• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.265-270
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• 2017

Purpose: This study examined the effects of neck stabilization exercises with vibratory stimulation on the neck disability index and thickness of the deep neck flexor. Methods: Thirty subjects (control group=15, experimental group=15) with mild neck pain were enrolled in the study. The control group underwent craniocervical flexion exercise (control group, CG) and the experimental group was given craniocervical flexion exercise with vibratory stimulus (experimental group, EG) (3 sets, 3 times per week for 6 weeks). To examine the effects of exercise, the subjects were evaluated using the neck disability index (NDI), the thickness of the deep neck flexor muscle, and muscle strength. An independent and paired t-test were used to compare the effects of the exercise between the groups. Results: The NDI score of the two groups increased significantly after 6 weeks of treatment (p<0.001) and there was a significant difference between the EG group at 3 weeks (p<0.05) and 6 weeks (p<0.01). The thickness of the deep neck flexor in the CG group increased significantly after 6 weeks of treatment in all pressure stages (p<0.001). The EG group showed a significant increase after 3 and 6 weeks of treatment in all pressure stage (p<0.001), and 22 mmHg, a significant difference between 3 and 6 weeks (p<0.05) and among 24, 28, and 30 mmHg at 6 weeks (p<0.05). The maximum muscle strength of the deep neck flexion muscles increased significantly in the two groups after 6 weeks of treatment (p<0.001) and there was significant difference between the EG group at 6 weeks (p<0.01). Conclusion: Craniocervical flexion exercise with vibratory stimulus decreases the NDI, and increases the thickness of the deep neck flexor and maximum muscle strength of the deep neck flexion muscles in patients with mild neck pain.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of neck exercises on neck-shoulder posture and pain of high school students with neck disorders. Methods: Twenty seven subjects were randomly assigned to one of 3 groups a craniocervical flexion training group (CCFT), a neck strengthening exercise group (ST), and a basic stretching exercise group (CG). CCFT and ST exercised five times a week for eight weeks under the researcher's guidance. The control group performed basic stretching exercises. Diagnostic radiologic equipment was used for the measurement of neck-shoulder posture. Neck disability index, and numeric rating scales were used. Results: The CCFT showed a significant pre-post treatment difference on measures of neck flexion angle and forward shoulder angle changes compared to the ST and CG groups (p<0.05). The CCFT group also showed a significantly greater improvement on the neck disability index and numeric rating scales changes than the ST and CG groups (p<0.01). Conclusion: Because CCFT decreases neck flexion angle, forward shoulder angle, neck disability index, and pain in the forward head posture, it is useful for treating patients with neck disorders.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.99-112
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• 2007

Objectives : It was to translate three neck and spinal pain disability questionnaires - the Neck Disability Index (NDI), the Neck Pain and Disability Scale (NPDS), and the Functional Rating Index (FRI) - into Korean language, and evaluate the psychometric properties of Korean versions of questionnaires to achieve a good cross-cultural adaptation. Methods : Forty (23 males, 17 females) subjects aged from 15 to 64 years old, participated to examine test-retest reliability. One hundred and eighty (76 males, 104 females) subjects with a primary diagnosis of non-specific neck pain and 81 healthy volunteers were undertaken to examine internal consistemcy, discriminative validity and longitudinal construct validity. Versions of each questionnaire in idiomatic modern Korean were developed using a procedure proposed by Beaton et al. (2000). To assess reliability, the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC $_{(2,1)}$) was calculated. Internal consistency was evaluated by Cronbach's alpha. Discriminative validity was examined with independent-group t-tests. Responsiveness was tested by calculating the effect size and standardized response mean for each questionnaire and using Pearson' s r and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Results : Test-retest reliability ofthe translated versions of the three disability questionnaires was excellent (ICC $_{(2,1)$ = 0.86-0.90). High internal consistency was found in the three disability questionnaires (Cronbach's alpha ranged from ${\alpha}=0.88$ for the FRI to ${\alpha}=0.96$ for the NPDS and 0.82 for the Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire(SFMPQ)). the VAS subscale of the SFMPQ was found to be the most responsive of the subscales (ES=1.44, SRM=1.37). The VAS was also the most responsive pain and disability index in internal responsiveness analysis, although disability indices showed marginally better responsiveness when compared with external standards. No floor or ceiling effects were observed. Conclusions : It is concluded that the questionnaires were successfully translated and exhibit acceptable measurement properties, and may suggest that they are suitable for use in clinical and research application.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.158-163
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among pain, range of motion of the neck, neck disability index and grip strength after thoracic manipulation and cervical stabilization training in patients with chronic neck pain. Methods: In this study, twelve subjects with chronic neck pain were included. All participants had thoracic manipulation and cervical stabilization training. Intervention was conducted three times per a week, for 4 weeks. The visual analogue scale (VAS), range of motion of neck, neck disability index (NDI), as well as the grip strength before and after intervention were measured in all participants. Paired t-test was used to compare variables before and after intervention. Pearson correlation analysis was used to identify the correlations between the variables. Results: All variables after the intervention were significantly improved. There was a significant negative correlation between VAS and flexion angle of the neck (r=-0.669, p<0.05). Moreover, there was a significant positive correlation between NDI and VAS (r=0.636, p<0.05), and a significant negative correlation between NDI and flexion angle of the neck (r=-0.692, p<0.05). Conclusion: Patients with reduced pain following therapeutic intervention illustrated that there would be an improvement in the flexion angle rather than the extension angle of the neck, and that those with increased flexion angle would have less restriction of activities in daily living.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.126-131
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the change in pain, Neck Disability Index score, and the craniovertebral angle by performing scapular correction exercise or general neck exercise for five weeks in participants with mechanical neck pain. Methods: A total of 31 participants were randomly assigned between the scapular correction exercise and the general neck exercise groups, and all participants performed intervention for 40 minutes each, three times a week for five weeks The effects were evaluated by measuring the Visual Analog Scale score, the Neck Disability Index score, and the craniovertebral angle, before and after the intervention. Independent t-tests were used to compare differences between two groups, and to compare differences between pre- and post-intervention, paired t-tests were used. Results: As measured before and after the intervention, the scapular correction exercise group showed significant improvement in all variables (p<0.05), while the general neck exercise group improved only in the neck disability index score. The differences between the two groups revealed further improvement in the scapular correction exercise group compared to the general neck exercise group (p<0.05). Conclusion: We found that five weeks of the scapular correction exercise to modify the position and movements of the scapula is clinically an important treatment tool for recovery from chronic mechanical neck pain symptoms and restoration of proper neck function.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.177-183
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of neck patterns in proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) for neck movement and the neck disability index (NDI) among adults with forward head posture. Methods: Thirty-nine subjects were randomly assigned into two groups. Subjects in the proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation exercise group (PNFG, n = 20) received 20 minutes of PNF neck pattern (flexion-Rt. lateral flexion-Rt. rotation followed by extension-Lt. lateral flexion-Lt. rotation) 3 times weekly for 4 weeks. Outcomes were measured using absolute rotation angle (ARA), anterior weight bearing (AWB), range of flexion and extension motions (RFEM), and neck disability index (NDI) methods before and after the 4-week intervention period. Results: There were significant effects for the PNFG, pre- and post-intervention, in ARA, AWB, RFEM, and NDI. There were significant differences in ARA, AWB, RFEM, and NDI compared with CG. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest the PNF neck pattern could be beneficial for adults with forward head posture.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.33-37
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• 2015

Background: The purpose of this study on the effects of deep cervical flexors strengthening exercise to forward head posture and pain of neck in patients with chronic neck pain. Method: We selected 30 subjects among neck pain patients and carried out measurements. The subjects' forward head posture was measured including head tilt angle (HTA), neck flexion angle (NFA) and forward shoulder angle (FSA), neck disability index (NDI), numeric rating scale (NRS). The subjects underwent deep cervical flexors muscle strengthening with pressure bio-feedback device for 4 weeks. Then, after intervention, the subjects' forward head posture was measured again. It was performed Wilcoxon signed-ranks test for confirming the effect of deep cervical flexor muscles strengthening exercise. Results: As a result of comparison of measurements before and after intervention, we found that there were statistically significant improvement in the subjects' NDI, NRS and forward head posture including head tilt angle, neck flexion angle and forward shoulder angle. Conclusion: We concluded that deep cervical flexors strengthening exercise has the effect of alleviation of neck pain patients and is effective for forward head posture.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.111-117
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• 2007

Objectives : This study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Bee Venom acupuncture therapy on patients with cervical spondylosis. Methods: We investigated 29 cases of patients with cervical spondylosis. We divided patients into two groups: Bee venom Acupuncture was performed at one group, and the other group we did acupuncture therapy. To evaluate the effectiveness of treatment applied for two groups, we used visual analog scale(VAS) and neck disability index(NDI). We compared the VAS and NDI score of two groups statistically. Results : As a result of evaluation by using visual analog scale(VAS) and neck disability index(NDI), treatment score at final was significantly different from that at the baseline in each groups. Treatment at final, Bee venom acupuncture therapy group showed significant difference on visual analog scale(VAS) and neck disability index(NDI) compared with acupuncture therapy group. Conclusions : Bee Venom acupuncture therapy can be used with acupuncture therapy for highly effective in the patient with cervical spondylosis.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.328-333
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• 2016

Purpose: This study was to investigate the correlation between pain, disability and quality of life among adolescents and office workers with neck and shoulder pain. Methods: Twenty-four subjects (mean age=24.92 years, SD=3.94, range=20-37) with neck and shoulder pain participated in this study. The outcome measures of the study were visual analogue scale (VAS), neck disability index (NDI), shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI), short form-36 (SF-36) for neck and shoulder pain and disability, quality of life. Pearson's correlation and Speaman's rank correlation were used to measure the association between VAS and NDI, SPADI, SF-36. Results: The VAS showed a positive correlation between weak to moderate with the NDI and SPADI, but no significantly correlated (${\rho}=0.34$, ${\rho}=0.25$). The moderate positive correlation and significant correlation were observed between NDI and SPADI (${\rho}=0.43$, p<0.05). The PCS of SF-36 was significantly negative correlated with the VAS (${\rho}=-0.24$), NDI and SPADI (${\rho}=-0.63$, ${\rho}=-0.59$, p<0.05). Conclusion: The pain and disability of neck and shoulder has closely relevance. And, the pain and disability of neck and shoulder has a negative impact on the quality of life.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.109-118
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• 2015

Objectives : This study aimed to investigate the correlation between fear-avoidance beliefs and neck pain/neck disability caused by traffic accidents. Methods : We surveyed 52 patients who were injured in traffic accidents. The patients completed baseline measures of pain, disability, fear-avoidance beliefs according to the visual analogue scale(VAS), neck disability index(NDI) and a fear-avoidance beliefs questionnaire (FABQ). At the end of medical treatment, VAS and NDI were reassessed. In order to determine the relationship between FABQ(including its subscales), change of VAS and NDI, Pearson correlation coefficients were used. To examine the accuracy of previously reported cut-off scores, we classified the patients into low and high groups and analyzed the change of VAS and NDI. The relationship was measured by Mann-Whitney U-test and a student's T-test. Results : FABQ and its subscales(total, physical activity and work) were significantly correlated with final VAS and NDI. FABQ-T showed low significant negative correlation with change of NDI. Previously reported cut-off scores did not show a statistical significance in this study Conclusions : This study suggests that screening for fear-avoidance beliefs may be useful for identifying patients at risk of prolonged pain after traffic accidents.