• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.109-126
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• 2003

This study was designed 10 investigate the effects of therapeutic gymnastic ball exercise on pain, flexibility, lumbar disability level and daily activity levels in male patients of the armed forces medical hospital who complain of chronic low back pain. Twenty-three males were placed in the experimental group and twenty-nine males were placed in the control group. All of the subjects were chosen on the basis of availability among in-patients who were diagnosed with low back pain. The control patients were matched to the experimental group and they were selected considering gender, pain duration and age. Gymnastic ball exercise therapy was developed by the author with the assistance of a rehabilitation specialist. Gymnastic ball exercise therapy includes muscle relaxation, flexibility, muscle strength and posture development exercises. The gymnastic ball exercise therapy was carried out by the experimental group three times a week for eight weeks. Before and after the experiments, the intensity of pain, the lumbar joint mobility (flexibility), the lumbar disability levels, and the daily activity levels of the subjects were measured, respectively. The intensity of pain and the lumbar disability levels were measured by the Visual Analogue Scale, the level of flexibility by a measurement ruler, and the level of disability by the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Scale. Data were analysed using a t-test, a paired t-test and an unpaired t-test. The results were as follows: 1. The intensity of pain in the lumbar spine in the experimental group was significantly decreased compared with that of the control group during the 4th week and 8th week. 2. The flexibility of the lumbar spine in the experimental group was significantly increased compared with that of the control group during the 4th week and 8 week. 3. The level of pain caused by anterior, posterior, left lateral and right lateral bending and by rotation in experimental group was significantly decreased compared with that of the control group. 4. The Oswestry Disability score of the experimental group was significantly increased compared with that of control group. These findings indicate that gymnastic ball exercise therapy could be effective in decreasing pain and lumbar disability, and increasing the daily activity levels and lumbar flexibility in patients with chronic low back pain. The study also suggests that gymnastic ball exercise therapy could be an essential factor for effective nursing intervention for patients suffering from chronic low back pain.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.645-654
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• 2007

Purpose: This research was conducted to compare the effects of drug therapy, physical therapy, and exercise on pain, disability, and depression in patients with chronic low back pain. Methods: The research design of this study was a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The subjects of this study were 28 patients for the drug therapy & physical therapy, 24 patients for the drug therapy & exercise, and 22 patients for the physical therapy & exercise. Data was collected by MVAS, Oswestry disability questionnaires, and questionnaires of depression. It was analyzed by paired t-test for effectiveness, ANOVA, and Scheffe for comparison of the effects of the 3 experimental treatments, using SPSS/WIN 12.0. Results: There were no effects of drug therapy & physical therapy on pain, disability, and depression. However, there were effects of drug therapy & exercise and the physical therapy & exercise on pain, disability, and depression. The effects of physical therapy & exercise on pain, disability, and depression were the greatest, but there was no statistically significant differences between the drug therapy & exercise and the physical therapy & exercise. Conclusions: Exercise is regarded as a more effective and easily accessible nursing intervention to apply alone than drug therapy or physical therapy simultaneously in reducing pain, disability and depression.

• Clinical Pain
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2020

Objective: A prospective, assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial was conducted in patients with chronic low back pain to evaluate the efficacy of portable low power laser therapy (LPLT) and the effect when combined with exercise therapy on pain and functions. Method: 60 patients were recruited and 56 patients, excluding 4 dropouts, were randomly allocated to the LPLT group (Group 1: 19 patients), placebo laser therapy with exercise group (Group 2: 18 patients), and LPLT with exercise group (Group 3: 19 patients). Laser therapy and exercise was performed five times a week for 4 weeks. Visual analogue scale (VAS), Schober test, lumbar range of motion (ROM) measures (flexion, extension and lateral flexion), Oswestry Disability index (ODI) were measured at baseline, at 4 weeks after intervention, and at 6 weeks after 2 weeks of no intervention. Results: Statistically significant improvements were noted in all group by time interaction with respect to all outcome parameters (p<0.05). All parameters in each group improved not only in the period of treatment (4 weeks), but also in the final evaluation (6 weeks) 2 weeks after the end of treatment. Post-hoc analysis showed statistically significant difference between the LPLT with exercise group and the other groups in all outcome parameters except for the ODI at 4 weeks and at 6 weeks. Conclusion: Portable LPLT is effective treatment in reducing pain and improving lumbar ROM and with exercise is more effective than laser or exercise monotherapy for the chronic low back pain patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.117-124
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• 2019

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate the effects of crocodile breathing exercise on pain, muscle tone, and muscle stiffness of non-specific low back pain patients. METHODS: The subjects were 37 patients with nonspecific low back pain. The patients were divided into two groups. The experimental group (EG) performed crocodile breathing exercise and the control group (CG) performed chest expansion breathing exercise. The intervention was conducted for 10 minutes every day for a total of eight weeks. Pain was measured using a VAS. Muscle tone and stiffness were measured using Myoton PRO. Two points were measured for muscle tone and muscle stiffness. They were measured at 30mm from the spinous process of the L1 and T10 vertebra. RESULTS: Pain, muscle tone and muscle stiffness at the T10 level showed a significant decrease in both EG and CG. Muscle tone and muscle stiffness in the L1 level area decreased significantly in the experimental group but the control group did not show any difference. The only statistically significant difference was observed in the L1 muscle tone between the pre and post intervention values. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that Crocodile breathing is a good method for managing pain, muscle tone, and muscle stiffness in non-specific low back pain patients.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.301-309
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to determine whether swiss ball exercise combined with taping would improve low back pain, disability and quality of life in women with pregnancy-related Low Back Pain (PR-LBP). Sixteen patients with PR-LBP were recruited and were randomly divided into two groups: taping and swiss ball exercise group (n=8) and taping and stretching group (n=8). The taping and swiss ball exercise group was treated with swiss ball exercise with kinesio taping, while the taping and stretching group received only taping. The taping and swiss ball exercise group performed swiss ball exercise for 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week for 4weeks, while the taping and stretching group conducted stretching exercise for the same amount of time. VAS was used to assess pain level of low back. Disability was measured using a Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire(RMDQ). Quality of life were measured by SF-36. The pain intensity of low back in the taping and swiss ball exercise group improved significantly greater than the taping and stretching group (p<0.05). Significant improvement in the disability was observed in the taping and swiss ball exercise group compared to the taping and stretching group (p<0.05). The SF 36 in the taping and swiss ball exercise group improved significantly greater than the taping and stretching group (p<0.05). Our findings indicate that swiss ball exercise combined with taping is beneficial and effective to improve low back health and quality of life in women with PR-LBP.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.125-134
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• 2019

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of stabilization exercise and breathing exercise on the flexion relaxation phenomenon (FRP) and respiratory parameters in patients with chronic low back pain. Methods : We randomly allocated 30 chronic low back pain patients (CLBP) to a stabilization exercise (SE) group (n=15) and a breathing exercise (BE) group (n=15). FRP was measured using surface electromyography (SEMG). Thoracic excursion was measured with a cloth tape measurement technique. The SE group participated in a stabilization exercise program and the BE group participated in a breathing exercise program three times a week for 12 weeks. The data was analyzed using paired t-tests for comparisons of flexion relaxation ratio (FRR) and respiratory variables. Independent t-tests were used for comparison of inter-group FRR and respiratory variables. The significance level was set at .05. Results : FRP variables-ES FRR (Flex/MVF), ES FRR (Ext/MVF), MF FRR (Flex/MVF), and MF FRR (Ext/MVF) values-increased significantly after exercise in both the SE and BE groups (p<.05). The thoracic excursion measurements after exercise increased significantly in both groups (p<.001). VAS values decreased significantly in both groups (p<.001). There were no significant differences between the two groups in FRP variables-ES FRR (Flex/MVF), ES FRR (Ext/MVF), MF FRR (Flex/MVF), and MF FRR (Ext/MVF)-or VAS values after exercise (p>.05). For thoracic excursion after exercise, the BE group was significantly higher than the SE group (p<.001). Conclusion : We found that FRP and respiratory variables increased significantly after SE and BE for 12 weeks in CLBP. Thoracic excursion-a respiratory variable-suggests that treatment was more effective in the BE group than the SE group.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1725-1733
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• 2019

Background: In some clinical guidelines followed in clinical practice, nonsurgical treatments are recommended as the primary intervention for patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH). However, the effect of a therapeutic exercise program based on stabilization of the lumbar spine for treatment of multilevel LDH has not been evaluated thoroughly. Objective: To investigate the effects of therapeutic exercise on pain, physical function, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in a patient with multilevel LDH. Design: Case Report Methods: A 43-year-old female presented with low back pain, radicular pain and multilevel LDH (L3-L4, L4-L5, L5-S1). The therapeutic exercise program was conducted. in 40-min sessions, three times a week, for 12 weeks. Low back and radicular pain, lumbar disability, and physical function were measured before and after 6 and 12 weeks of the exercise program. MRI was performed before and after 12 weeks of the program. Results: After 6 and 12 weeks of the therapeutic exercise, low back and radicular pain and lumbar disability had decreased, and lumbar range of motion (ROM) was improved bilaterally, compared with the initial values. Also improved at 6 and 12 weeks were isometric lumbar strength and endurance, and the functional movement screen score. The size of disc herniations was decreased on MRI obtained after 12 weeks of therapeutic exercise than on the pre-exercise images. Conclusions: We observed that therapeutic exercise program improved spinal ROM, muscle strength, functional capacity, and size of disc herniation in LDH patient.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.63-72
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• 2020

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate meta-analysis on the effects of exercise therapy and physiotherapy on pain in korean patients with chronic low back pain. Method: Meta-analysis was performed on the type and method of treatment. A total of 23 experimental studies were coding into 31 individual studies, into types, methods, visual analogue scale (VAS), each pre/post value of the effect size was calculated by meta-analysis. Results: Sling exercise, stretching, thermal therapy, kinesio-taping, lumbar stabilization exercise, electrotherapy is large effect size (ES ≥ .08). In addition, big effects occurred in order of treatment period is more than 9 weeks, three times a week. Conclusion: Our results indicated that persistent treatment of chronic back pain is the most effective method of self-sufficiency rather than temporary relief.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.45-55
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• 2022

Background: This study compared the effects of trunk stabilization exercise and hip joint exercises on the range of motion of the lumbar spine, pain severity, and severity of disability in patients with chronic lower back pain. Methods: A total of 30 participants were enrolled and divided into group 1 (n=10), group 2 (n=10), and group 3 (n=10) were performed by each group thrice a week for a total of 8 weeks. Group 1 performed warm-up exercise (15 min), trunk stabilization exercise (25 min), finish-up exercise (15mins). Group 2 performed warm-up exercise (15 min), hip exercise (25 mins, finish-up exercise (15mins). Group 3 warm-up exercise (15 min), trunk stabilization and hip exercise (25 min), Finish-up exercise (15 min). Participants were assessed for the range of motion of the lumbar spine, pain severity (visual analog scale score; VAS), and severity of disability (Oswestry disability index score; ODI) before and after the interventions. Results: All three groups showed a significant increase in the range of motion of the lumbar spine, but there was no significant difference among the groups. Moreover, the severity of pain and ODI were significantly decreased in all groups; however, the intergroup differences were non-significant. Conclusion: The results from this study confirmed the effectiveness of trunk stabilization and hip joint exercise in improving the lumbar range of motion, pain severity, and chronic lower back pain in patients. Thus, trunk and pelvic stabilization exercises and hip joint exercise can be used as clinical practices to treat and prevent chronic lower back pain.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.851-857
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• 2001

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the associated factors of low back pain in measurement of women. Methods: The data were collected from women who visited Physical Examination Center of hospital located in Daegu from July 20, 2000 to September 29, 2000. Data from 36 normal in the women. Results: The experience rate for low back pain was 58.3%. The mean age is 56 years. The the lumbar spine of healthy women in age($50\sim59$) was 73.4%, the lumbar spine of women low back pain in age($50\sim59$) was 66.7%, Variables significantly associated with low back pain were weight, education, Exercise time, menopause existence, occupation(p<0.05). The experience for LBP increased as weight increased(Odds ratio = 999.000). The experience for LBP increased as Exercise time decreased(Odds ratio = 1.090), The experience for LBP increased as menopause existence increased(Odds ratio = 0.7111), However all three variables had significant relationship. Conclusions: Results from this study indicated that a statistically significant association between LBP and weight, education. Exercise time, menopause existence, occupation, smoking in $x^2$-test. In logistic regression test. there were related variables.