks both open kinetic chain exercise group and closed kinetic chain exercise group. Subjects were assessed for each subject took pre-test, post-test in 2 weeks, post-test in 4 weeks, post-test in 6 weeks measurement the surface EMG data for vastus medialis and lateralis, lateral and medial hamstring, lateral and medial gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior. Results : The vastus medialis and lateralis muscle activity was significantly increased within the intervention period both group(p<.05). The lateral and medial part of hamstring muscle activity was significantly increased with in the intervention period(p<.05). The tibialis anterior muscle activity of open kinetic chain exercise group and closed kinetic chain exercise group was significantly increased in the intervention period(p<.05). The lateral and medial part of gastrocnemius muscle activity of open kinetic chain exercise group and closed kinetic chain exercise group was significantly increased with in the intervention period(p<.05). Conclusion : It was found that both open kinetic chain exercise and closed kinetic chain exercise was significantly increased muscle activity. Further studies are needed to analyzed long term effects and subjects resulting from these changed. these exercises can be selectively adapted not only as treatment exercise for patients but also as preventive exercise for normal person to improve balancing ability by conducting proper amount of exercise for each individual's condition and stage.