• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2023

Objective: Patients with scoliosis complain of various symptoms such as muscle imbalance, dysfunction, back pain, abnormal posture and gait abnormality. The most basic treatment for scoliosis is to observe the progress based on conservative treatment. Therefore, in this case report, the effect of cytoskeletal manual therapy (CMT), a soft tissue mobilization technique, on pain intensity, muscle thickness, and pressure pain threshold (PPT) in a patient with scoliosis was investigated. Design: A case report Methods: A 25-year-old male diagnosed with scoliosis visited the Neuromusculoskeletal Science Laboratory with chronic back pain. In the laboratory, scoliosis was confirmed through the X-ray image used for his diagnosis, and it was confirmed again through Adam's forward bending test. Pain, pressure pain threshold and muscle thickness were measured to compare the immediate effects of CMT applied in the laboratory for 40 minutes. Treatments were visited two weeks after the first visit and outcome measures were assessed after a total of two visits. Results: After receiving CMT up to the second session, the pain intensity decreased by 4 points and the screening angle decreased by 15 degrees. Muscle thickness decreased in all but 10 mm on the dominant side of the thoracic spine. All of the PPTs increased, and the greatest increase was 3.1 lb on the dominant side of the thoracic spine. Conclusions: CMT showed positive improvement in pain during trunk flexion, spinal curvature, muscle imbalance, and pressure pain, which is considered as an ancillary treatment option for scoliosis management.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.45-49
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• 2017

Purpose: This study was conducted to determine the effects of sling exercise on muscle activity and pain in patients with rotator cuff repair. Methods: This research evaluated 20 rotator cuff repair patients, divided randomly between 10 controls and 10 in an experimental group who performed a sling exercise. Both the experimental and control groups underwent transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and performed continuous passive motion. Muscle activity was measured with a surface electromyograph and pain was measured with the visual analogue scale. The paired t-test was used to compare groups before and after the experiment. The independent t-test was conducted to assess differences in the degree of change between the two groups before and after the experiment. Results: Within-group comparison of both the experimental and control group showed significant differences in muscle activity and pain. Comparison of the groups revealed significant differences in muscle activity between groups group, but not in pain. Conclusion: These results indicate that sling exercise is effective for improving muscle activity of rotator cuff repair patients.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.5-11
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• 2005

Purpose: This study is to examine the effect of electrical muscle stimulation therapy on chronic knee pain for aged. Method: Design was randomized one-group pretest-posttest design. Samples were total 15 elderly on 60 years old and above with chronic knee pain. Measures were S-F McGill Pain Questionnaire and Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale for knee pain. Electrical muscle stimulation therapy, experimental treatment was applied on chronic knee pain for 4 weeks, 3 times/week, 15 min/time. Data were collected from half March 2005 to May 2005. Data were analyzed using SPSS PC+ 12 version. Descriptive statistics was used for analysis of general characteristics in sample, and paired t-test was used to analysis the effect of electrical muscle stimulation therapy. Results: After receiving the electrical muscle stimulation therapy chronic knee pain was significantly decreased (t=-29.163, P=.000 in S-F MPQ; t=-37.005, P=.000 in AIMS). Conclusion: Electrical muscle stimulation therapy can be a better effective primary nursing intervention on chronic knee pain for aged in community.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.175-186
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• 2019

Objective: Non-specific chronic low back pain (NS-CLBP) has been related to abnormal trunk muscle activations, but literature reported considerable variability in muscle amplitudes of NS-CLBP patients during prolonged sitting periods. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the differences among homogenous NS-CLBP subgroups in muscle activity, using muscle co-contraction indices as a more objective approach, and their roles on pain development during a 1-hour period of prolonged sitting. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Twenty NS-CLBP subjects with motor control impairment (MCI) [10 classified as having flexion pattern disorder, and 10 with active extension pattern disorder], and 10 healthy controls participated in the study. Subjects followed a 1-hour sitting protocol on a standard office chair. Four trunk muscle activities including amplitudes and co-contraction indices were recorded using electromyography over the 1-hour period. Perceived back pain intensity was recorded using a numeric pain rating scale every 10 minutes throughout the sitting period. Results: All study groups presented with no significantly distinctive trunk muscle activities at the beginning of sitting, nor did they change over time when pain increased to a significant level. Both MCI subgroups reported a similarly significant increase in pain behavior through mid-sitting (p<0.001). However, after mid-sitting, they significantly differed from each other in pain (p<0.01) but did not differ in the levels of muscle activation. Conclusions: This study was the first to highlight the similarities in trunk muscle activities among homogenous NS-CLBP patients related to MCI and compared them to healthy controls while sitting for an extended period of time, and the significant increase in pain over the 1-hour sitting might not be attributed to trunk muscle activation.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.125-138
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• 2024

Purpose: The aim of this study was to apply suboccipital muscle inhibition combined with neck muscle stabilization exercise to 20~30s IT industry employees who suffer from chronic non-specific neck pain. Methods: This study was designed as single-blind and randomized controlled trial. The study participants were 20~30s IT industry employees with chonic non-specific neck pain (VAS 3/10) who were divided into an experimental group (n= 20) subjected to suboccipital muscle inhibition with neck muscle stabilization exercise, and control group (n= 20); suboccipital muscle inhibition only. The intervention was applied three times per week for eight weeks. The neck pain·pressure pain threshold·range of motion, and disability index were measured at the 1st, 8th, and 10th week at follow up, then analyzed with an analysis of variance(ANOVA) using the SPSS program. Results: The total number of study participants was 37 (experimental group 19, mean age 34.6±5.3, control group 18, mean age 35.7±4.9). The comparison and analysis of change in VAS, the pressure pain threshold, and the range of motion except the extension (p>.05) revealed a statistically significant decrease between groups over eight weeks and follow up measurement (p<.01). Regarding the within the group differences, the right side of the neck pressure pain threshold showed a statistically significant decrease over eight weeks in the control group (p<.01). The right and left lateral flexion, and the right and left rotation were statistically significant for the experimental group over eight weeks and follow up measurement, but only the left lateral flexion (p<.05) for the control group over eight weeks. The neck disability index showed a slight decrease but this was not satistically significant for the between-grop or the within-group differences (p>.05). Conclusion: The intervention of suboccipital muscle inhibition and a neck muscle stabilization exercise are more beneficial for neck pain and the range of motion than the application of suboccipital muscle inhibition alone.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.63-71
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• 2021

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of trigger finger on pain, muscle strength and function in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) patients. METHODS: A total of 60 subjects (30 carpal tunnel syndrome with trigger finger and 30 carpal tunnel syndrome without trigger finger) were assessment for pain, muscle strength (power grip, key pinch , tip to tip pinch, three jaw pinch) and function. The effect sizes of the two groups were compared, and the correlation between the trigger finger and each variable was analyzed. RESULTS: The results showed that there were significantly difference in the pain, muscle strength excluding three jaw pinch and function (p < .05). The results also showed correlation between trigger finger and pain (r = .552), muscle strength excluding three jaw pinch (power grip r = -.296, key pinch r = -.260, tip to tip pinch r = -.285), and function (r = .375). The function of carpal tunnel syndrome patients was related to pain (r = .550) and power grips (r = -.324) of muscle strength. CONCLUSION: In carpal tunnel syndrome patients with trigger finger compared to carpal tunnel syndrome, muscle weakness, pain increase, and function reduction were shown. In addition, trigger finger are correlated with muscle strength, pain and function, and muscle weakness and increased pain affect the daily living of carpal tunnel syndrome patients with triggers finger. Therefore, physical therapy interventions of carpal tunnel syndrome patients with trigger finger should be combined with treatment for muscle strength enhancement as well as pain reduction.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.28-37
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of smartphone use on muscle fatigue and tenderness in the cervical erector spinae (CES) and the upper trapezius (UT) and on the cervical range of motion among subjects with and without neck muscle pain. The subjects were 30 smartphone users in their 20 s who -were assigned to either an experimental group with neck muscle pain or a control group without neck muscle pain. Muscle fatigue and tenderness in the CES and the UT as well as the subjects' cervical range of motion were measured before and after 20-min smartphone sessions in a sitting position. In a between-group comparison of muscle fatigue, the experimental group showed a significantly greater decrease in median frequency in the CES and the right UT after smartphone use (p<.05). Regarding the assessment of muscle tenderness after smartphone use, the experimental group showed a statistically significant decrease in the pressure-pain threshold (PPT) in all muscles (p<.05), whereas the control group showed a significantly decreased PPT in the right CES and the UT (p<.05). The assessment of the cervical range of motion revealed a statistically significant reduction in the cervical flexion-extension and left lateral flexion in the experimental group (p<.05) after smartphone use. However, there was no significant change in the cervical range of motion in the control group (p>.05) after smartphone use. When compared with the control group, the experimental group demonstrated greater changes in cervical extension, lateral flexion, and rotation, except for cervical flexion (p<.05). In conclusion, when smartphone users have pre-existing neck muscle pain, the use of a smartphone further increased muscle fatigue and tenderness in the neck and reduced PPT and the cervical range of motion.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.317-324
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• 2009

This study aimed to assess stiffness and elasticity of the masticatory muscle in the patients with the masticatory muscle pain using a tactile sensor and to investigate whether the masticatory muscle pain affects the facial expression muscles. From those who visited Department of Oral Medicine in Dankook University Dental Hospital, 27 patients presenting with unilateral muscle pain and tenderness in the masseter muscle (Ms) were selected (mean age: $36.4{\pm}13.8$ years). Exclusion criterion was those who also had temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders or any neurological pain. Muscle stiffness and elasticity for the muscles of mastication and facial expression was investigated with the tactile sensor (Venustron, Axiom Co., JAPAN) and the muscles measured were the Ms, anterior temporal muscle (Ta), frontalis (Fr), inferior orbicularis oculi (Ooci), zygomaticus major (Zm), superior and inferior orbicularis oris (Oors, Oori) and mentalis (Mn). t-tests was used to compare side difference in muscle stiffness and elasticity. Side differences were also compared between diagnostic groups (local muscle soreness (LMS) vs myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) and between acute (< 6M) and chronic ($\geq$ 6M) groups. This study showed that Ms and Zm at affected side exhibited significantly increased stiffness and decreased elasticity as compared to the unaffected side.(p<0.05) There was no significant difference between local muscle soreness and myofascial pain syndrome groups and between acute and chronic groups. The results of this study suggests that masticatory muscle pain in Ms can affect muscle stiffness and elasticity not only for Ms but also for Zm, the facial expression muscle.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.39-46
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• 2011

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of three types of therapeutic exercises by applying them to lower back pain patients. Methods : This program was conducted for 30 patients 30 to 55 years old, who visited a rehabilitation center due to lower back pain. We separated participants into three groups with different therapeutic exercises: one with lumbar stabilization exercises, another with stretching exercises, and the other with both exercises. Each exercise was held once a day, 3 days a week, for 6 weeks. We analyzed the effect of these exercises by checking the change of lumbar muscle strength and pain relief. Lumbar muscle strength was measured by AS-Med and pain strength was estimated by VAS. Results : The result of the programs was established according to the following list: 1) Lumbar stabilization exercises and stretching exercises lead to higher lumbar muscle strength and pain relief (p<0.05). 2) Lumbar muscle strength in the lumbar stabilization exercise group was significantly higher than the stretching exercise group (p<0.05). 3) Pain relief in the stretching exercise group was significantly higher than the lumbar stabilization exercise group (p<0.05). Conclusion : This study shows all of the groups experienced higher lumbar muscle strength and pain relief. Specifically, there was higher lumbar muscle strength in the lumbar stabilization exercise group and higher pain relief in the stretching exercise group. Therefore the ideal intervention to improve lumbar muscle strength and pain relief for patients is to implement both lumbar stabilization exercises and stretching exercises.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.51-60
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• 2006

Purpose: This study was to compare the effect of center of pressure(COP) displacement and muscle activation onset during expected and unexpected sudden limb loading in subjects with low back pain and healthy control subjects. Most studies of COP displacement and muscle activation onset on postural task focused on sudden trunk loading or gross limb movements. Investigation of the COP displacement and muscle activation onset during expected and unexpected sudden upper limb loading deserves similar attention. Methods: For this study, 14 subjects with low back pain and 12 healthy control subjects are participated. Force plate and surface EMG measures were used to determine COP displacement and muscle activation onset under expected and unexpected sudden upper limb loading. Results: COP displacement and muscle activation onset under unexpected sudden upper limb loading were similar in subjects with low back pain and healthy control subjects. However, COP displacement and muscle activation onset under expected sudden upper limb loading were shortened in healthy control subject but not among the subjects with low back pain. Conclusion: The results provide evidence for impaired feed-forward control in subjects with low back pain.