• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.39-45
• /
• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine changes in functional assessment measures (FAMs) and spatiotemporal gait parameters (STGPs) in healthy older adults before and after a 6-week intervention of a proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) training program. Methods: Thirty healthy older adults (mean age: $73.37{\pm}1.21$ age range: 65-79) were randomly assigned either to an experimental group (participating in a 6-week intervention of PNF training) or a control group (only performing daily activities). Participants in the control group did not receive any training program. Performance was assessed by recording changes in the FAMs and STGPs using functional assessment tools and GAITRite. Results: Participants in the PNF group showed significantly improved functional assessment measures and increased stride length, cadence, velocity, and step width (p<0.05). No significant differences in FAMs and STGPs were found in the control group (p>0.05). Conclusion: Participation in a PNF training program improves FAMs and STGPs, thereby increasing the ability of healthy older adults to maintain dynamic balance during functional performance and gait. These findings support the use of PNF training programs as effective fall-prevention programs for the elderly.

• PNF and Movement
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.51-56
• /
• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the PNF stabilization technique for the hip joint and the bridging exercise on the trunk stabilizer muscles in healthy adults. Methods: Twenty-eight healthy adults were randomly allocated to either a PNF stabilization exercise group (n = 12) or a bridging exercise group (n = 16). The outcome measures included the contraction thickness ratio in the transversus abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO), and the TrA lateral slide was assessed during the abdominal drawing-in maneuver using b-mode ultrasound. The researcher measured the abdominal muscle thickness of each participant before the therapist began the intervention and at the moment that the intervention was applied. Between-group comparisons were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test. The level of statistical significance was set at 0.05. Results: The PNF intervention program showed a significant increase in the trunk stabilizer muscle. The percentage of change in the TrA thickness showed a significant interaction between intervention. However, there were no significant differences in the IO and EO between the two groups. Conclusion: The PNF stabilization technique for the hip joint can be used effectively to improve the IO and TrA muscles in healthy adults.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
• /
• v.48 no.4
• /
• pp.159-168
• /
• 2023

Purpose: Coordinated activity between the jaw and neck muscles is important in oral motor tasks such as chewing. This study examined coherence between the jaw and neck muscles during chewing in healthy adults. Methods: A total of 12 healthy adults underwent electromyography (EMG) of the jaw and neck muscles during right-sided chewing at a frequency of 1 Hz. Surface electrodes were placed over the temporalis (TA), masseter (MS), anterior digastric (DA), and sternocleidomastoid (SM) muscles on the right side. EMG signals were processed for coherence and phase analysis using advanced signal processing techniques. Results: The MS and TA muscle pair exhibited high synchronization when chewing (median coherence=0.992). Contrarily, the coherence values between the MS and DA, as well as the MS and SM muscle pairs, were relatively low (median coherence=0.848 and 0.957, respectively). Phase analysis revealed minimal temporal differences between the MS and TA muscle pair and the MS and SM muscle pair, whereas substantial phase shifts were observed between the MS and DA muscle pair. Conclusions: During chewing in healthy adults, the TA muscle works synergistically whereas the DA muscle antagonistically with the MS muscle, and the SM muscle supports the activity of the MS muscle. The observed synchrony and coordination provide insights into the intricate interplay among these muscles during oral motor tasks.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2019

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of using static surface electromyography (sEMG) on persons with neck pain and in healthy adults. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Twenty-two female participants with neck pain and thirty healthy adults in the age group of 20-65 years were recruited in this study. To evaluate the validity and reliability of sEMG in subjects with neck pain, the subjects'characteristics were recorded and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Neck Disability Index (NDI) were examined in addition to sEMG and algometer tests being carried out on the subjects. The site for using the sEMG and algometer was the upper trapezius. sEMG test-retest reliability was measured by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Independent t-tests were used to analyze the differences in the dependent variables between subjects with neck pain and healthy adults. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to examine the linear relationship between measured variables. Results: sEMG and algometer tests were reliable according to the test-retest reliability results in subjects with neck pain and healthy adults (ICC=0.815-0.979). The results of this study showed that there were significant differences in respect to age, VAS, sEMG and algometer tests between persons with neck pain and healthy adults (p<0.05). The VAS and NDI were statistically correlated with sEMG and algometer results (p<0.05). Conclusions: In this study, we investigated the clinical usefulness of the static sEMG test in evaluating the pain scale of persons with neck pain with high reliability and validity.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 1982

To investigate the annual distribution of hepatitis B surface antigen(HBs Ag) in healthy adults, this study was performed by means of counter-immunoelectrophoresis with sera obtained from 4,856 healthy adults who reside in Seoul and Gyunggi-Do area from January to December, 1981. The experimental procedures were same with the previous reports. The subjectives were consisted of two groups: one is mass life group(3.853 adults) and the other, home life group(1.003 adults). The results were as follows: 1. Among the 4.856 cases tested, 326 cases(6.71%) showed HBs Ag positive. HBs Ag positive rates in the group of mass life and home life were 6.51% and 7.48%, respectively. 2. It showed slightly high positive rates in the home life and long term duration group, and upper class group showed slightly high positive rate. 3. In seasonal variation, it showed relatively high positive rate(7.38%) in winter, and A blood group showed higher rate(7.60%) than the other blood groups. And then, boundary area of Seoul city showed slightly high positive rate(7.36%) in areal distribution.

• PNF and Movement
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.19-29
• /
• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the gait patterns of adults with intellectual disability and healthy adults based on collected kinematic data on the lower extremities and to investigate the gait patterns of intellectually disabled people by comparing the differences between the two groups. Methods: The participants were divided into in one group of healthy adults (n = 9) and one group with mild intellectual disabilities (n = 9). 3D motion analysis (Myomotion) was used to collect kinematic data from each group while the participants walked 3 times over 10 m. As a statistical method, each group's kinematic data during walking was analyzed and compared using an independent sample t-test. Results: Comparing the kinematic data of the lower extremities during walking between the group with mild intellectual disability and the healthy group, there were significant differences between the two groups in the hip and ankle joints in the stance and swing phases. Conclusion: The analysis suggests that people with intellectual disabilities have kinematic differences compared with healthy people. Based on the results of this study, it is necessary to conduct further research on rehabilitation programs for joint stabilization, exercise for increasing joint range of motion, muscle strengthening exercise, and proprioception training for people with intellectual disabilities with insufficient physical function.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.250-261
• /
• 2007

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the blood flow using doppler ultrasound of the MCA, ACA, PCA, BA, ICA in the patients with risk factor for stroke. Methods : 110 patients with risk factor for stroke were selected who had hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, or heart disease, as well as 89 healthy adults who did not have any symptoms of those diseases. To evaluate the blood flow, the Vs and Vm of the MCA, ACA, PCA, BA, and ICA in the two groups were measured. Result : In normal healthy adults, subjects showed a decrease in the Vs and Vm: with advancing in age, there was a significant difference in the Vs of MCA, PCA, BA, and ICA. There was a significant difference in the Vm of MCA, PCA, BA, and ICA. In normal healthy adults, females showed high velocities in all examined vessels. There was a significant difference in the Vs of BA. There was a significant difference in the Vm of BA, and ICA. There was a decrease in the Vs, and Vm of all examined vessels of patients with risk factors for stroke in comparison with normal healthy adults. There was no significant difference in the Vs. There was a significant difference in the Vm of MCA, ACA, and PCA. Results were the same between patients aged under 50 and total patients in the Vs and Vm of examined vessels. There were differences between patients aged over 50 and total patients in the Vs of MCA, PCA, BA and for patients aged over 50; patients with risk factor for stroke who had hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, or heat disease has higher Vs than healthy adults. Conclusions : There was a significant difference in the blood flow velocity between patients with risk factors for stroke and healthy adults. However, this result was different from results of comparison of TCD findings between patients and healthy individuals by age. Therefore, more detailed studies about aged patients are needed.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.294-300
• /
• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of the static pelvic inclination and declination in the static standing position on weight bearing rate and gait elements. Fourteen healthy adults in their twenties were participated. Two groups of healthy adults were allocated in this study: above and below the average of pelvic tilt. The correlation between the pelvic inclination, weight bearing rate and gait elements were measured. There was a statistical correlation between the pelvic tilt and step. Also, there was a statistical difference when we compared anterior declination with swing period and posterior declination with step. There was an asymmetric correlation between pelvic tilt and step. However, there was no statistical difference between the groups above and below the average of pelvic tilt. This result indicates that dipper pelvic inclination doesn't affect the asymmetry of step.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.425-432
• /
• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Food insecurity has been suggested as being negatively associated with healthy behaviors and health status. This study was performed to identify the associations between food insecurity and healthy behaviors among Korean adults. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The data used were the 2011 Community Health Survey, cross-sectional representative samples of 253 communities in Korea. Food insecurity was defined as when participants reported that their family sometimes or often did not get enough food to eat in the past year. Healthy behaviors were considered as non-smoking, non-high risk drinking, participation in physical activities, eating a regular breakfast, and maintaining a normal weight. Multiple logistic regression and multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to identify the association between food insecurity and healthy behaviors. RESULTS: The prevalence of food insecurity was 4.4% (men 3.9%, women 4.9%). Men with food insecurity had lower odds ratios (ORs) for non-smoking, 0.75 (95% CI: 0.68-0.82), participation in physical activities, 0.82 (95% CI: 0.76-0.90), and eating a regular breakfast, 0.66 (95% CI: 0.59-0.74), whereas they had a higher OR for maintaining a normal weight, 1.19 (95% CI: 1.09-1.30), than men with food security. Women with food insecurity had lower ORs for non-smoking, 0.77 (95% CI: 0.66-0.89), and eating a regular breakfast, 0.79 (95% CI: 0.72-0.88). For men, ORs for obesity were 0.78 (95% CI: 0.70-0.87) for overweight and 0.56 (95% CI: 0.39-0.82) for mild obesity. For women, the OR for moderate obesity was 2.04 (95% CI: 1.14-3.63) as compared with normal weight. CONCLUSIONS: Food insecurity has a different impact on healthy behaviors. Provision of coping strategies for food insecurity might be critical to improve healthy behaviors among the population.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.37-47
• /
• 2022

The purpose of the this study is to observe the effects of healthy adults' age on temporal features of speech and identify which could differentiate older and young adults. We examined speech rates(i.e., overall speaking rate, articulation rate), occurrence of pause, and duration of pause per utterance by utilizing the National Institute of Korean Language's open corpus. We selected a total of 30 healthy adults (10 young, 10 middle-aged, and 10 older adults) in this study. There were significant differences among the groups in the overall speaking rate, articulation rate, total occurrence of pause, the occurrence of pause between syntactic words, total duration of pause, and duration of pause between syntactic words. The older and middle-aged adults showed slower speech rates and longer and more frequent pause than young adults. But there were no significant differences among the three groups in terms of pause within syntactic word. The overall speaking rate significantly differentiated older adults from young adults. These findings suggested that the effect of speakers' age was reflected in gradual changes in the temporal features of their speech.