• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.127-137
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• 2001

Low back pain is significant problem in today's society, with lifetime incidence rate reported between 50% and 90%. Many factors associated with LBP are reported. The purpose of this studies were to be evaluated static standing posture aberrations in chronic LBP in comparison with healthy individuals. The samples including 80 subjects recruited to the following two groups:patients and control(normal) Questionnaires were completed by 40 LBP patients and 40 controls at the department of Physical Therapy, Saejong neurosurgical clinic in Taegu city from October 1, 1999 to March 30, 2000. The angle of lumbar lordosis was measured on lateral x-ray films with standing position. In LBP groups. the mean degree of lumbar lordosis, sacral inclination, and lumbosacral joint angle were 29.9 ${\pm}$ 9.3, 34.8 ${\pm}$ 8.2, and 12.7 ${\pm}$ 5.7 respectively. Control groups, the mean degree of lumbar lordosis, sacral inclination and lumbosacral joint angle were 35.3 ${\pm}$ 7.8, 34.9 ${\pm}$ 6.4 and 12.5 ${\pm}$ 4.3 respectively. there were significantly decreaseds in lumbar lordosis in Low back pain group. lumbar lordosis on the working posture had significant differences among groups(sitting position patients 31.4 ${\pm}$ 9.3, standing position patients 29.4 ${\pm}$ 9.3, sitting position control 35.0 ${\pm}$ 6.4, standing position control 35.5 ${\pm}$ 8.8, respectively) (p=0.034). sacral inclination on the working posture had differences among groups(sitting position patients 35.9 ${\pm}$ 8.7.standing position patients 33.6 ${\pm}$ 7.6, sitting position control 33.9 ${\pm}$ 5.9. standing position control 35.6 ${\pm}$ 6.8, respectively). lumbersacral joint angle on the working Posture had differences among groups(sitting position patients 12.0 ${\pm}$ 5.6, standing position patients 13.4 ${\pm}$ 5.9, sitting position control 11.2 ${\pm}$ 3.0. standing position control 13.4$^{\circ}$, respectively).

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2212-2218
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of different sitting postures on range of motion, strength and proprioceptive sense of neck. Fifteen healthy university students participated in the study. Depending on upright sitting position and slump sitting position, range of motion and joint position sense were measured by using Dualer IQ. Also, the maximum isometric strength and force sense were measured by using linear force. As a result, we found that the maximum angle of neck extension and the maximum isometric strength at flexion were significantly higher in upright posture than in slump posture. Also, the maximum angle of neck flexion and the maximum isometric strength at extension were higher in slump posture than in upright posture. According to the result, proper proprioception can have an beneficial effect on postural revision of neck and body by providing the information that cognize the position of head through and sustain upright posture.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.16-23
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects postural changes on respiratory muscles and acoustic parameters of the children with spastic cerebral palsy. Nine children with spastic cerebral palsy who required assistance when walking were selected. The ages of the children ranged from 6 to 9 years old. The phonation of the sustained vowel /a/ and the voice qualities of each child such as fundamental frequency($F_0$; Hz), pitch variation (Jitter; %), amplitude variation (Shimmer; %) and noise to harmonic ratio (NHR) were analyzed by Multi-Dimensional Voice Program (MDVP). The muscle activity of three major respiratory muscles: pectoralis major muscle, upper trapezius muscle and rectus abdorminalis muscle, were measured by examining the root mean square (RMS) of the surface EMG to investigate the impact of changes in the adjusted sitting posture of each subject. However, the RMS of pectoralis major muscle showed a significant differences (p<.05). Secondly, there were no significant differences in $F_0$, Jitter and Shimmer between pre and post posture change, but there was a significant difference in NHR (p<.05). The data were collected in each individual; once prior and once after the sitting posture change. The data were analyzed by Wilcoxon signed ranks-test using SPSS version 14.0 for Windows. The findings of this study were as follows; Firstly, the RMS of upper trapezius and rectus abdorminalis muscle were not significant different between pre and post sitting posture changes. From the result, it is concluded that changes in the adjusted sitting posture decreases the abnormal respiratory patterns in the children with spastic cerebral palsy which is characterized by the hyperactivity of the respiratory muscles in breathing. Also, there is increased on the voice qualities in children with spastic cerebral palsy.

• 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.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.212-219
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• 2017

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a major problem for office workers. Individuals adopting poor postures during prolonged sitting have a considerably increased risk of experiencing LBP. This study aimed to investigate seat pressure distribution characteristics, i.e., average pressure, peak pressure ratio, frequency of postural shift, and body perceived discomfort (BPD), during 1 hour of sitting among office workers with and without chronic LBP. Methods: Forty-six participants (chronic LBP = 23, control = 23) typed a standardized text passage at a computer work station for an hour. A seat pressure mat device was used to collect the seat pressure distribution data. Body discomfort was assessed using the Body Perceived Discomfort scale. Results: Office workers with chronic LBP sat significantly more asymmetrically than their healthy counterparts. During 1-hour sitting, all workers appeared to assume slumped sitting postures after 20 minutes of sitting. Healthy workers had significantly more frequent postural shifts than chronic LBP workers during prolonged sitting. Conclusion: Different sitting characteristics between healthy and chronic LBP participants during 1 hour of sitting were found, including symmetry of sitting posture and frequency of postural shift. Further research should examine the roles of these sitting characteristics on the development of LBP.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.66-75
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• 2017

Background: After a stroke, the control of the trunk muscle may be severely impaired. Due to the importance of trunk control in complex daily postures, the ability to adopt a correct sitting posture is considered a determinant of the recovery of independent function after a stroke. Objects: The purposes of this study were to compare differences in buttock pressure between the left and right sides of hemiplegic patients and differences in their pelvic tilting angles (sagittal and coronal planes) after sitting training with visual biofeedback (VBF) in real time. Methods: Twenty-two individuals with unilateral strokes (11 left-side and 11 right-side hemiplegic stroke patients) participated in this study. Buttock pressure was measured using a pressure mat, and pelvic angles were measured using a palpation meter. Results: The asymmetry of pressure between the right and left (first and third chamber) sides was significantly decreased after the VBF training. The measurements obtained using the palpation meter revealed a significant decrease in the pelvic angles pre- versus post-intervention. Conclusion: VBF training may be distribute a patient's buttock pressure equally while in a sitting posture and increase the length of time a stroke patient can maintain a symmetrical sitting posture. It can also improve pelvic control while sitting in a neutral position.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.207-214
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• 1996

Main cause of low back pain is a poor posture. Most low back pains are due to a poor posture. The poor posture induces muscle tension and finaliy low back pain. The poor posture arehabitually trained from the childhood by the environmetal factors. In general, maintaining good posture during working and sleeping hours are the first line of defence against back pam. (1) Supine posture is the easiest posture that relaxes and fixes muscles. Supine posture is thus a starting position for on exercise. Lying down releases the weight pressures of head and shoulder and thus body can be relaxed and extended which are helpful for treating back pain. However, supine posture can increase the pressure in ribcage posture aspect and disphragram due to visceral oragans. (2) Sitting in one position for a long time results in fatigue and relaxation of spinal muscies. Finally, body strength is weakened and sitting posture will become poor. If this poor posture continues for a longer time, pain will be accompanied due to overelongation of muscle ligaments. The habitual poor posture could induce intervertebral disc distortion. If the intervertebral disc is damaged, sitting in one position or movement causes pain. (3) Abnormal lumbar curve induces the tention of abdominal muscle and paravertebral muscle groups as well as tention of lower limb muscle group connected to pelvis. For a person with weak body strength, muscle relaxation increases curvature in lumbar, chest and cervical regions. This will induce a pelvic anterior tilting of the imaginary line between A. S. I. S. and P. S. I. S. Hip joint extensor muscle acts on releasing the pelvic anterior tilting. Contrections of hamstring muscle and femoral muscle recover the imaginary line between A.S.LS. and P.S.I.S. from pelvic anterior tilting. thus, contraction of rectus abdominis muscle are required to maintain the normal lumbar curve.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.14 no.1_4
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• pp.55-60
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• 2007

The purpose of this case report is to investigate whether an attempt to hold the repeated upright posture under blocking the patient's vision affects the deficits to push away from the paralytic side and the relapse time from down to stand up position without push away in patients with hemiplegia with pusher syndrome. Two hemiplegic patients with pusher syndrome were assessed. The task was performed 4 times per day for 6 weeks. The modified barthel index (MBI) was performed to assess activities of daily living (ADL). For assessing balance, the "balanced sitting" and "sit to stand" are analyzed using by modified motor assessment scale (MMAS). The scale for contraversive pushing (SCP) was used for determination of push away from paralyzed side. MBI, MMAS and SCP were assessed before and after trial of the task. In patient 1, total score of the scale is 0 in sitting posture and standing posture within 3 weeks and 4 weeks, respectively, In patient 2, total score of the scale is 0 in sitting posture and standing posture within 4 weeks and 6 weeks, respectively. These results demonstrated that pusher syndrome was completely resolved in at least 6 weeks. Our findings indicate that this physical therapy seems to be relevant for the hemiplegic patients with pusher syndrome.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.285-291
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• 2015

In this paper, we propose a classification algorithm for postures of sitting person by using IMU(inertial measurement unit). This algorithm uses PCA(principle component analysis) for decreasing the number of feature vectors to three and SVM(support vector machine) with RBF(radial basis function) kernel for classifying posture types. In order to collect the data, we designed neckband-shaped earphones with IMU, and applied it to three subjects who are healthy adults. Subjects were experimented three sitting postures, which are neutral posture, smartphoning, and writing. As the result, our PCA-SVM algorithm showed 95% confidence while the dimension of the feature vectors was reduced to 25%.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.17-23
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• 2018

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the respiratory cycle and posture can modulate the autonomic nervous system. Methods : Thirty-two healthy men and women, aged 20-30 years, were enrolled in this study. We conducted 2-second and 6-second respiratory cycle with the subjects in standing, sitting, and supine positions, respectively. Their heart rate variability was measured in each position for both cycle lengths. Results : The low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio is derived from heart rate variability. In the 2-second respiratory cycles, the LF/HF ratios were highest in standing, sitting, and supine position in descending order. There was a significant difference in heart rate between standing and sitting positions (P<.005). In addition, there was a significant difference in heart rate between standing and supine position (P<.000). In the 6-second respiratory cycles, the LF/HF ratios were again highest in a standing, sitting, and supine position in descending order. However, posture was not found to make a significant difference in this case. Conclusion : Respiratory cycle and posture effectively modulated the autonomic nervous system. Further studies of the clinical application of these results should be conducted.