• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.13-20
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• 2019

PURPOSE: Sitting with crossed legs may have an effect on maintaining a healthy body posture and proper functioning of the respiratory system. Thus, this study's objective was to identify whether or not sitting with crossed legs affects the vertebral angle, chest wall mobility, the pulmonary function, and the activity of the respiratory muscles. METHODS: Thirty healthy subjects were recruited for this study (16 males and 14 females). The vertebral angle, chest wall mobility, pulmonary function, and the activity of the respiratory muscle were measured while the subjects sat in the correct posture and these factors were again measured with the subjects seated with their legs crossed. Three-dimensional motion analysis was used to determine the trunk and lumbar vertebral angles. Surface electromyography was employed to measure the sternocleidomastoid, the rectus abdominis, and the external and internal oblique abdominis muscles. A tapeline was utilized to evaluate the subjects' chest wall mobility. Spirometry was assessed to determine the forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in one second. Paired t-tests were then performed (p<.05). RESULTS: There were significant differences in the trunk and lumbar flexion angles, the chest wall mobility, the activity of the right external oblique muscle, and the left internal oblique abdominis muscle. However, the difference in pulmonary function did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSION: A crossed leg posture caused slight thoracic extension and lumbar flexion, which may lead to a decrease of the chest wall mobility and also to an imbalance of the abdominal muscles. Therefore, sitting with a crossed leg posture should be avoided. Yet a crossed leg posture did not have any clinical effect on the pulmonary function of healthy people. It may be necessary to study the effects of sitting with crossed legs over an extended period of time for patients suffering with impaired respiratory function.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.123-134
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• 2009

Objectives : We supposed that abdominal muscles are related to chronic cough, because abdominal pressure and respiratory muscles are influenced by abdominal muscle function. We have evaluated the effect of myofacial releasing of abdominal muscles with oriental medical treatment by experimenting two patients suffering from chronic cough. Methods : One patient was treated with acupuncture therapy and muscle stretching exercise for myofacial releasing of abdominal muscle. The other patient was treated with hot pack therapy and abdominal respiration training for myofacial releasing of abdominal muscle. Results and Conclusions : After oriental medical treatment of abdominal muscles in two cases, We figured out that the patients were on the mend. These results suggest that myofacial releasing of abdominal muscles using oriental medical treatment was effective in improving chronic cough.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.137-146
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• 2020

Purpose : The enhancement of abdominal muscles increases the activation and contraction of respiratory muscles, including the diaphragm. Generally, diaphragm exercises are applied to increase the breathing ability of patients with respiratory disease. Previous studies have shown that breathing capacity can be increased through abdominal muscle strengthening exercises. However, studies on breathing ability are rare and it is doubtful whether these affect respiratory ability more than diaphragm exercises. Therefore, this study seeks to compare whether abdominal exercises can improve breathing ability and whether any increase is comparable to diaphragm exercises. Methods : After selecting subjects, the place of intervention was separated for blindness. The plank group was allowed to relax for 30 seconds after 30 seconds of planking; this was set at three and increased by one set each week. Subjects in the draw-in group were allowed to relax for 30 seconds after maintaining the draw-in contraction state for 30 seconds and this was done for 15 minutes. Subjects in the control group underwent abdominal dilation for five seconds of inspiration time and expired air for five seconds by exposing the lips; breathing was performed repeatedly for 15 minutes. Subjects in each group measured their respiration function three times before intervention, three weeks after the commencement of intervention and after intervention. Spirovit SP-1 was used to measure respiratory function. In each group, repeated ANOVA was used to compare the respiratory function over time and one-way ANOVA was used to compare the respiratory function between groups. The post hoc was conducted using the LSD method. Results : There was a significant increase in respiratory ability between the forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁) and peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁)/forced vital capacity (FVC) according to the six-week period. However, there was no difference between each group. Conclusion : For patients with low respiratory muscle strength, plank exercises and abdominal draw-in are beneficial exercises for improving respiratory function. These are expected to be widely used in clinical practice for patients with weak respiratory muscles.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.236-241
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• 2019

Lumbar stabilization exercise is a popular exercise method in recent clinicians, as it strengthens muscles around the spine and abdominal muscles, but there is a lack of research on the effects of pulmonary function and respiratory pressure. So, this study examined whether abdominal bracing exercise, a typical lumbar stabilization exercise, was effective in pulmonary function and respiratory pressure. In this study, a total of 20's 40 subjects were recruited and randomly divided into an abdominal bracing exercise group(n=20) and control group(n=20). Abdominal exercise group underwent 25 minutes of exercise. Pulmonary function and respiratory pressure values were measured to analyze respiratory function. As a results of the experimental group, there were significant improvements in FVC, FEV1, PEF and MEP(p<.05) and there was a significant difference in the comparison between groups, except the MIP. These results suggest that abdominal bracing exercise can be presented as effective exercises to improve respiratory function.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.108-114
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• 2015

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect on vital capacity (VC) and inspiratory muscle activation according to the anterior and posterior pelvic tilt positions. Design: One group pretest-posttest design. Methods: Twenty-six healthy adult men and women, age 19 to 27 years, volunteered to participate in this study. Forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory volume in 1 second ($FEV_1$) were measured by desktop spirometer in the pelvic positions during respiration, and muscle activation was recorded from sternocleidomastoid, upper trapezius, external intercostal, rectus abdominis, and external oblique muscles by surface electromyography (EMG) at the same time. EMG values were normalized by maximum muscle contractions (% maximum voluntary isometric contraction). Subjects were to breathe in as much air as possible and then exhale as quickly as possible in both anterior and posterior pelvic tilt positions. To measure lung capacity, inspiration was measured for 5 seconds and expiration was measured for 7 seconds with data collection taken place during the middle three seconds. Lung capacities were measured in each position three times. Results: For the results of this study, there was a significant increase in both FVC and $FEV_1$ values during the anterior pelvic tilting compared to the posterior pelvic tilting posture (p<0.05). The sternocleidomastoid, upper trapezius muscle, rectus abdominus and external oblique muscle activation was significantly increased during anterior pelvic tilt compared to the posterior pelvic tilt position (p<0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that pelvic anterior tilt position could be more effective for vital capacity and respiratory muscles activation during respiration.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.234-239
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• 2015

Purpose: This study is not a fragmentary study on characteristics of respiratory synergist when breathing, however it was intended to determine the effect of currently available respiratory exercise and to provide basic clinical information through investigation of oxygen demand and respiratory synergist that mobilizes for respiration during application of respiratory exercise. Methods: Experimental group I was selected from second grade of severity classification of GOLD, which has the highest percentage among patients with COPD, and experimental group II was selected from third grade of severity classification as a clinical sampling. After respiration pursing up lips and diaphragm respiration exercise were mediated together for six weeks, activity of respiratory muscles and oxygen saturation were measured and analyzed. Results: In comparison of change of respiratory synergist and oxygen saturation, activity of respiratory synergist in sternocleidomastoid muscle and scalene muscle showed a meaningful decrease in experimental group I. And, in comparison of change of respiratory synergist and oxygen saturation, activity of respiratory synergist in rectus abdominis muscle showed a meaningful increase in experimental group II. In comparison of change of respiratory synergist and oxygen saturation, activity of respiratory synergist in sternocleidomastoid muscle, scalene muscle, and rectus abdominis muscle showed a meaningful difference between experimental groups. Conclusion: Respiratory synergists work mainly as agonist of chest and upper limbs. Therefore it is very important to lower mobilization of respiratory synergist when breathing. It is considered that a multilateral approach and continued clinical research for improvement of respiratory function for patients with COPD will be needed in the future.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.398-405
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• 2021

Objective: The interest of clinicians is increasing due to the newly established medical insurance for pulmonary rehabilitation. Improvement of respiratory muscle strength and pulmonary function is an important factor in pulmonary rehabilitation, and this study aims to investigate the correlation between changes in respiratory muscle contraction thickness that can affect respiratory muscle strength and pulmonary function. Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Methods: Thirty-one subjects (male=13, female=18) participated in this study. The respiratory muscle strength was measured by dividing it into inspiratory/forced expiratory muscles, and the pulmonary function was measured by forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), and FEV1/FVC. To evaluate the respiratory muscle length increase, in resting and concentric contraction thickness of diaphragm, external/internal oblique, transverse abdominis, and rectus abdominis were measured by using ultrasonography. Results: Inspiratory muscle strength showed a significant correlation with the length increase of the inspiratory muscle (r=0.368~0.521, p<0.05), and forced expiratory muscle strength showed a significant correlation with length increase of forced expiratory muscle (r=0.356~0.455, p<0.05). However, pulmonary function was not correlated with the length increase of the respiratory muscle. Conclusions: In this study, a correlation between respiratory muscle strength and respiratory muscle length increase was confirmed, but no correlation with the pulmonary function was found. It is considered that the respiratory muscle strength can be improved by increasing the respiratory muscle thickness through appropriate respiratory muscle training.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.63-71
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• 2007

Objective : Respiratory muscle weakness and decreased chest mobility has been suggested to result from the deconditioning that accompanied activity level in chronic elderly stokes. The benefits of respiratory exercise programmes on exercise capacity and muscle strength in hemiplegia. This study aimed to determine the effects of selective inspiratory and expiratory muscles training and chest mobility exercise on patients with strokes to establish if an improved exercise capacity can be obtained in patients that are not limited in their daily activities. Methods & Intervention : Twelve patients were assigned to the intensive respiratory exercise group participated in a measures design that evaluated the subjects with pre-treatment and post-treatment. Thirteen subjects who were assigned to a control group received training with breathing exercise and resistance exercise of skeletal muscles. The subjects performed spirometry then undertook a 6-week programme of respiratory muscle and chest mobility training. Training for the two groups was carried out 2 times a week for 6 weeks. Measurements and Results : Spirometry(Forced Vital Capacity: FVC and Closed Circuit Spiromety: CCS) and thoracic mobility were measured before and after the 6 weeks. The experimental group improved significantly compared to control group in FVC, $FEV_1$, MVV, IRV and ERV, and upper chest wall expansion(p<0.05). No significant improvement was seen in thoracic mobility or lung function in control group(p>0.05). Conclusion : The major findings in this study were that a intensive 6week exercise programme of resistive breathing and chest mobility in patients with hemiplegia led to an increase in lung capacity. The resistive breathing exercise programme used here resulted in a significant increase in the chest excursion during breathing.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.73 no.6
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• pp.312-319
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• 2012

Background: Muscle wasting in sepsis is associated with increased proteolysis. Interleukin-15 (IL-15) has been characterized as an anabolic factor for skeletal muscles. Our study aims to investigate the role of IL-15 in sepsis-induced muscle atrophy and proteolysis. Methods: Mice were rendered septic either by cecal ligation and puncture or by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 mg/kg i.p.). Expression of IL-15 mRNA and protein was determined by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis in the control and septic limb muscles. C2C12 skeletal muscle cells were stimulated in vitro with either LPS or dexamethasone in the presence and absence of IL-15 and sampled at different time intervals (24, 48, or 72 hours). IL-15 ($10{\mu}g/kg$) was intraperitoneally administered 6 hours before sepsis induction and limb muscles were sampled after 24 hours of sepsis. Cathepsin L activity was determined to measure muscle proteolysis. Atrogin-1 and muscle-specific ring finger protein 1 (MuRF1) expressions in limb muscle protein lysates was analyzed. Results: IL-15 mRNA expression was significantly lower in the limb muscles of septic mice compared to that of controls. Cathepsin L activity in C2C12 cells was significantly lower in presence of IL-15, when compared to that observed with individual treatments of LPS or dexamethasone or tumor necrosis factor ${\alpha}$. Further, the limb muscles of mice pre-treated with IL-15 prior to sepsis induction showed a lower expression of atrogin-1 and MuRF1 than those not pre-treated. Conclusion: IL-15 may play a role in protection against sepsis-induced muscle wasting; thereby, serving as a potential therapeutic target for sepsis-induced skeletal muscle wasting and proteolysis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 2016

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of passive stretching exercises of the scalene muscles known as respiratory accessory muscles, on forced vital capacity. METHODS: Ten of the participants were randomly selected as an experiment group to perform passive stretching exercises on the scalene muscles. Ten additional students were selected randomly as a control group. The forced vital capacity was assessed by using a digital spirometer (Pony FX, COSMED Inc, Italy) both before and after the passive stretching exercises were performed. Subsequently, passive stretching exercises of the scalene muscles were performed in the experimental group. There were no interventions to the control group. RESULTS: As for the forced vital capacity (FVC), the experiment group showed significant increase in items of forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second ($FEV_1$), peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced expiratory volume in 1 second/vital capacity ($FEV_1/VC$), and maximal expiratory flow 75%(MEF 75%) after the scalenemuscles passive stretching exercises were performed. The control group, however, showed no change. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that passive stretching exercises of the scalene muscles could be helpful for forced vital capacity improvement.