• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.28-36
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• 2007

The aim of this study was to identify the effect of suspension unloading (SU) and electrical stimulation upon the development of neonatal muscular system. For this study, the neonatal rats were randomly divided into three groups: a control group, an experimental group I, and an experimental group II. The SU for experimental group I and II was applied from postnatal day (PD) 5 to PD 30. The electrical stimulation for soleus muscle of experimental group IIwas applied from PD 16 to PD 30 using neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), which gave isometric contraction with 10 pps for 30 minutes twice a day. In order to observe the effect of SU and ES, this study observed myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) immunoreactivity in the soleus muscles at PD 15 and PD 30. In addition, the motor behavior test was performed through footprint analysis at PD 30. The following is the result. At PD 15, the soleus muscles of experimental group Iand II had significantly lower MEF2C, VEGF immunoreactivity than the control group. It proved that microgravity conditions restricted the development of the skeletal muscle cells at PD 15. At PD 30, soleus muscles of the control group and experimental group II had significantly higher MEF2C, VEGF, immunoreactivity than experimental group I. It proved that the NMES facilitated the development of the skeletal muscle cells. At PD 30, it showed that SU caused the decrease in stride length of parameter of gait analysis and an increase in toe-out angle, and that the NMES decreased these variations. These results suggest that weight bearing during neonatal developmental period is essential for muscular development. They also reveal that NMES can encourage the development of muscular systems by fully supplementing the effect of weight bearing, which is an essential factor in the neonatal developmental process.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.112-118
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• 2014

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an exercise with and without neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) of the quadriceps femoris muscle, on strength, pain, and weight distribution in patients with knee instability post surgery. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Twenty patients in the early stage of rehabilitation after knee surgery were recruited as subjects and were randomly divided into either experimental group (exercise combined with NMES) (n=10) or control group (n=10). Both groups received strength training of the lower limb for 20 min/day, 5 days/week for 4 weeks. The experimental group used NMES for unilateral quadriceps femoris training with incremental increases in the intensity of isometric contraction over 4 weeks. Outcome measurements were assessed using the digital manual muscle testing, 30-chair stand test (30CST), numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) and weight distribution using the foot analyzer before and after 4 weeks of training. Results: After the 4-week intervention, knee extensor strength increased significantly in the experimental group post intervention (p<0.05), and there was a significant improvement in the experimental group compared with the control group (p<0.05). The 30CST and NPRS scores improved significantly in the experimental group compared to the control group (p<0.05), and there was a significant difference between the two groups (p<0.05). Weight distribution was significantly improved in the experimental group compared with the control group, (p<0.05), but there was no significant difference in improvement between the two groups. Conclusions: This study showed that NMES combined with strengthening exercises of the lower limbs is effective in improving lower limb pain and strength in patients with instability after knee surgery.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.159-168
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• 2023

Purpose : This study aimed to investigate how neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) affects the balance ability of patients who have undergone total knee arthroplasty owing to osteoarthritis. Methods : Thirty patients who had undergone total knee arthroplasty were randomized to an experimental group (n=15) and a control group (n=15). The experimental group received conventional physical therapy for 50 minutes and NMES treatment for 30 minutes, whereas the control group received conventional physical therapy for 50 minutes and active range of motion (AROM) exercises for 30 minutes. Within-group and between-group changes in static and dynamic balance ability before and after the 4-week intervention were analyzed. Results : In the within-group comparison, sway velocity in the center of gravity and total distance were significantly improved in both the experimental and control groups (p<.05), with no significant differences between the groups (p>.05). In the within-group comparison, both the experimental and control groups showed significant improvement in the functional reach test and movement velosity (p<.05). In the between-group comparison, the experimental group showed a significantly better improvement than the control group in the functional reach test (p<.05), but there was no significant difference in the movement velosity test (p>.05). Conclusion : In this study, NMES improved the static and dynamic balance in patients who had undergone total knee arthroplasty. Compared with AROM exercises, there was a greater effect on dynamic balance partially; however, the overall effect was similar. Therefore, NMES may be one option among various interventions to improve the balance ability in patients who have undergone total knee arthroplasty. In particular, this method may be effective when it is difficult to apply balance training for patients with total knee arthroplasty in a clinical setting.

• International Journal of Contents
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.98-102
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• 2011

In this study, we investigated the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on the treatment of 20 acute stroke patients with dysphagia. For both the treated and control groups, the basic facial stimulation training was conducted for 30 minutes, five times a week, for four weeks. NMES was performed on the treated group only, for 30 minutes each time. Both groups were evaluated according to the functional dysphagia scale (FDS) using a videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS). After the treatment was performed for four weeks, the FDS results of the treated group showed a significance difference in oral transit time in the oral phase and in the triggering of pharyngeal swallow fluid, laryngeal elevation and epiglottic closure, nasal penetration, residue in valleculae, coating of pharyngeal wall after swallow fluid, and pharyngeal transit time in the pharyngeal phase. In addition, the treated group showed a significant difference in laryngeal elevation and epiglottic closure, nasal penetration, and pharyngeal transit time in the pharyngeal phase after the treatment compared to the control group. The results of this study showed that neuromuscular electrical stimulation may be an effective method of treating dysphagia in acute phase stroke patients.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.89-96
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation(NMES) on the spasticity of elbow flexor. Ten spastic hemiplegia who have been at EUL-JI medical college hospital in Taejon with age range of 35 to 70 years$(56.8\pm9.5)$, were participated in this study. The subjects (5male, 5female) took neuromuscular electrical stimulation therapy on the triceps of the affected elbow. To compare the effect of the treatment, the grade of spasticity of affected elbow flexor was measured at pre-treatment and the end of each weeks using modified Ashworth scale. Then, the range of extension of the affected elbow was measured at pre-treatmen and the end of each weeks using full circle goniometer. The data were analyzed with ANOVA to determine significant differences with the passage of time. The results were as follows: 1. ANOVA test showed significant differences in reducing spasticity of NMES group with the passage of time (p<.01). 2. ANOVA test showed significant differences in increasing range of motion with the passage of time of NMES group(p<.01). The neuromuscular electrical stimulation is a effective method to reduce the spasticity of elbow flexor.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.538-546
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on muscular strength, pain, range of motion and fear-avoidance in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) patients. The subjects of this study who received ACLR after arthroscopic injury were divided into two groups: NMES (n=14) and TENS (n=14). Each group received intervention after routine physical therapy. Each electrotherapy intervention was applied regularly for a total of 12 times, 3 times a day (30 minutes) for 4 weeks. The evaluation by intervention method included isokinetic muscle strength in flexion and extension of the knee joint, pain, range of motion of the knee joint, and fear-avoidance beliefs. The results showed significant improvement in pain, range of motion, and fear-avoidance beliefs in both groups (p<0.05). However, there was a significant improvement in isokinetic knee flexion and extension strength only in the NMES group (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between the two electrotherapy methods in muscle strength, pain, range of motion, and fear-avoidance beliefs. These study results suggest that NMES and TENS can be effective intervention methods for pain, range of motion, and fear-avoidance response in patients with ACLR, but to improve muscle strength NMES may be more effective.

• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1998 no.11
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• pp.165-166
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• 1998

A multi-parameter neuro muscular electrical simulator (NMES) system was developed to be used to find the optimal parameter condition in obtaining maximum muscle power and minimal fatigue. Since the performance of NMES is mainly determined by the characteristic of its output-stage circuit, we implemented 3 different circuits and compared output characteristics of them. Three amplifier circuits are; 1) a resonant switching converter, 2) a linear amplifier with a transformer, and 3) a step-up DC/DC converter with a high-voltage linear amplifier. Experimental results showed that the step up DC/DC converter with a high-voltage linear amplifier has the best performance.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1665-1671
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to look into changes in voice using acoustic analysis during the process of neuromuscular electrical stimulation targeting dysphagia treatment. Fifteen man with dysphagia caused by stroke was treated neuromuscular electrical stimulation for two months and intensity of voice, $F_0$, Jitter, Shimmer, NNE were measured. The results of this study that improvement in functions of dysphagia and Jitter, Shimmer were stabilized. But there was not significantly changes of $F_0$. NNE was improved after the intervention, but still showed abnormal levels. This result suggests a possibility of effects that Neuromuscular electrical stimulation has on stabilization of Jitter, Shimmer and intensity of voice.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.11-28
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• 2005

Spasticity has been defined as "a motor disorder characterized by a velocity-dependent increased in tonic stretch reflexes with exaggerated tendon jerks, resulting from hyperexcitability of the stretch reflex, as one components of the upper motorneuron syndrome". Spasticity is one of the common symptoms of stroke patients and frequently interferes with the motor functions such as gait, posture and activities of daily living. Therefore, its management is becoming a major issue in physical therapy. The purpose of this study was to determined the effects of reciprocal inhibition by isometric contraction of pre-tibia muscle on spasticity in hemiplegic patients through Hoffmann reflex. The subjects were consisted 45 patients who had hemiplegia due to stroke. All subjects randomly assigned to 3 group: manual reciprocal inhibition program group(manual group), neuromuscular electrical stimulation group(NMES group) and control group. The manual group received voluntary isometric contraction of pre-tibia muscle. The NMES group received neuromuscular electrical stimulation on tibialis anterior. The control group was not received any therapeutic intervention. Before and after experiments, Hoffmann reflex, M-wave and Modified Ashworth scale was measure in all patients. The data of 30 patients who complete experimental course were statistically analysed. Modified Ashworth scale were significantly decreased after experiment in manual group(p<.01). The Hmax/Mmax ratios were significantly decreased after experiment in manual group(p<.o1). There were no statistical difference between pre-test and post-test with modified Ashworth scale in NMES group(p>.01). There were no statistical difference between pre-test and post-test with Hmax/Mmax ratios in NMES group(p>.01). There were no statistical difference between pre-test and post-test with modified Ashworth scale in control group(p>.01). There were no statistical difference between pre-test and post-test with Hmax/Mmax ratios in control group(p>.01). The present results revealed that reciprocal inhibition which produced by voluntary isometric contraction of pre-tibia muscle can be reduce spasticity of gastrocnemius. Therefore, reciprocal inhibition is useful to improve functional activities in hemiplegic patient. Further study should be done to analyse the effects of intervention duration of reciprocal inhibition, appropriate muscle contraction, optimal time to apply the reciprocal inhibition in more long period.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2013.05a
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• pp.1471-1472
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• 2013