• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.77-85
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• 2010

This study was conducted to find the effects of scapular taping on muscle activities of the scapular rotators and upper trapezius pain in subjects with upper trapezius pain. Fifteen male subjects were recruited from Yonsei University for this study. Muscle activity of upper trapezius, lower trapezius, and serratus anterior was measured using surface electromyography. Visual analog scale was used for measuring upper trapezius pain. The subjects were asked to maintain $90^{\circ}$ shoulder flexion position with holding a 1 kg dumbbell in standing position. Scapular taping was applied over the muscle belly of the upper trapezius and attached parallel with the lower trapezius muscle fibers. For normalization, % maximal voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC) was conducted. Paired t-test was applied to compare the muscle activities of scapular rotator and upper trapezius pain before and after applying the scapular taping. The muscle activity of the upper trapezius muscle and serratus anterior decreased significantly after tape application (p<.05). However, no significant difference was observed in lower trapezius muscle. The level of pain in the upper trapezius muscle significantly decreased after tape application (p<.05). The results of this study suggest that scapular taping can be used an additional therapy for reducing muscle activity of upper trapezius, serratus anterior and upper trapezius pain during shoulder flexion in patient with upper trapezius pain.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.59-71
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• 2023

Background: This study was to investigate the effects of coordinative locomotor training(CLT) using elastic bands on pain, dynamic balance, muscle strength, and muscle activity of female college students with patellofemoral pain syndrome(PFPS). Design: Randomized Controlled Trial Methods: Twenty-six female college students with PFPS were assigned randomly to an experimental(n=13) or control(n=13) group. The experimental group performed CLT using an elastic band. The control group performed squat exercises to strengthen muscle strength. The 30-minute inter- vention was applied a total of twelve times, three times a week for four weeks. All subjects measured the pain, the muscle strength, the dynamic balance, and the muscle activity(VL/VM ratio) before and after intervention. A paired t-test was used for the determination of differences before and after treatment, and an independent t-test was used for the determination of differences between treatment groups. Results: As a result of comparison within groups, the experimental group showed significant differences in pain, muscle strength, dynamic balance, and VL/VM ratio after the experiment(p<0.05), and the control group showed significant differences in pain, muscle strength, and dynamic balance after the experiment(p<0.05). In comparison between the two groups, the experimental group showed more significant differences in pain, dynamic balance, and VL/VM ratio than the control group(p<0.05), and the control group showed more significant differences in muscle strength than the experimental group(p<0.05). Conclusion: Based on these results, CLT using elastic bands effectively improved the pain, muscle strength, dynamic balance, and VL/VM ratio of female college students with PFPS.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.258-263
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• 2021

Purpose: Myofascial syndrome is a chronic muscle pain caused by repetitive motions with stress-related muscle tension. This study aimed to investigate the validity and reliability of the evidence for diagnosing myofascial pain syndrome in trapezius muscle using a pressure algometer and surface electromyography. Methods: The experiments were performed using a total of 10 subjects, and the target locations were determined by means of a pressure algometer in the right upper trapezius muscle. The part with the lowest pain value as the trigger point and the part with the highest pain value as the non-pain trigger point were selected for measuring the locations. The median frequency and average frequency were measured in those locations with electromyography. To check the muscle fatigue, the upper trapezius muscle was moved up and down for 2 seconds at 5-second intervals in 30 seconds. The measured values were evaluated using the independent paired t-test and MannWhitney U-test. Results: The median frequency at the non-trigger point (13.7) was significantly higher than that at the trigger point (7.3). Furthermore, the mean frequency (14.7) at the non-trigger point was significantly higher than that at the trigger point (6.3). Conclusion: The results showed the correlations between the trigger points of the muscle pain and frequency analysis of surface electromyography. Thus, this study may be possible to use as a diagnostic tool for myofascial pain syndrome.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.137-143
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• 2008

We have conclusions after the study of muscular system about large intestine channel of hand yangmyung muscle. 1. Judging from many studies of interrelation between Meridian muscle and muscle. it is considered that Meridian muscle theory has some similarities with modern anatomical muscular system. 2. There is a wide defference betwean myofacial pain syndrome and meridian muscle theory in that the former explains each muscle individually, while the latter classifies muscles systematically in the view of organism. 3. It is considered that large intestine channel of hand yangmyung muscle contains extensor digitorum muscle, extensor muscle of index finger, brachioradialis muscle, triceps brachii muscle, Rhomboid major muscle, trapezius muscle, sternocleidomastoid muscle and muscle levator labii. 4. The symptoms of large intestine channel of hand yangmyung muscle is similar to referred pain of modern Myofacial pain syndrome, and the medical treatment of "I-Tong-Wi-Su" is similar to that of Myofacial pain syndrome.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.10-15
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• 2013

Purpose: Low back pain occurs and frequently recurs in many people. An imbalance of paraspinal muscle activity can cause low back pain. Mulligan's concept of mobilizations with sustained natural apophyseal glides (SNAG) is a common method for treating low back pain. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of this method on paraspinal muscle activity in patients with chronic low back pain. Methods: Twenty-one patients with low back pain participated in this study. Patients were classified using the Oswestry disability index. The subjects' paraspinal muscles were measured by surface electromyography both before and after the SNAG mobilization. We measured the root mean square value of the paraspinal muscles during lumbar flexion and extension. Results: Paraspinal muscle activity in patients with chronic low back pain was different between the right and left sides. Importantly, paraspinal muscle activity significantly decreased after using the SNAG mobilization method. Conclusion: This study shows a difference between paraspinal muscle activity in chronic low back pain patients and finds that the Mulligan's concept of SNAG mobilization is effective at reducing imbalances in paraspinal muscle activity in low back pain patients.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.263-269
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects lumbar stabilization exercise with kinesio taping on pain, muscle strength, and oswestry disability index (ODI) in patients with chronic low back pain. Design: Two groups pre-post randomized controlled design Methods: Thirty-two subjects were randomly divided in two groups; 1) lumbar stabilization exercise with kinesio taping group (Experimental group, n=16), 2) lumbar stabilization exercise with sham kinesio taping group (Control group, n=16). The intervention was conducted in each group for thirty minutes a day, 5 times a week, for 4 weeks. Both group did 30 minutes of lumbar stabilization application. Evaluations were performed before the commencement of training and again 4 weeks after training was initiated. Visual analog scale (VAS) was used to evaluate pain level of patients with chronic low back pain. Distal muscle test was used to evaluate muscle strength of trunk extension. In addition, ODI was used to evaluate activity daily life of low back pain. Results: After training, the VAS, muscle strength of trunk extension and ODI were significantly more improvement in Experimental group than in the control group (p<0.05). Conclusions: We confirmed that the effects of lumbar stabilization exercise with kinesio taping group on pain, muscle strength, and ODI in patients with chronic low back pain.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.29-37
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to classify patients with chronic back pain according to the degree of their back pain, and to compare the pain dysfunction index with the qualitative changes in abdominal muscles. Therefore, we aimed to provide a basis for the treatment intervention method for patients with back pain. Methods: Twenty patients with chronic back pain were purposive sample to a group of 10 patients with a back pain index of 60 % or more and a group with less than 60 % of back pain, and the subjects who voluntarily participated in the study After receiving the letter, I conducted the research the dysfunction of back pain was measured by the Korean version of the Oswestry Disability Index (KODI), and the ultrasonic wave (Ultrasound MyLabOne, ESAOTE, Italy) And the white area index, and the abdominal muscle movement was used as the exercise instrument POWER breathe K5 (Hab direct, UK), which strengthens the respiratory muscles through threshold-muscle traction. Result: In this study, patients with chronic back pain were subjected to breathing exercises, which led to the decrease in back pain dysfunction. The ultrasonographic analysis of abdominal muscles revealed that both the white area index and muscle image density in the skeletal muscle and in the outer muscle of the abdomen gradually decreased over time. Conclusion: It is thought that introducing back pain patients to abdominal muscle reinforcement training is effective in improving the functions of the patients' muscles, thus increasing their quality of life.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.156-160
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• 2021

Objective: Low back pain easily becomes chronic and has a high recurrence rate. Therefore, it is most important to prevent chronicity and reduce the risk of recurrence in the early stages of back pain or at the stage with mild pain. Therefore, this study was conducted to compare hip joint muscle strength, trunk muscle endurance, and pelvic alignment between subjects with mild low back pain and subjects without back pain. Design: Crossed-sectional study Methods: The study was conducted by recruiting 30 students in their twenties who are enrolled in K University in Gyeongsangnam-do, and classifying them into 15 patients with mild back pain and 15 patients with normal. The subjects who participated in the experiment were measured for hip flexor and extensor muscle strength, trunk flexion and extension muscle endurance, and pelvic alignment. To measure hip joint muscle strength, biodex was used, and muscle endurance of the trunk was recorded at the end range of the trunk flexion and extension. And pelvic alignment was measured using Formetric 4D. Results: There were no significant differences in hip joint muscle strength, pelvic alignment, and trunk extension muscle endurance. The retention time was found to be significantly shorter in the mild low back pain group than in the normal group for trunk flexion muscle endurance. Conclusions: In the early stages of back pain or in the mild pain stage, training to increase muscle endurance of the flexor muscles may be helpful.

• 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.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.431-439
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• 2019

Purpose: This study investigated the effects of motion taping on muscle stiffness, muscle tone, and pain in middle-aged women with shoulder impingement syndrome. Methods: The participants comprised 30 middle-aged women with shoulder impingement syndrome. This study measured muscle stiffness, muscle tone, and pain. In the experimental group, the tape was attached after physical therapy; the control group only received physical therapy. In the intervention period, the treatment program was conducted three times a week for a total of four weeks, and the values before and after the intervention were compared and analyzed. For statistical processing, a correspondence test was performed before and after the intervention at a significance level of 0.05, and the comparison between the groups, before and after the intervention, was made using an independent test. Results: In the experimental group, there was a difference in muscle stiffness, muscle tone, and intensity of pain. In addition, there was a significant difference between the control group's emotional domain regarding muscular stiffness and pain and the experimental group. However, there was no significant difference in muscle tone and grade of pain, and intensity of pain for the control group. Conclusion: This study showed that, when physical therapy and motion taping were administered to middle-aged women with shoulder impingement syndrome, it had a more positive affect on the sensory and emotional parts of the muscle tone and pain compared to physical therapy alone.