• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.184-193
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• 2023

Background: Studies investigating the immediate effects of a single intervention to correct forward head posture are rare. Objects: This study aimed to compare the changes in treatment effects in patients with forward head posture and neck pain after manual and self-exercise therapy over a 1-hour period. Methods: Twenty-eight participants were randomly divided into manual and self-exercise therapy groups. Following the initial evaluation, manual or self-exercise therapy was applied to each group for 30 minutes each in the prone, supine, and sitting positions. The variables measured were the craniovertebral angle (CVA), stress level, pain level, and sternocleidomastoid (SCM) stiffness. After the intervention, re-evaluation was conducted immediately, 30 minutes later, and 1 hour later. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the maintenance of treatment effects between the two groups. Results: Based on the two-way mixed ANOVA variance, there was no interaction between the groups and time for all variables, and no main effects were found between the groups. However, a significant effect of time was observed (p < 0.05). Post hoc tests using Bonferroni's correction revealed that in both groups, the CVA, pain, and stress showed significant improvements immediately after the intervention compared with before the intervention, and these treatment effects were maintained for up to 1 hour after the treatment (p < 0.0083) in the manual therapy group. However, the stress level was maintained until 30 minutes later (p < 0.0083) in the self-exercise group. There was no significant decrease in right SCM stiffness before and after the intervention; however, left SCM stiffness significantly decreased after the self-exercise intervention (p < 0.0083). Conclusion: Both manual and self-exercise therapy for 30 minutes were effective in reducing forward head posture related to the CVA, pain, and stress levels. These effects persisted for at least 30 minutes.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.117-125
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• 2015

In the modern age, it is important for people to maintain a good sitting posture because they spend long hours sitting. Posture correction treatment requires a great deal of time and expenses with continuous observation by a specialist. Therefore, there is a need for a system with which users can judge and correct their postures on their own. In this study, we collected users' postures and judged whether they are normal or abnormal. To obtain a user's posture, we propose a four-joint motion capture system that uses inertial sensors. The system collects the subject's postures, and features are extracted from the collected data to build a database. The data in the DB are classified into normal and abnormal postures after posture learning using the K-means clustering algorithm. An experiment was performed to classify the posture from the joints' rotation angles and positions; the normal posture judgment reached a success rate of 99.79%. This result suggests that the features of the four joints can be used to judge and help correct a user's posture through application to a spinal disease prevention system in the future.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.95-109
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• 1997

The purpose of this research is to investigate the influence on mandibular movements and TMJ sounds with changes of head and neck posture. For the research, twenty patients who had complained of TMJ sounds without any other symptoms of cranio-mandibular disorders, were selected as subjects for measurements of TMJ sounds, and radiographs on transcranial view of TMJ were taken on ten of the subjects. From NHP, UHP, DHP and FHP, aspects of mandibular movement and TMJ sound were investigated from each posture. Aspects of mandibular movement and TMJ sound were observed by measuring total vibration energy(Integral), peak amplitude, maximum amound of mouth opening, and TMJ sound-emitting point using Sonopak for windows (version 1.33) and Bio-EGN(Bioresearch Inc. WI. U.S.A.). Head and neck movement-measuring instrument, CROM(perfomance attainment Inc. U.S.A.) was to maintain even head posture. Degrees of inclination of UHP and DHP were determined at 30' and distance of FHP was 4cm. The results obtained were as follows. 1. Total vibration energy and peak amplitude of TMJ sounds were decreased more on UHP and on UHP and increased more on DHP and FHP than that on NHP. 2. At the maximum mouth opening, distance of TMJ sound-emitting point were decreased more on UHP and increased more on DHP and FHP than that on NHP. 3. The amounts of the maximum mouth opening were increased more on UHP and decreased more on DHP and FHP than that on NHP. 4. For the changes of the head posture with mouth opening observed in radiograph, condylar head was positioned more lower-anteriorly on UHP, and more upper-posteriorly on DHP and FHP than that on NHP. From the results obtained as above, considering positive influence of the change of head and neck posture, avoiding down-head and forward-head posture, and recommending upper- head posture can prevent the progress of temporomandibular disorder and lead to successful treatment for the patients with temporomandibular joint sounds.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.31-42
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of visual and auditory feedback combined with theraband exercise in rounded shoulder posture. Methods: There were 43 adults with rounded shoulder posture who had a distance of 2.5 cm or more from the posterolateral of the acromion to the table in the supine position that participated. The participants were randomly divided into four groups: those with visual feedback from the lateral view (visual feedback; VFB, n = 11) provided, those with auditory feedback of praise (auditory feedback; AFB, n = 10) provided, those with visual feedback and auditory feedback (visual auditory feedback; VAFB, n = 11) provided, and those without any feedback (control group; CON, n = 11). Theraband exercise with or without feedback was carried out three times per week for three weeks. To confirm the effect of theraband exercise with visual feedback and auditory feedback on pain, range of motion (ROM), posture, and psychological variables were measured before and after exercise in participants with rounded shoulder posture. Results: The VAFB group showed significant differences in pain, ROM, posture, and psychological variables when compared before and after treatment. However, the differences among the VAFB, VFB, AFB, and CON groups were significant in the ROM of abduction, the New York Posture Rating, and the scapular index. Conclusion: In conclusion, theraband exercise combined with visual feedback from the lateral view and auditory feedback by praise improved rounded shoulder posture. Moreover, auditory feedback was more significant statistically than visual feedback.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.956-964
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of continuous muscle strengthening applied to the antagonist of the sternocleidomatoid, upper trapezius, and pectoralis major, which are the shortened muscles of forward head posture(FHP) subjects, and Evjenth-Hamberg stretching(EHS) applied to the shortened muscles on changes in pressure pain threshold(PPT). Twenty subjects were divided into the continuous antagonist strengthening(CAS) group(n=10) and the EHS group(n=10), and each group performed its respective exercise three times a week for a six week period. The results were as follows: The comparison of changes in PPT within each group before and after the treatment showed a statistically significant difference(p<.05) according to the treatment period and a statistically significant difference according to the treatment period and method(p<.05). While the comparison of the tests of between subjects effects between the groups did not show a statistically significant difference, the CAS group exhibited better effects. The above results suggest that the combined application of CAS and EHS generates better effects on changes in PPT than the single application of EHS. Given that stretching and muscle strengthening exercises even for the short research period of six weeks could change the PPT, continuous exercises and a correct postural habit for a longer period of time are likely to help prevent chronic pain and correct FHP.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.375-382
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• 2019

Objectives: This study was to examine the features of work and posture analysis outputs in assessment of exposure to musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk factors in general hospital nurses. Methods: Work and posture analyses were carried out using observational approaches for nurses at general hospitals across Korea. With development of a taxonomy for assessing exposure to MSD risk factors, nursing tasks were documented in frequency (%time) for 8 hours a day in work analyses. Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) scores were obtained for mode and maximum risk levels, respectively, during posture analyses. Results: A total of 27 nurses were observed while conducting 7 nursing tasks at 6 general hospitals. For both the work analyses and posture analyses, the taxonomy was developed and used. In the work analyses, 'Video display terminal task' and 'Nursing examination/ treatment' were the highest as 25%time for 8 hours a day, followed by 'Patient care' and 'Room rounding' as 13%time in order. In the posture analyses, the mode REBA scores were 2 or less for all nursing tasks while the maximum REBA scores were 7 for upper limbs at 'Room rounding' and 6 for trunk/neck/legs at 'Patient care'. Conclusions: The results showed the study nurses are occasionally at a risk for MSD, a medium level as designated in the REBA risk level, suggesting that it is important to control awkward posture at the nursing tasks such as 'Room rounding' and 'Patient care', in priority, for preventing MSD in the hospital sector including the study general hospitals.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.87-93
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• 2023

In this paper, we propose a system that accurately and efficiently determines forward head posture based on network learning by analyzing the user's skeletal posture. Forward head posture syndrome is a condition in which the forward head posture is changed by keeping the neck in a bent forward position for a long time, causing pain in the back, shoulders, and lower back, and it is known that daily posture habits are more effective than surgery or drug treatment. Existing methods use convolutional neural networks using webcams, and these approaches are affected by the brightness, lighting, skin color, etc. of the image, so there is a problem that they are only performed for a specific person. To alleviate this problem, this paper extracts the skeleton from the image and learns the data corresponding to the side rather than the frontal view to find the forward head posture more efficiently and accurately than the previous method. The results show that the accuracy is improved in various experimental scenes compared to the previous method.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.543-551
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• 2018

This study investigated the effects of corrective exercise and TECAR on cervical alignment, pain threshold, and pain in forward head posture patients. The subject includes 30 forward head posture patients. In the intervention methods, the experimental group combined corrective exercise and TECAR treatment. Only the corrective exercise was applied to the control group. Assessments were made on cervico vertebra angle (CV angle), pain pressure threshold (PPT) and neck disability index (NDI) visual analog scale (VAS). The intervention was conducted six times a week for two weeks. Both groups showed significant differences in CV angle, PPT, NDI, and VAS. Also, PPT, NDI, and VAS excluding CV angle were significantly improved in the study group compared to the control group. These results suggest that the intervention method that combines corrective exercise and TECAR treatment has a more positive effect on pain and ADL ability of forward head posture patient.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.48-54
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of exercise programs according to various music tempo on pain, posture, and function of automobile parts manufacturing workers. Design: Two-group pretest-posttest design. Methods: This study was an exercise program tailored to the prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal diseases were performed for a total of 4 weeks and 3 times a week for 60 minutes. The exercise program consisted of customized exercises according to the characteristics of the subject's musculoskeletal system. The subject provided music during the exercise program, and the group who applied the fast tempo music listened to the music of 120~140 bpm, and the group who applied the slow tempo music listened to the music of the low tempo of 60~80 bpm. Results: Significant differences were found in pain and physical function before and after the fast tempo music group and the slow tempo music group (p<0.01). However, there was a significant difference in posture characteristics only in the fast tempo music group (p<0.01). In terms of pain, physical function, and posture characteristics, the fast tempo music group showed significant improvement compared to the slow music tempo group (p<0.05). Conclusions: A customized exercise program using fast-tempo music and slow-tempo music to workers in the automobile parts manufacturing industry, significant differences in pain, physical function, and posture characteristics applied with fast-tempo music were found. In the future, applying an exercise program with a fast tempo is expected to help improve musculoskeletal disorders.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.31-41
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• 2017

Background: The purpose of this study was investigate the effects of scapular posture correction taping in painful shoulders with breast cancer women. Method: This study was carried out with a total 35 breast cancer survivors. The subjects were randomized into women a breast cancer taping group (BT, n=15), a breast cancer posture group (BP, n=16). Outcomes such as the Quadruple Visual Analogue Scale, the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, the muscle strength, and the Quality of Life Questionnaire-cancer were measured before the training and at 4 weeks and 12 weeks after intervention. Result: There were significant variations shoulder pain, dysfunction and Range of Motion among the groups and between points in time (p<.05). However, there was no significant difference upper extremity posture between BT and BP. There were significant variations all ROM muscle strength between the groups and between points in time (p<.05). Conclusion: Applying taping treatment to breast cancer patients proved to decrease in pain and significant in dysfunction. There were significant increase in range of motion.