• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.183-188
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• 2016

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate neck posture, range of motion, muscle endurance and self-report of pain and disability in smartphone users. Methods: Seventy-eight university student volunteers, aged between 18 and 30 years (mean age 23.2), were assessed for: a head-neck posture by measuring cranial vertical angle, neck range of motions using cervical range of motion device, and a deep neck flexor endurance using a stabilizer. Finally, subjects were asked about their neck pain and completed disability questionnaires, ie, Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire, Neck Disability Index, and World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0. Results: Thirty-eight subjects experienced recurrent neck pain with/without upper limb pain (neck pain group) and 40 reported no current neck pain with/without upper limb pain (no neck pain group). Differences were found between groups on pain and disability questionnaires. Subjects with neck pain had significantly higher disability scores than those of no neck pain group. However, there were no differences observed between groups in a head-neck posture, neck range of motions, and deep neck muscle endurance time. The smartphone usage time was negatively correlated with neck pain intensity and disability score whereas it had positive relationship with flexibility and posture. Conclusion: Group differences were observed as lower capacity not only for neck specific daily activities but for general functioning in daily routine when the neck pain and no neck pain groups were compared. Therefore, functioning in daily activities should be investigated as prevention for further developing neck pain in smartphone users.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.105-112
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• 2024

Forward head posture (FHP) is a representative postural deformation problem in people today, causing various physical and mental problems, but the effect of FHP on discomfort or distraction during rest is not well known. Accordingly, this study aims to demonstrate the effect of FHP on these brain functions by analyzing brain wave signals at rest. Thirty-three heavy users of computers participated in this study, and all of them exhibited functional FHP when using computers. All participants performed using both normal posture and FHP, and their brain waves were measured at rest while maintaining each posture for five minutes without stimulation. Brain wave signals were acquired using EEG with 32 channels, and through frequency analysis, changes in delta and beta waves, known to be closely related to discomfort and attention, were compared and analyzed depending on the posture. As a result, FHP showed a significant decrease in delta waves in nine channels compared to the normal posture, and a significant increase in beta waves in 14 channels, showing that FHP does affect brain function at rest. These changes are consistent with those that occur under conditions of psychological discomfort and distraction, and they appear to be because the increased discomfort caused by musculoskeletal changes in the FHP also affects brain activity. These can provide important results showing that posture correction can help improve brain function and psychological state at rest.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.1504-1508
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• 2003

The functional behavior of each body segments were investigated with respect to human standing posture when they were exposed to the horizontal vibration in the sagittal plane. This study is processed by experimental approach. The data is analyzed, both in the time domain and in the frequency domain. Random and multisinusoidal vibration was used as input. The ankle, hip, and head were employed as the significant body segments. High relative movements were present between hip and head, and there was no significant relationship between ankle and head. Variations of visual input produced a significant postural effect.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.319-324
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• 2020

Purpose: This study was to investigate the effect of dorsal neck muscle fatigue on the cervical range of motion (CROM) and proprioception in adults with the forward head posture (FHP). Methods: Thirty pain-free subjects were enrolled in this study. All subjects were measured the forward head angle by taking the capture of the sagittal plane of their upper body to determine the FHP. Subjects were distributed into two groups: the FHP group (n=14) and Control group (n=16). All subjects were measured the CROM and the Head repositioning accuracy (HRA) for joint proprioception before and after inducing muscle fatigue of the dorsal neck. The CROM and HRA were measured in neck flexion, extension, right-left lateral flexion, and right-left rotation. Sorenson's test was used to induce muscle fatigue of the dorsal neck. Results: Total CROMs were significantly decreased after dorsal neck muscle fatigue in both groups (p<0.05). Total HRAs were significantly increased after dorsal neck muscle fatigue in the FHP group (p<0.05), but there were no significant differences in the control group (p>0.05). Total CROM changes were not significant differences between groups (p>0.05), but total HRA changes were significant differences between groups (p<0.05) except for right and left lateral flexion (p>0.05). Conclusion: Immediate CROM and proprioception reduction after the dorsal neck muscle fatigue were observed in adults with the FHP. Therefore, FHP can significantly affect the CROM and positioning consistency of cervical proprioception.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.41-49
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• 2022

Background: In patients with forward head posture (FHP), the head is positioned forward, causing increased tension in the muscles and structures of the head, neck, and shoulders. This can result in joint dysfunction that may lead to abnormal afferent information. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect on foot pressure through the isometric hip abduction (IHA) bridge exercise using elastic bands in patients with FHP. Methods: Twenty patients with FHP were randomly assigned to a study group that applied joint mobilization, soft tissue mobilization, a deep neck flexor strengthening exercise, and the IHA bridge exercise using an elastic band. A control group was also constituted, and members were given joint mobilization, soft tissue mobilization therapies, and the deep neck flexor strengthening exercise. Ten patients were assigned to each group. The static foot pressure and dynamic foot pressure of each patient were measured before and after the intervention, and the interventions for each group were applied twice a week for 4 weeks. Results: Both the study group and the control group showed significant differences in static and dynamic foot pressure before and after the interventions (p<.05). There were no significant differences in foot pressure between the study and control groups. Conclusion: : The results of this study revealed that there were no significant differences between the group doing the IHA bridge exercise using the elastic band and the control group. However, the intervention methods applied to both the groups were effective in improving the body center control of FHP patients.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.1140-1147
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• 2003

We have examined the effect on neck-muscle activation of altering whole body posture. A Rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) was trained to produce sinusoidal (0.25 Hz) head tracking movements in the sagittal plane when seated with trunk and head vertical or while standing in the quadrupedal position. Video-fluoroscopic images of cervical vertebral motion, and electromyographic (EMG) responses were recorded simultaneously. Results demonstrated that vertebral motion varied with body posture, occurring synchronously between all joints in the upright position and primarily at skull-$C_1$ when in the quadrupedal position. Muscle EMG activation was significantly greater (P<0.001) in the quadrupedal position than when upright for all muscles except semispinalis cervicis. Peak activation of all the muscles occurred prior to peak head extension in the quadrupedal position, suggesting synchronous activity between muscles. Data suggest that, when upright, muscles were activated in functional groupings defined by their anatomical arrangement. In the quadrupedal position, gravity acting on the horizontally oriented head produced greater activation and a collective response of the muscles.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.31-38
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• 2012

Background : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the kinesio taping on the forward head posture and to reduce secondary pain and attitude transformation by applying kinesio taping. Methods : The subjects were the C university students(n = 30) in Chung-buk district without medical history. They were divided into two groups:experimental group(N = 15) and control group(N = 15). Control group was heard verbal instructions to keep right attitude and Experimental group was applied to kinesio taping. Change of an attitude, such as an angle, distance, CROM, CVA, CRA prices, before and after experiment was measured respectively. Result : The results of this study showed that in comparison of pre and post changes, experimental group noticeable changes in angle, CROMSI and CVA(p<.05). Angle, CROMSI and CVA were significant differed between groups(p<.05). Conclusion : Kinesio taping application was seemed to be effective on the improvement of forward head position. Therefore, it is suggested that Kinesio taping application should be one the potential methods to facillitate the forward head position. Comprehensive research is required about a point of time and duration for intervention in clinical approach for subjects.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.1-9
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• 2016

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of abdominal breathing and thoracic expansion exercises on craniovertebral and cranial rotation angles in patients with rotator cuff injury. METHODS: This study enrolled 19 patients with rotator cuff injury, and ten and nine of the patients were randomly placed in abdominal breathing and thoracic expansion exercise groups, respectively. After pain treatment in each group, breathing exercise was conducted thrice a week for four weeks. The patients were recorded by using a digital camera and Image J (version 1.46, National Institutes of Health, USA), an angle measurement program, was used to analyze changes in the craniovertebral angle, cranial rotation angle, and sagittal shoulder posture. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences in the craniovertebral angle were found in both the abdominal breathing and thoracic expansion exercise groups (p<.05). A significant difference in cranial rotation angle was found in the thoracic expansion exercise group only (p<.05). No statistically significant differences in sagittal shoulder posture were found in both groups (p>.05). CONCLUSION: Although abdominal breathing and thoracic expansion exercises did not effectively change sagittal shoulder posture, the exercises were effective in improving craniovertebral and cranial rotation angles. Therefore, abdominal breathing and thoracic expansion exercises are suggested as effective exercise programs for forward head posture.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.285-294
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• 2021

This study developed a responsive healthcare system that users can easily use in real life to prevent turtle neck syndrome by posture correction. We propose a system that naturally induces direct posture improvement by adjusting the height with a responsive cradle through a turtle neck discrimination algorithm detecting the turtle neck posture in real time using a webcam. The turtle neck algorithm was developed based on machine learning, using the points that the distance relationship between the jaw line and the shoulder varies depending on the posture. For the younger age group, which is particularly problematic due to the increase in the use of IT devices, image data in different situations according to the height and posture of the cradle was collected and learned as a support vector machine classifier. In addition, a height-adjustable cradle that can support a laptop has been created and expanded into a responsive cradle that can be controlled with software by interlocking with the Arduino. Therefore, this service enables posture correction of many modern people suffering from turtle neck syndrome and will become an essential platform in the increasing online environment in the non-contact era.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.337-352
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• 2023

This study develops a t-shirt design that align bones and balance muscles in order to maintain proper posture using the basic concepts of symmetry. First, theoretical and 3D design studies, existing literature on proper and improper posture, and the basic concepts of symmetry are studied to create the design. Next, the 3D design process applies bilateral, rotational, and scaling symmetries to design the inner lines from the basic application of symmetry. A two-stage design process is used, whereby the strain map and pressure points are analyzed using the CLO virtual clothing software, and the most effective design is determined through virtual testing. The results show that the Y+)( and X+― design, which combines the position and type of inner lines, is the most effective for posture correction and maintenance. Overall, this study helps create a theoretical and practical basis for exploring and understanding basic lines appropriate for the human body, and subsequently, for developing various products that maintain posture more accurately and precisely.