• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.239-248
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• 1992

Two hundred sisty five patients who complained of neck pain with stiffness and pain of the suprascapular area were studied. In most cases the anatomical locations of pain were in the levator scapulae muscles or trapezius muscles. Hyperactivity of dorsal scapular nerve or spinal accessory nerve which innervate those muscles was thought to be responsible for these pains. The hyperactivity of the nerves may be due to the spasm of the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the scalenus medius muscle which the nerves meet during their courses to the levator scapulae or trapezius muscles. Therefore, spasmolytic treatment on the scalenus medius provided effective relief for neck or shoulder pain.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.271-277
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• 2009

Purpose: Scapular dyskinesis is an alteration in the normal position or motion of the scapula during coupled scapulohumeral movements. Vast majority of shoulder pathologies are known to be related with scapular motion abnormalities. Because there being enthusiasm about scapular pathology in recent literatures, understanding scapular dyskinesis seems to be an important subject. The authors describe the importance of scapular abnormality in terms of shoulder pathology. Materials and Methods: Usually the inhibition or disorganization of activation patterns in scapular stabilizing muscles lead to scapular dyskinesis. This motion abnormality has more important values in Elite Athletes because it might be the sign of future shoulder pathology; for example, SLAP and internal impingement. Treatment of scapular dyskinesis is directed at managing underlying causes and restoring normal scapular muscle activation patterns by kinetic chain-based rehabilitation protocols. Treatment is also important to prevent secondary shoulder injuries. Results and Conclusion: Understanding scapular pathology may be the main key to approach to the shoulder pathology. Also treating scapular pathology might be important in preventing secondary shoulder injuries.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 2013

PURPOSE: This study was to determine the effect of the plane of movement (sagittal plane vs. scapular plane) and shoulder flexion angle ($90^{\circ}$ vs. $130^{circ}$) during scapular protraction exercises in healthy subjects by investigating the elecromyographic (EMG) activities of the serratus anterior (SA), upper trapezius (UT), and pectoralis major (PM). METHODS: Twenty-one healthy subjects participated in this study. Subjects performed maximal scapular protraction at the $90^{\circ}$ or $130^{\circ}$ shoulder flexion angles in the sagittal or scapular planes. Surface EMG was recorded from the SA and UT, and PM muscles. Dependent variables were examined by 2 (plane) ${\times}$ 2 (angle) repeated measures of analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: Significantly increased EMG activities in the SA and UT were found during scapular protraction exercise at the $130^{\circ}$ shoulder flexion angle in the sagittal and scapular plane. Also, EMG activity of the PM significantly decreased at the $130^{\circ}$ shoulder flexion angle in the sagittal plane and the $90^{\circ}$ and $130^{\circ}$ shoulder flexion in the scapular plane. CONCLUSION: we recommend scapular protraction exercise at the $90^{\circ}$ shoulder flexion in the sagittal plane to selectively strengthen the SA muscle with limitation of upper trapezius activity and at the $130^{\circ}$ shoulder flexion in the scapular plane to selectively strengthen the SA muscle with limitation of pectoralis major activity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.9-16
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• 2015

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to identify the effects of shoulder abduction strength and EMG activities of the selected scapular and shoulder muscles during isometric shoulder abduction. METHODS: Thirty-four healthy young females were recruited for this study. Surface EMG equipment with inline force sensor was used to determine the shoulder abductor strength and the activity of the serratus anterior (SA), upper trapezius (UT), lower trapezius (LT), and middle deltoid (MD) during three shoe heel height conditions: (1) barefoot, (2) 3-cm shoe heel height, and (3) 7-cm shoe heel height. RESULTS: Isometric shoulder strength showed statistically significant difference among the conditions (p<0.05), and post-hoc test showed lower strength during the 7-cm condition ($49.98{\pm}17.56kg$) than during the barefoot ($44.97{\pm}20.15kg$) and 3-cm conditions ($36.59{\pm}17.07kg$). Furthermore, EMG activities of the SA, UT, and MD appeared to be statistically significantly different among the conditions, with lower values in the 7-cm condition compared to the barefoot condition (p<0.05). EMG ratios (MD/UT and SA/UT) were lower during the 7-cm condition than during the barefoot condition (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that isometric shoulder abduction strength and EMG activities of scapular and shoulder muscles may be adversely changed with increasing shoe heel height.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.1-6
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• 2012

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to examine activities of the scapular stabilizers during push-up plus and PNF backward rocking exercises. Methods : 9 subjects performed randomly push-up plus and PNF backward rocking exercises in four point kneeling. The activities of 4 scapular stabilizing muscles were compared between push-up plus and PNF backward rocking exercises. Results : PNF backward rocking exercise showed significantly higher lower trapezius and lower serratus anterior activations compared to push-up plus exercise. Push-up plus exercise showed significantly higher middle serratus anterior activation than PNF backward rocking exercise. Conclusion : PNF backward rocking exercise facilitates the lower trapezius and serratus anterior activations compared to push-up plus exercise.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.315-324
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• 2024

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the activation of shoulder stabilizer muscles to variations of manual resistance during three-dimensional shoulder rehabilitation exercises. Methods: A total of 13 participants were included in this study. To normalize each muscle's activity, a maximal isometric voluntary contraction was performed by all participants. After receiving 30 minutes of training in three-dimensional shoulder rehabilitation exercises, participants randomly performed PNF arm and scapular patterns according to the intensities of manual resistance. The activities of the upper trapezius, lower trapezius, and serratus anterior were measured during these patterns. All exercises were performed for five seconds, and the average of three seconds, excluding the first and last seconds, was used for data analysis. Results: Lower trapezius activity was significant among manual resistance intensities. In both the PNF arm and scapular patterns, using 80% manual resistance of maximum resistance showed higher activity of the lower trapezius muscle compared to 20% of the maximum resistance. Conclusion: It is expected that PNF arm and scapular patterns, with varying intensities of manual resistance, can be used for early rehabilitation of patients with shoulder impingement syndrome.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.943-951
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• 1999

Thoracic outlet syndrome's chief symptom has numbness and tingling sensation of tharm, hand and fingers. In the morning, patient complain of pins and needles of the hands and weakness. TOS classified three categories : Anterior scalene syndrome, Claviculocostal syndrome, Pectoralis minor syndrome Physical therapy of the TOS is heat, massage for soft tissue, stretching exercise for scalene muscles and pectoralis minor muscles, and strengthening exercise for upper trapezius and levator scapular and neck muscles. A main problem of soft tissue is mechanical causes, so physical therapists have to solve that problem by mechanical manual methods.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.60-67
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• 2017

Background: Scapular downward rotation syndrome (SDRS) is a common scapular alignment impairment that causes insufficient upward rotation and muscle imbalance, shortened levator scapulae (LS) and rhomboid, and lengthened serratus anterior (SA) and trapezius. A modified shrug exercise (MSE), performing a shrug exercise with the shoulders at $150^{\circ}$ abduction, is known as an effective exercise to increase scapular stabilizer muscle activation. Previous studies revealed that scapular exercise are more effective when combined with trunk stabilization exercises in decreasing scapular winging and increasing scapular stabilizer muscle activation. Objects: The purpose of our study was to clarify the effect of MSE with or without trunk stabilization exercises in subjects with SDRS. Methods: Eighteen volunteer subjects (male=10, female=8) with SDRS were recruited for this experiment. All subjects performed MSE under 3 different conditions: (1) MSE, (2) MSE with an abdominal draw-in maneuver (ADIM), and (3) MSE with an abdominal expansion maneuver (AEM). The muscle thickness of the lower trapezius (LT) and the SA were measured using an ultrasonography in each condition. Electromyography (EMG) data were collected from the LT, LS, SA, and upper trapezius (UT) muscle activities. Data were statistically analysed using one-way repeated analysis of variance at a significance level of .05. Results: The muscle thickness of the LT and the SA were the significant different in the MSE, MSE with ADIM (MSE+ADIM) and MSE with AEM (MSE+AEM) conditions (p<.05) In both LT and SA, the order of thick muscle thickness was MSE+AEM, MSE+ADIM, and MSE alone. No significant differences were found in the EMG activities of the SA, UT, LS, and LT in all condition. Conclusion: In conclusion, MSE is more beneficial to people with SDRS when combined with trunk stabilization exercises by increased thickness of scapular stabilizer muscles.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 1992

One hundred and four patients who complained of chest pain or back pain in the region between scapular were studied. In most cases, anatomical location of pain was in the rhomboid or serratus anterior muscle. Hyperactivity of dorsal scapular nerve or long thoracic nerve which innervate those muscles was thought to be responsible for the pain. The hyperactivity of the nerves may be due to the spasm of the scalenus medius muscle which the nerves meet during their course to the rhomboid or serratus anterior muscles. Therefore, spasmolytic treatment including trigger point injection, physical therapy, laser therapy, or NSAIDs may be effective for the treatment of chest pain or back pain.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.86-96
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• 2017

Background: Scapular dyskinesis is characterized by altered scapular position and motion. Specifically, excess activation of the Upper trapezius (UT) combined with decreased Lower trapezius (LT) and Serratus anterior (SA) have been observed. The Standard push-up plus exercise (SPP) is considered as a therapeutic exercise for increasing SA activity and maintaining the scapular kinematics. In addition, Using the Sling surface can lead to higher muscle activity. However, the advantage of an unstable surface has been uncertatin. Objects: To compare the activation of the UT, LT, and lower serratus anterior (LSA) muscles during various push-up plus exercises with and without sling in subjects with scapular dyskinesis. Methods: Total 18 male subjects with scapular dyskinesis were recruited. The UT, LT, and LSA electromyographic activities and the UT/LSA and UT/LT EMG activity ratios were measured during three push-up plus exercises with and without sling. Two-way repeated of analysis of variance was used to determine the statistical significance. Results: The UT activity was significantly lower in all postures without sling than that with sling. In addition, the LSA activity was significantly greater without than with sling, and significantly large in SPP, Low back supported push-up plus (LSPP), and Quadruped push-up plus. Additionally, the UT/LSA and UT/LT activity ratios were lower in SPP and LSPP without sling than with the other four push-up plus exercises. Conclusion: The push-up plus without sling were considered to decrease UT and increase LSA activity compared with exercises with sling. Furthermore, SPP without sling seems to be a more effective exercise for increasing LSA activity and lowering the UT/LSA and UT/LT activity ratios in scapular dyskinesis subjects.