• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.81-92
• /
• 2011

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to compare combined exercise program group to conventional physiotherapy for patients with chronic neck pain. Methods : Participants were randomly allocated to two groups by experimental(n=17) and control(n=17). Combined exercise program group involved stretching, stability, strengthening and endurance, proprioceptive exercises along with an educational programme. Patient attended for 60min, three times a weeks. Control group was treated as conventional physiotherapy on 40 min, three times a weeks. Outcome variables included pain, disability, range of motion, fatigability at 0 and 6 weeks. Results : Pain, Disability Index, Fatigability significantly decreased(p<.05) and Range of motion improved significantly after active exercise program(p<.05). In conclusion. Combined exercise program improves pain and disability, range of motion, fatigability. Conclusion : These results suggest that combined exercise program is suitable for chronic neck pain.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.183-188
• /
• 2016

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate neck posture, range of motion, muscle endurance and self-report of pain and disability in smartphone users. Methods: Seventy-eight university student volunteers, aged between 18 and 30 years (mean age 23.2), were assessed for: a head-neck posture by measuring cranial vertical angle, neck range of motions using cervical range of motion device, and a deep neck flexor endurance using a stabilizer. Finally, subjects were asked about their neck pain and completed disability questionnaires, ie, Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire, Neck Disability Index, and World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0. Results: Thirty-eight subjects experienced recurrent neck pain with/without upper limb pain (neck pain group) and 40 reported no current neck pain with/without upper limb pain (no neck pain group). Differences were found between groups on pain and disability questionnaires. Subjects with neck pain had significantly higher disability scores than those of no neck pain group. However, there were no differences observed between groups in a head-neck posture, neck range of motions, and deep neck muscle endurance time. The smartphone usage time was negatively correlated with neck pain intensity and disability score whereas it had positive relationship with flexibility and posture. Conclusion: Group differences were observed as lower capacity not only for neck specific daily activities but for general functioning in daily routine when the neck pain and no neck pain groups were compared. Therefore, functioning in daily activities should be investigated as prevention for further developing neck pain in smartphone users.

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

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.109-116
• /
• 2006

Purpose : To identify the effects of flexion-extension of stretching on the functional improvement of patients with neck myofascial pain syndrome. Methods : the present research investigated 30 patients with neck myofascial syndrome, dividing them into a group doing flexion-extension of stretching. This study examined degree of recovery from neck pain by comparing their neck myofascial pain syndrome before and after the treatment, and compared to find difference in the degree of recovery from myofascial pain syndrome. Results : The results are as follows. For the flexion of stretching, 1. For the visual analogue scale (VAS) decreased significantly for six weeks treatment, 2. For the flexion decreased significantly for six weeks treatment. and the range of motion of cervical vertebrae increased significantly(p>.05). 3. For Stretching, range of motion left rotation indicated significant difference after pre test and after two week but no significant difference after six week. 4. For the left rotation decreased significantly for six weeks treatment. and the range of motion of cervical vertebrae increased significantly(p>.05). 5. For the right rotation decreased significantly for six weeks treatment. and the range of motion of cervical vertebrae increased significantly(p>.05). Conclusion : This study suggest that flexion-extension of stretching have an effect on the functional improvement of patients with neck myofascial pain syndrome.

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

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.24-30
• /
• 2019

Purpose: This study compared the effectiveness of three methods, fascial distortion model (FDM), myofascial release (MFR), self-myofascial release (SMR), on the neck range of motion and pain. Methods: In this study, the collected data were processed statistically using SPSS version 22.0 for Windows. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the general characteristics of the subjects. Repeated measure ANOVA was conducted to analyze the range of motion of the neck of the group and VAS, and Contras was used to see the difference in significance over time. One-way ANOVA was used to compare the differences among the groups and a post-hoc test was used. The significance level (${\alpha}$) was 0.05. Results: In the range of motion, the flexion and extension of the neck, right rotation, and left rotation were significantly different in the SMR, FDM, and MFR groups. The right lateral flexion showed significant differences in the FDM, MFR, and SMR groups. The VAS was similar in the groups at 2 and 4 weeks, but there was a significant difference among the FDM, MFR, and SMR groups at 6 weeks. Conclusion: In this study, MFR and MSR as well as FDM were effective in controlling the range of motion and pain control of the neck. Further studies will be needed to determine the effects of long-lasting treatments other than pain control. These studies and the present study will be used as a basis for ongoing research into the duration and method of application for musculoskeletal therapies.

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

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.310-319
• /
• 2023

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a combination of progressive scapular stabilization exercises, neck and thoracic spine mobilization, and thermoelectric physical therapy on pain, range of motion, muscle strength, and function in patients with acute whiplash injury. Design: A randomized controlled trial design. Methods: A total of 24 subjects were included in this study. They were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=12) that performed scapular stabilization exercises, neck and thoracic spine mobilization, and physiotherapy, and a control group (n=12) that only performed neck and thoracic spine mobilization and physiotherapy. The pre-test was conducted before the intervention and consisted of a total of 12 treatment sessions of 60 minutes each, three times a week. A posttest was conducted 4 weeks later. Pain, range of motion, muscle strength, and function were assessed before and after intervention. Results: The results of the study showed that there was a significant difference in pain reduction and range of motion and muscle strength improvement in the experimental group, and a significant difference was also found between the experimental group and the control group in terms of functional evaluation. Conclusions: The combination of exercise therapy and joint mobilization technique and physical therapy resulted in greater improvements in pain, range of motion, strength, and function assessment, contributing to improved overall function.

• PNF and Movement
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.197-202
• /
• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effects of a proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) program on neck pain, cervical range of motion, pressure pain, and the cervical flexion-relaxation ratio in a visual display terminal (VDT) worker. Methods: We recruited a 33-year-old VDT worker diagnosed with chronic VDT syndrome. The subject was treated using a PNF program for 20 minutes a day, three times a week for six weeks. All evaluations were performed every two weeks on the first test day. Results: The PNF program resulted in a significant improvement in the subject's neck pain, cervical range of motion, pressure pain, and the cervical flexion-relaxation ratio after six weeks, in comparison to the subject's condition before treatment. Conclusion: The PNF program can be used effectively to improve neck pain, cervical range of motion, pressure pain, and the cervical flexion-relaxation ratio in visual display terminal (VDT) workers.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.23-30
• /
• 2023

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of joint mobilization and muscle strengthening exercises on neck function, range of motion, and muscle tone in patients with forward head posture. Methods: A total 32 subjects were divided into muscle strengthening exercise (n=16) and joint mobilization (n=16) who met the diagnostic criteria for the forward head posture, and the study method used the neck disability index (NDI) and BPM Pro to compare the range of motion. Results: As a result of the study, there was no significant difference between each group, and when looking at the differences before and after each group, there was a significant difference in neck pain in both groups. There was a significant difference in muscle tension in the joint mobilization group, but there was no significant difference in the muscle strengthening exercise group. In the range of joint mobilization, there was a significant difference in the range of left joint mobilization of the joint mobilization group, there was no significant difference in the range of right joint mobilization, and there was no significant difference in the range of joint mobilization of the muscle strengthening exercise group. Conclusion: The above results revealed that joint mobilization and muscle strengthening exercises were effective on neck function, range of motion, and muscle tone in forward head posture patients.