• PNF and Movement
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.435-444
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the elector spine muscle tone using the irradiation of the proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) arm pattern according to angular motion. Methods: Thirty subjects participated in this study. Elector spine muscle tone was measured using a Myotonpro device while in the sitting position according to the angular motion (70°, 100°, 130°) of the PNF arm pattern using a D1 flexion pattern. Each angular motion of the PNF arm pattern was performed with a continuous passive motion (CPM). The change in elector spine muscle tone was statistically evaluated using a repeated one-way ANOVA test. Post-hoc analysis was performed using the Bonferroni method. Results: The results revealed a significant change in elector spine muscle tone when performing the PNF arm pattern using D1 flexion pattern. Specifically, the elector spine muscle tone had significantly increased at 100° and 130° motion in the PNF arm pattern when compared to the initial muscle tone (p < 0.05). No significant muscle tone changes were noted for any of the angular motions of the PNF upper arm pattern (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate a positive increase in elector spine muscle tone with irradiation of the PNF upper arm pattern exercise with 100° or 130° angular motion. The minimum angle at which the effect of the irradiation of the PNF arm pattern could be seen was 100°.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.13-21
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• 2018

Background: After a stroke, the patient may have abnormal muscle tone due to abnormal alignment. Physical therapists have used stretching, neural mobilization other methods to treat patients after stroke. In addition, joint mobilization is also used to stimulation in pathway of cervical segmental region and to normal cervical spine alignment. Objects: The purpose of this study was to determine whether Maitland cervical spine mobilization has an immediate effect on muscle tone and stiffness of upper extremity. Methods: Thirty subjects were divided into a experimental group ($n_1=10$), a placebo group ($n_2=10$), and a control group ($n_3=10$). The Maitland cervical spine mobilization was applied in the supine position. Immediately after the intervention, muscle tone and stiffness of biceps brachii, brachioradialis, deltoid, and pectoralis major were measured using Myoton(R)PRO. In the placebo group, sham mobilization was applied to the fifth and sixth cervical vertebra, and the control group was instructed to control breathing. Results: In the experimental group, significant differences were found in muscle tone and stiffness of biceps brachii and brachioradialis in comparison with the affected side and the non-affected side before the intervention (p<.05), whereas there was no significant difference after the intervention (p>.05). Muscle tone of biceps brachii on the non-affected side and pectoralis major on the affected side was significantly decreased before and after the intervention (p<.05). The placebo and control group showed no changes on the non-affected and affected side, and no significant differences were detected before and after the intervention. All the groups revealed no significant differences in muscle tone and stiffness of upper extremity before and after the intervention. Conclusion: This study suggests that the application of Maitland cervical spine mobilization enhanced muscle tone of upper extremity on the involved side symmetrically, and influenced a decrease in muscle tone.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.341-349
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of soleus muscle stretching on the muscle thickness and muscle tone of the tibialis anterior and peroneus longus muscles in healthy young adults. Methods: This study was an observational, cross-sectional study design in healthy young adults. Thirty healthy young adults participated in the study. To investigate the effect of agonist elongation on the muscles' antagonist and synergist characteristics, this study conducted the dynamic stretching of the soleus and plantarflexor muscles for 20 seconds. This study measured the muscle thickness and muscle tone of the soleus, tibialis anterior and peroneus longus muscles before stretching, immediately after stretching, and five minutes after stretching. Results: After analysis, the muscle tone of the soleus muscle was significantly decreased immediately after stretching (20.91±2.61Hz) compared to before stretching (21.83±2.78Hz). The muscle tone of the tibialis anterior was significantly decreased both immediately after stretching (21.76±2.73Hz) and five minutes after stretching (21.72±3.25Hz) compared to before stretching (22.61±3.29Hz). The muscle thickness of the soleus muscle was significantly decreased immediately after stretching (2.04±0.52mm) compared to before stretching (2.21±0.51mm) and was significantly increased five minutes after stretching (2.14±0.49mm) compared to immediately after stretching. Conclusion: The results of this study showed the static stretching of the soleus muscle changed the muscle tone of the tibialis anterior, but not of the peroneus longus muscle. This study suggests that the dynamic stretching of the agonist muscle would show meaningful muscle tone change in the antagonist.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.510-515
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to examine the influences of chronic shoulder pain on the muscle tone in trunk muscles. The study's subjects were 40 men and women in their 30 to 50s, which were divided into two groups. A chronic shoulder pain group consisted of 20 subjects who had been diagnosed with chronic shoulder pain by doctors, and a painless group consisted of 20 subjects who had experienced no such pain. An analysis was performed using electromyography on the muscle tone in the rectus abdominalis, external oblique, internal oblique, and erector spinae muscles under the same conditions between the two groups. The analysis results were as follows. The chronic shoulder pain group exhibited an overall high level of trunk muscle tone than the painless group, along with a statistically significant difference in the rectus abdominalis(p<.05). Moreover, the chronic shoulder pain group showed differences in the trunk muscle tone depending on the affected side. The chronic left shoulder pain group yielded higher levels of muscle tone in the right-side trunk muscles. In particular, the group revealed statistically significant differences in the rectus abdominalis and internal oblique(p<.05). The chronic right shoulder pain group exhibited higher levels of muscle tone in the left-side trunk muscles with a statistically significant difference in the internal oblique(p<.05). The above results suggested that chronic shoulder pain influences increases in the muscle tone in the trunk muscles on the opposite side to the affected shoulder.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.359-364
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• 2020

Purpose: This study was undertaken to compare the efficacy of instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) and a neural dynamic technique (NDYT). As an intervention to treat spastic lower limb muscle tone, stiffness, and static balance in stroke patients. Methods: Totally, 26 participants were assigned randomly to two groups: the IASTM (n=13) and NDYT (n=13) groups. Both groups were subjected to their respective technique for 15 minutes, 5 times a week, for 6 weeks. Muscle tone, stiffness, and static balance were evaluated before and after training, to compare both group changes. Results: IASTM group showed significant decrease in the gastrocnemius medial region and semitendinosus muscle tone and stiffness (p<0.05) compare to NDYT group; however, no significant different was observed in static balance between groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: The results suggest that IASTM is an effective method for decreasing the muscle tone and stiffness in acute stroke patients.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.157-168
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) approach on the spasticity of affected side in patients with hemiplegia. Three subjects with hemiplegia participated in this study. In single-subject research design (a multiple baseline across individuals) was employed in this study. The intervention program including PNF to the unaffected side was introduced for 30 minutes each day during each intervention phase. Muscle tone of affected side was measured with Tone Assessment Scale, and active hip abduction distance of affected side was taken with the subject supine. And then the muscle tone and the hip abduction distance were measured again 30 minutes later following the intervention. The results showed that the PNF application had some beneficial effects on both muscle tone and active hip abduction. This result suggest that PNF application to non-paretic limb can be effective in reducing muscle tone and improving hip abduction range on paretic limb in persons with hemiplegia. However, further research is needed to prove the effect of PNF application on functional improvement.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) methods on muscle tone, pain, and depression in patients with breast cancer. Methods: The study had a two-group pretest-posttest design. A total of 24 patients with breast cancer voluntarily participated in the study. Subjects were randomly assigned to the MLD (n=12) and control (n=12) groups. Measurements of muscle tone, pain, and depression were taken prior to starting the intervention and after completing the 4 week program. The muscle tone, pain, and depression were measured using noninvasive muscle tone measuring equipment, the short-form McGill pain questionnaire, and the Beck depression inventory, respectively. The intervention was performed for 20 minutes a day, three times a week, for four weeks. A paired t-test was used to compare pretest and posttest values within each group, and an independent t-test was used to compare to pretest and posttest changes between the groups. Results: Comparison of the effects within the groups revealed significant reductions in muscle tone, pain, and depression in the MLD group after 4 weeks (p<.05), whereas the control group showed no differences. Comparison of the effects between the groups revealed significantly better reductions in muscle tone, pain, and depression in the MLD group than in the control group after 4 weeks (p<.05). Conclusion: These results suggest that MLD is an effective method for reducing muscle tone, pain, and depression in patients with breast cancer.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.225-233
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• 2019

The study was to find out the effects of computer game and stretching on muscle tone and concentration. The subjects were 30 adults, who were divided into 15 stretching group and 15 control group after applying computer game for 120 minutes. The subjects measured muscle tone and concentration before experiment, the same measurements were made before and after applying the stretching. The muscle tone was respectively measured after 60 minutes and 120 minutes of computer game. The results showed that muscle tone increased significantly after 60 minutes and 120 minutes of computer game, and significantly decreased in the stretching intervention group. Concentration increased significantly after computer game, but there was no significant difference after application of stretching. In this study, computer game increased muscle tone and concentration, and stretching decreased increased muscle tone. Therefore, proper stretching after computer games will reduce musculoskeletal diseases caused by increased muscle tone, and development of appropriate game contents will be an effective tool for concentration training.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.83-92
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• 2021

PURPOSE: This study examined whether ankle joint stabilizing taping and muscle control taping influenced the ankle range of motion (ROM), muscle tone, and balance ability in chronic stroke patients. METHODS: Ten stroke patients were assigned randomly to experimental group 1 (joint stabilization taping n = 5) and experimental group 2 (Muscle control taping n = 5). After general physical therapy in both groups, ankle stabilization taping was applied to experimental group 1, and muscle control taping was applied to experimental group 2 three times a week for a total of six weeks (18 times). RESULTS: The muscle tone and stiffness of the gastrocnemius (GCM) showed significant differences between the experimental 1 and experimental 2 groups (p < .05). The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and ROM also showed significant differences within the experimental 1 and experimental 2 groups (p < .05). The BBS and ROM also showed no significant differences between the experimental 1 and experimental 2 groups (p > .05). CONCLUSION: This study examined the muscle tone, balance, and ROM on the paraplegic side of stroke patients using kinesio taping, and the effect of the taping application method was confirmed from the preceding study. Therefore, it can decrease the paralysis side muscle tone and improve the ROM and balance ability.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2019

Purpose: In chronic stroke patients, muscle tone and stiffness increase due to ankle spasticity. Electrotherapy may control the spasticity of patients with central nerve system damage via neurophysiological mechanisms. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the immediate effects of interferential current therapy on gastrocnemius (GCM) muscle. Methods: This study was a one-group pretest-posttest design and 20 stroke patients participated. The experimental group underwent interferential current therapy for GCM for 30 minutes. Muscle tone (MT) and stiffness were assessed using MYOTONE(R) PRO. After 30 minutes of interferential current therapy, MT and stiffness of the affected side and unaffected side by GCM were measured. Results: After interferential current therapy, the medial GCM MT (Hz) was significantly reduced in stroke patients. There was a significant difference in MT between affected GCM muscles and unaffected side medial GCM muscles before intervention, but there was no significant difference after interferential current therapy. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that interferential current therapy had a positive effect, producing an immediate decrease in the medial GCM muscles tone of stroke patients. However, this study employed a one-group pretest-posttest design. Future studies will show differences in muscle tone compared to a control group or other electrical stimulation treatments.