• PNF and Movement
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.345-356
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• 2023

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of physical therapy combined with a virtual reality (VR) game on pain, quality of life (QOL), engagement, and knee function in post-knee-surgery patients. Methods: Twenty-four patients who had undergone knee surgery four weeks or more before the study were recruited. Two withdrew from the study during the four-week experimental period, and a total of 22 patients were included in the final analysis. Routine physical therapy consisting of electrostimulation (10 min.) and therapeutic massage (10 min.) was the base intervention for all groups. The experimental group (n = 10) was additionally exposed to a VR game intervention, while the control group (n = 12) underwent an intervention involving similar motions as the experimental intervention but with no VR. The intervention for the experimental group used the game Rig Fit Adventure on Nintendo switch. Both groups underwent their respective interventions 3 times a week (35 min. per session) for 4 weeks. Pain was assessed using the numeric rating scale (NRS), and QOL was assessed using the EuroQol five-dimensional five-level questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L). Engagement was assessed using the Korea flow state scale (K-FSS). Finally, knee movement and function were assessed based on knee flexion and extension, range of motion (ROM), and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC). Results: After the four-week physical therapy, both groups showed significant reductions in pain (on the NRS), increased knee ROM (flexion), better WOMAC scores, and increased EQ-5D-5L scores (p < 0.05), with the experimental group showing significantly better improvements in EQ-5D-5L and K-FSS scores (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study confirm that a VR-game-integrated intervention is effective for improving pain, QOL, engagement, and knee function in post-knee surgery patients and that VR-game-integrated interventions could be therapeutic alternatives for patients bedridden for prolonged periods with little motivation for rehabilitation.

• PNF and Movement
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.275-288
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• 2024

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of breathing techniques on trunk muscle activity and balance during Pilates reformer footwork exercises, comparing results both within and between groups before and after the intervention. Methods: Thirty-one adult women over the age of 20 were selected as subjects for this study. They were divided into a Pilates breathing group (n = 15) and a general breathing group (n = 16) using a randomized control group study design. A surface electromyogram was used to measure muscle activity within and between the groups before and after the reformer footwork exercise. Static balance measurements were taken while standing on two legs, and dynamic balance measurements were taken while standing on one leg. All measurements were taken three times, and the average values were used for analysis. Results: The results of the study showed that muscle activity increased with significant differences in the external oblique and transverse abdominal muscles after exercise in the pre-post comparison within the Pilates breathing group (p < 0.05). In the between-group comparison, there was a significant difference in the increase in muscle activity of the external oblique and transverse abdominal muscles in the Pilates breathing group (p < 0.05). In the pre-post comparison of static and dynamic balance within the Pilates breathing group, there was a significant increase (p < 0.05) after exercise. The Pilates breathing group also showed a significant increase even in the between-group comparison (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study confirmed that reformer footwork exercise accompanied by Pilates breathing has positive effects on muscle activity and static balance ability of trunk muscles in adult women. Therefore, reformer footwork exercise accompanied by Pilates breathing can be presented as an effective exercise method to increase trunk stability and balance ability through the simultaneous activity of the trunk muscles.