• PNF and Movement
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2020

Purpose: This study investigated the correlation between standing balance and head-forward posture in adolescents. Methods: The participants in this study were 15 female adolescents. We took photographs of the participants' craniovertebral angle with a digital camera to determine the degree of head-forward posture. Standing balance was evaluated using the 30-second Romberg test of BT4. The measurements were taken on a stable-support surface and on an unstable-support surface using a balance pad. The data measured in this study were analyzed using SPSS version 23.0, and the statistical significance level α was established as 0.05. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis was performed to identify the correlation between the degree of head-forward position of the participants and their balance ability. Results: When we measured 30 seconds of the Romberg test, we observed that, with their eyes open, the participants' head-forward posture and balance were not correlated. However, with their eyes closed, there was a strong correlation between the forward position of the head and the balance ability, which declined as the head position increased. Conclusion: Adolescents with severe head-forward posture exhibited problems with balance in posture control with closed eyes when visual information was not available. It can be inferred that an abnormality occurs in proprioceptor sensation due to their habitual head-forward posture. Education on correct posture and preventive activities should be recommended to improve the health of such adolescents and avoid possible future problems of physical deterioration.

• Journal of Korean Society of Neurocognitive Rehabilitation
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.19-26
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• 2018

Many people do not realize that they have poor neck posture. Incorrect forward head posture can lead to turtle neck. This aim to development of specific chair to reduce tension and other symptoms of turtle neck posture. This turtle neck syndrome adjusting chair is a chair that supports the hip and shin of a person to help them correct their posture. It is consisted of the shin support that supports the shin in an angle and the hip support that supports one's hip while the shin is supported at an angle, the main frame that has the two of them connected and the fluid seat that is joined at the top of the hip support and reacts accordingly to the shape of the hip. This is a posture correction chair which has the fluid seat that provides unstable hip support so that it can allow a person to realize their posture from the constant stimulation about the posture. When one seats on the posture correction chair, their hip and shin are supported at an angle that straitens their back, and as their back is straightened, their shoulders and chest are opened, and the neck is positioned at the middle to help them correct their posture. An unbalanced posture causes discomfort to the person seated at the chair, and the person sitting on the posture correction chair will continuously adjust his/her posture to balance the hips to keep the correct posture. Through this process, the person shall adjust his/her left and right posture, ultimately increasing the effectiveness of posture correction. A future collective study on the continuous posture correction of people having turtle neck syndrome using this posture correction chair is required.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.99-108
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• 2000

This study was performed to investigate the effect of suboccipital stretch on the head and neck posture and the electromyographic(EMG) activity of some cervical muscles. For this study, 39 patients with temporomandibular disorders(TMD) and 34 dental students without any signs and symptoms in the masticatory system were selected as the patients group and as the normal group, respectively. Head position by goniometer CROM$^{(R)}$(Performance attainment, St. Paul, USA), EMG activity by BioEMG$^{(R)}$(Bioresearch Inc., Milwaukee, USA), and craniocervical posture by cephaloradiography were observed in both natural head posture(NHP) and head posture with suboccipital stretch(tuck posture) abtained from slight posteroinferior finger pressure on the chin. Variables measured on the cephaloradiograph were SN angle, atlas angle, CVT angle, occiput-atlas and atlas-axis distance, and pharyngeal width. The data obtained were analysed by SPSS windows program and the results of this study were as follows : 1. In the sagittal plane, degree of anterior rotation of the head by suboccipital stretch was 6.3 in the patients group, and 6.2 in the normal group, respectively. So there was no significant difference between the two groups for degree of anterior rotation, but the position of the head in the patients group were more posteriorly extended than in the normal group in both NHP and tuck posture. 2. EMG activity of the stemocleidomastoideus in the patients group, and that of the upper trapezius and the sternocleidomastoideus in the normal group were increased by suboccipital stretch. The range of EMG activity, however, in these cervical muscles were 1.6 -2.3)u.V. 3. Cephalometric variables such as SN angle, atlas angle, CVT angle, occiput-atlas and atlas-axis distance except pharyngeal width were generally increased by suboccipital stretch. There was some difference, however, in results between the two groups. Atlas angle was not changed in the patients group whereas CVT angle was not changed in the normal group. 4. The distance from subocciput to spinous process of axis was significantly increased as much as 3.0mm in the patients group, and 3.7mm in the normal group by suboccipital stretch.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.167-183
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to analyze the kinetical variables of the lower extremity joints when performing uchimata(inner thigh reaping throw) by uke(receiver)'s two posture(shizenhon tai), jigohon tai), by voluntary resistance level(VRL) in judo. The subjects, who were for 3 male Korean national representative judokas(elite group : EG) and 3 male representative judokas of Korean University(non-elite group: NEG), and were filmed 4 DV video cameras(60fields/sec.), that posture of uke were shizenhon-tai (straight natural posture), jigohon-tai(straight defensive posture), VRL of uke was 0%. The selected trials were subject to 3-dimensional film motion analysis and ground reaction force(MRF) analysis. The kinetical variable of this study were temporal, postures( ankle and knee angle of attacking leg), that were computed through video film analysis, MRF at events were obtained from the ground-reaction force analysis by AMTI force plate system. When performing uchi-mata according to each posture and by VRL, from the data analysis and discussion, the conclusions were as follows : 1) Temporal variables : total time-required(TR) when performing uchi-mata was shown EG 0.13sec the shorter than NEG(o.77sec.) in shizenhon-tai. and EG 0.17sec the shorter than NEG(o.76sec.) in jigonhon-tai. Also, all of two groups' jigohon-tai(0.68sec.) were faster than shizenhon-tai(0.71 sec.). 2) The posture variables : The angle of ankle in attacking when performing were plantar flexion in EG, and dorsi flexion in NEG by shizenhon-tai and jigohon-tai posture. The angle of knee in attacking when performing were extension in EG and NEG, but range of extension in EG were larger than in NEG. 3) MRF : Vertical MRF when performing uchi-mata was shown the strongest in the 2nd stage of kake phase(2.23BW) by EG in both posture, and it was same value by NEG(2.23BW), but shizenhon-tai (2.28BW), jigohon-tai(1.64BW), respectively.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.319-329
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• 1994

This study was carried out to research the adaptation patterns of head posture after activator therapy in functional class III malocclusion patients. For this purpose, 29 functional class III malocclusion patients, from the ages of 8 to 13 years old, were used. 1, Increse in capacity of oral cavity capacity were found in all the samples, but craniocervical angulation were varied into incresed group and decreased group after activator therapy. 2. Head posture exhibited the compensatory adaptation in the relative growth increments of the vertical dimension, ALFH and PLFH. 1) A group with more PLFH and less sagittal angle showed relatively small growth increment in PLFH during the treatment period, thus craniocervical angulation was increased. 2) A group with less PLFH and more sagittal angle showed relatively great growth incrmenet in PLFH during the treatment period, thus craniocervical angulation was decreased.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2004

Altered scapular kinematics in the scapular joint is commonly believed to be a factor contributing to trunk posture. The purpose of this study was to analyze the muscle activity with several changes of the shoulder angle. Tests were performed on 10 male subjects by repeated measures. Each subject was measured while sitting in both erect and slouched trunk positions. In each sitting posture, a three-dimensional motion analysis measurement was used to measure thoracic angle and shoulder abduction angle. Measurements were taken with the shoulder abdcution angle at $0^{\circ}$, $30^{\circ}$, $60^{\circ}$, $90^{\circ}$, $120^{\circ}$, and $150^{\circ}$. By using surface Electromyography (EMG) electrodes, we recorded the activity of the upper trapezius, middle trapezius, lower trapezius, middle deltoid, and serratus anterior muscle while the subject held a 4 kg weight at each angle. The mean of root mean square (RMS) of EMG activity was calculated. The middle trapezius, lower trapezius, and middle deltoid muscle activity showed significantly higher results but serratus anterior muscle activity showed significantly lower results (p<.05). With the shoulder angle increased, the muscle activity was also significantly increased (p<.05). In conclusion, the thoracic spine posture significantly affects the scapular muscle during scapular plane abduction, and the slouched posture is associated with increased trapezius muscle activity and with decreased serratus anterior muscle activity.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.301-309
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• 2019

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to provide an effective method of exercise therapy for patients with cervicogenic headache. Methods : The subjects were divided into the following two groups according to the intervention received: cervical stretch exercise (n=15, control group) cervix-stabilizing exercise (n=15, experimental group) tone (Hz) and stiffness (N/m) of the suboccipital and upper trapezius muscles were measured. T1 slope angle and neck tilt angle were measured. After the exercise program intervention, a greater amount of change in muscle tone and stiffness of suboccipital and upper trapezius muscles was found in the experimental group, as compared to the control group. Greater amount of change in posture was found in the experimental group, as compared to the control group (p<0.05). Results : After the exercise program intervention, a greater amount of change in muscle tone and stiffness of suboccipital and upper trapezius muscles was found in the experimental group, as compared to the control group. Greater amount of change in posture was found in the experimental group, as compared to the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion : The neck-stabilizing exercise were shown to be effective in decreasing the tone of the cervical muscles by stabilizing the cervical bone and improving muscle activity, and in improving the posture by decreasing muscle tone and stiffness.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.117-122
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• 2021

Background: Flat-back posture refers to a posture in which the pelvis is tilted backward, the lumbar spine is bent, the upper thoracic spine is increasingly bent, and the lower thoracic spine is straight. Given that most of the day is spent sitting, we need to develop exercise programs and devices that are suitable for people who spend less time exercising than sitting. Objects: This study investigated the effects of resistance footrest exercise on spine posture angles in visual display terminal (VDT) workers with flat back. Methods: We measured the upper lumbar angle (ULA) and lower lumbar angle (LLA) using a flexible ruler for the ULA and LLA. Then, after 1 week of resistance footrest exercise designed to strengthen the lumbar spine musculature, we measured these angles again. We measured each angle three times and then compared measurements from before and after exercise. Results: There were no significant differences in the ULA following the strengthening exercise, but significant differences were observed in LLA. Conclusion: The resistance footrest exercise strengthened the muscles affecting the pelvic and lumbar lordotic angles, and increases in the LLA were changed. This suggests that the role of the lower lumbar spine in the lumbar lordotic curve is greater than that of the upper lumbar spine. In addition, considering the contemporary tendency to lead fairly sedentary lives, these results indicate that exercising while seated can be effective.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.147-155
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• 2021

Objective: This study is to investigate the effect of real-time feedback from the therapist on posture, muscle strength, pain of subjects with forward head posture based on a non-face-to-face complex exercise program. Design: Two-group pretest-posttest design. Methods: Thirty healthy men and women in their twenties with forward head posture with a Craniovertebral angle of 52° or less were targeted, the final selection was made as 15 experimental groups who performed the non-face-to-face intervention program while receiving real-time feedback and 15 control subjects who performed the non-face-to-face intervention program without providing feedback. Six of them were eliminated, and a total of 24 were conducted as subjects. All exercise groups performed an exercise program three times a week, 30 minutes each, for a total of two weeks. Before and after exercise, Craniovertebral angle (CVA), CranioRotation angle (CRA), muscle strength, and tenderness threshold were evaluated. Results: Significant differences were shown in both groups in CVA, and tenderness threshold before and after exercise (p<0.05), and CRA, the left middle trapezius muscle strength, only in the experimental group (p<0.05). In the comparison of theamount of change between exercise groups, the group that received feedback on CVA, CRA and tenderness threshold showed a significant change than the group without feedback (p<0.05). Conclusions: As a result of this study, it can be seen that the therapist's real-time feedback is more effective in improving the forward head posture. This requires feedback from the therapist on posture correction during non-face-to-face exercise intervention.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.71-81
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• 2024

Purpose : In this study, we compared the effects of ankle, McKenzie, and cervical stabilization exercises in individuals with a forward head posture. Outcome measures investigated included the neck disability index, craniovertebral angle (CVA), cranial rotation angle (CRA), and thickness of the longus colli muscle (LC) and carotid artery (CA) post-intervention. Methods : The study included 20 individuals with a forward head posture, who were assigned to an experimental group (EG, individuals performed ankle exercises) or control group (CG, individuals performed McKenzie and cervical stabilization exercises). The EG intervention was specifically designed to enhance proprioception in the ankle joint and strengthen the ankle muscles to improve overall stability and function. In contrast, CG interventions aimed to improve neck muscle balance and cervical spine alignment. Paired t-tests were used to analyze intragroup changes and independent t-tests to determine intergroup differences pre-and post-intervention. The significance level for all statistical tests was set at α=.05. Results : We observed significant post-intervention improvements in both groups, specifically, in the CVA, CRA, and LC and CA thickness (p<.05). These results indicate that ankle, McKenzie, and cervical stabilization exercises were useful for neck posture correction, improved muscle balance, and enhanced blood flow to the neck. Conclusion : This study underscores the positive effects of ankle, McKenzie, and cervical stabilization exercises in individuals with a forward head posture. Our study highlights the benefits of these exercises for posture correction and overall neck health and the clinical effectiveness and usefulness of ankle exercises as an important intervention to improve forward head posture.