• PNF and Movement
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.159-166
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• 2017

Purpose: This study attempts to determine the effects of applying three kinds of breathing exercises for four weeks on the neck muscle activation of subjects with a forward head posture. Methods: A total of 30 adults aged in their twenties (15 men and 15 women) with a forward head posture who voluntarily agreed to participate after listening to the purpose and procedure of this research were chosen as the subjects of this study. The subjects were randomly divided into either the diaphragmatic breathing exercise (DBE) group, the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) group, or the abdominal expansion method (AEM) group according to the breathing intervention scheme. Each group included ten subjects. The muscle activity of the sternocleidomastoid, scalenus anterior, and splenius capitis was measured in all the groups prior to the intervention, two weeks after the intervention, and four weeks after the intervention. All the interventions were implemented for 30 minutes a day, three times a week, for a total of four weeks. Results: No significant between-group difference was observed in terms of the change in neck muscle activity according to the four-week intervention scheme. Further, there was no interaction between the intervention period and the intervention scheme in relation to the change in neck muscle activity. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that abdominal expansion exercise is as effective as other breathing exercise methods for subjects with a forward head posture. We therefore expect that abdominal expansion exercise can be used as a scheme for the prevention of symptoms as well as therapy for patients with a forward head posture.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.121-127
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• 2017

PURPOSE: Forward head posture and turtle neck are common musculoskeletal disorders of the cervical vertebrae. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of combined exercise training and chiropractic on the grip strength and cervical muscle strength of subjects with forward head posture and turtle neck. METHODS: The subjects were divided into two groups: forward head posture (n=9) and turtle neck (n=9). Both groups performed combined exercise training and chiropractic. The subjects were instructed about the exercise training once a week. This training was performed for 30 minutes every day for 8 weeks, and the chiropractic was performed for 15 minutes once a week. The cervical muscle strength and grip strength were measured. Two-way repeated measured ANOVA was performed for statistical analysis. RESULTS: In changes to the left grip strength, the main effect over time was significant, but the interaction effect and the main effect in the groups were not significant. In changes to the right grip strength, no difference was found to be statistically significant. In changes to the cervical muscle strength, no difference was found to be statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The increases of grips strengths and cervical muscle strength in forward head posture group were greater than turtle neck group but there were not found to be statistically significant.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1960-1968
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• 2020

Background: The alignment of the neck and shoulder is important in people with forward head posture. However, previous studies have mainly conducted fragmentary studies on the neck and shoulders, and studies on the combined movement of the neck and shoulders are incomplete. Objective: To investigate the effects of 6 week dynamic exercise program using Thera-band on craniovertebral angle (CVA) in adults with forward head posture. Design: Quasi-experimental study. Methods: The study was conducted on 24 adults with forward head posture and experimented with neck and shoulder exercises and divided them into groups of neck exercises, shoulder exercises, and neck and shoulder exercises to measure CVA values before and after the experiment. The neck exercise program included flexion and extension muscles of the neck and shoulder exercises included dynamic exercise of the upper extremities such as the trapezius muscles and serratus anterior muscle. The CVA results were measured using PA200. Results: Following the interventions, neck exercise group showed significant improvement in CVA (P<.05), but shoulder exercise group and combined exercise group did not show any significant results (P>.05). However, both groups showed some positive results. Significant differences were seen in the comparisons between the three groups (P<.05), and the results of the post-hoc test showed significant differences in neck exercise group and shoulder exercise, neck exercise and combine exercise group. Conclusion: This study suggested that the Thera-band neck exercise is beneficial for foward head posture patients and is expected to be used in clinical trials.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.135-144
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• 2021

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 2 weeks of backward walking exercise (BWE) on cervical angle and gait parameters in college students with forward head posture. Methods : Fifteen subjects participated in the experiment. All the participants had a craniovertebral angle (CVA) of 55 degrees or less. The purpose of the study was explained to all the subjects prior to participation, and volunteered to take part in the study. A camera capable of taking pictures of the lateral plane was installed at a distance of 1.5 meters from each subject. Images of forward head posture were obtained before and after performing the BWE, and the CVA and craniorotational angle (CRA) were compared pre- versus post exercise. Foot pressure and gait parameters (step length of left and right, stride length, stance of left and right, swing of left and right, step time of left and right, and stride time) were measured using a rehabilitation treadmill. The subjects performed the BWE for 2 weeks. The exercise program consisted of a 5-minute warm-up exercise, 20-minute main exercise, and 5-minute cool-down exercise. In the main exercise, the treadmill speed was set to 2.4 km/h in the first week and 3.4 km/h in the second week. A paired t test was used to compare the CVA and CRA and gait parameters before and after the exercise. Results : Comparison of the CVA and CRA before and after the BWE revealed a significant difference post exercise, with a marked improvement in forward head posture after the exercise (p<.05). Conclusion : Based on the results of this study, the BWE is considered to be an effective exercise for the forward head posture. Also, additional research is needed to shed light on the impact of the BWE on gait parameters.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.624-631
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• 2017

This study aimed to identify the effect of the push-up plus exercise with sling on the muscle activity and lung function in adults with forward head posture over a period of 8 weeks. A total of 16 adults with forward head posture were recruited. The participants were divided into two groups : control (n-=8) and experimental (n=8). From July 6 until Aug 28, 2015, the participants were instructed to perform the knee push-up plus exercise and knee push-up plus using sling exercise three times a week to begin with and progressing to three sets of push-ups on each occasion after 8 weeks. The participants in both groups showed an increase in their craniovertebral angle (both groups p<0.001) and a decrease in their crania rotation angle (control p<0.05, experimental p<0.001). The participants in both groups showed a decrease in their trapezius activity (both groups p<0.001), an increase in their serratus anterior and lower trapezius muscle activity (both groups p<0.001), (and an increase in their) lung function (control group p<0.01, experimental group p<0.001). These findings show that push-up plus exercise improves posture and increases activation of lung function, while the push-up plus exercise in the sling is more effective in improving the forward head posture. The push-up plus exercise in the sling was more effective in improving the forward head posture, but there was no significant difference in the lung function between the two groups. Therefore, the push-up plus exercise in the sling is recommended as an exercise that is effective for the improvement of the posture and lung function of persons with forward head posture.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.257-264
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate effective intervention(upper thoracic mobilization and upper cervical mobilization) methods for forward head posture. 32 subjects were divided into two groups: upper thoracic mobilization(UTM) and upper cervical mobilization(UCM) on three times a week for a total of four weeks. In both groups significant difference in forward head posture pre and post test(p <.01), significant difference between the two groups (p <.05, 95% CI: .157-.341). In both groups significant difference in neck disability index pre and post test(p <.01), significant difference between the two groups (p <.01, 95% CI: 1.273-8.728). In both groups significant difference in quality of life pre and post test(p<.05), significant difference between the two groups (p <.01, 95% CI: 4.234-18.391). The results of this study showed that the UTM was more effective than that of the forward head posture. It would be possible to provide more effective interventions for patients with forward head posture and also to prevent secondary musculoskeletal disorders due to forward head posture.

• International Journal of Vascular Biomedical Engineering
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.14-22
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• 2005

In the present study, our aim is to investigate whether responses to the head-up tilt (HUT) on nonlinear properties of heart rate variability (HRV) in young and elderly subjects are different or not. Thirteen young-healthy subjects ($24.5{\pm}3.7$ years) and 18 old-aged healthy subjects ($74.5{\pm}7.4$ years) participated in this study. An electrocardiogram (ECG) in the supine posture, at $0^{\circ}$, and in the standing posture, at $70^{\circ}$ of head-up tilt, was recorded. Detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) and approximate entropy (ApEn), measures of short-/long-term correlation properties and overall complexity of heart rate (HR) respectively, along with spectral components of HR variability (HRV) were analyzed for both the supine and HUT postures. We observed that the short-term fractal exponent ${\alpha}_1$ increased during HUT posture (F(1, 29) = 39.79, P = 0.000), especially, the young subjects showed a significantly higher values compared to the elderly subjects. ApEn significantly decreased (F(1, 29) = 8.61, P = 0.006) during HUT posture. HUT posture decreased the complexity in HR dynamics and increased short-term fractal exponent values in young subjects but not in elderly subjects. These results imply that there are differences of response to HUT on nonlinear properties between young and elderly subjects.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1954-1959
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• 2020

Background: Due to aging, blood flow rate decreases, also posture and chewing habit may be changed. Objective: To identify that changes in blood velocity in the common carotid arteries (CCAs) in old persons with unilateral chewing habit (UCH) and forward head posture (FHP) in the elderly. Design: An observational cross-sectional study. Methods: Chewing habits, FHP, and CCAs velocities were assessed in 85 elderly subjects. Chewing habits were measured by visual observation. CCAs measured the peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), minimum diastolic velocity, and resistivity index. The subjects were divided into UCH and bilateral chewing habit groups depending on chewing habit. The subjects were also divided into >49 degrees and <49 degrees for comparison of blood flow between the left and right CCAs. Results: In the UCH, the chewing side had significantly higher EDV (P=.003), PSV (P=.023) than the non-chewing side. There was no significant difference in velocity between the CCAs in the FHP. Conclusion: This study shows that the blood flow velocity of the chewing side of UCH was higher, and unilateral chewing affects the CCAs velocity and thus highlight the importance of chewing habit in the elderly than head posture.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.1087-1104
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• 2015

An eye location based head posture recognition method is proposed in this paper. First, face is detected using skin color method, and eyebrow and eye areas are located based on gray gradient in face. Next, pupil circles are determined using edge detection circle method. Finally, head postures are recognized based on eye location information. The proposed method has high recognition precision and is robust for facial expressions and different head postures, and can be used in mouse operation. The experimental results reveal the validity of proposed method.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.265-272
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• 2019

Purpose : Excessive computer use frequently results in musculoskeletal disorders of the neck and shoulder such as forward head posture (FHP). The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of neck and shoulder exercise program on spino-pelvic alignment and the correlation between change in head and neck posture and spino-pelvic alignment in FHP. Methods : The study included 44 participants with FHP. The participants performed the exercise for correction of FHP 2-3 times a week for 4 weeks. We examined whole spine X-ray images in the lateral standing position with both arms crossed. We measured anterior head translation distance (AHT), craniovertebral angle (CVA), cervical lordosis (CL), thoracic kyphosis (TK), lumbosacral lordosis (LSL), sacral slope (SS), pelvic tilt (PT), and pelvic incidence (PI) of the subjects. The association between change in AHT and each spino-pelvic parameter was also subjected to Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis. Results : There were statistically significant differences before and after exercise in the parameters of AHT, CVA, and SS (p<.05). Significant negative correlation was observed between the change in AHT and CVA (r=-.768, p<.001), and CL (r=-.388, p<.05). There was significant positive correlation between the change in AHT and SS (r=.328, p<.05), and PI (r=.333, p<.05). However, no significant correlation was observed in change in AHT with that of TK, LSL, and PT. Conclusion : Based on the above results, we conclude that there is a relationship between change in AHT, which is a parameter associated with forward displacement of the head, and that of CVA, CL, SS, and PI after exercise in cases of FHP.