• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.111-116
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• 2018

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of tote bag weight on muscle thickness of pectroalis minor and tone of upper trapezius in young adult women. 27 women habitual of carrying tote bags. The subjects were measured the tone of the upper trapezius muscle and the thickness of the pectoralis minor muscle while carrying tote bags with the weight of 0%, 5%, 7.5% and 10% of the subjects' body weight. As the weight load increased, the upper trapezius muscle demonstrated significantly increased muscle tone (p<.05). additionally, a significantly increased thickness in the pectoralis minor muscle was noted(p<.05). These findings suggest that the habit of carrying a tote bag on the wrist may be disadvantageous to improving the two muscles in young women. Therefore, this study recommend women who likely used tote bag decrease the weight of the bag.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.852-858
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to provide fundamental clinical data for the treatment plan and rehabilitation of patients with cervical hypolordosis by comparing the cervical headache and muscle activity after cervical stretching exercise and cervical traction, which are generally applied to patients with cervical hypolordosis. The research subjects included 20 patients without gender division who were diagnosed with cervical hypolordosis. After applying cervical stretching exercise and cervical traction for six weeks, cervical headache and the activity of the muscles around the cervical vertebra(upper trapezius muscle, sternocleidomastoid muscle, splenius capitis muscle, and anterior temporal muscle) were investigated and the following results were obtained. In a comparison of the within group intervention effects of the two groups, cervical pain statistically significantly decreased in the cervical stretching exercise group. According to the results of analyzing the change of muscle tension in the upper trapezius muscle, both the cervical traction group and showed a statistically significant within group difference in the left and right side. According to the results of analyzing the change in the muscle tension of the splenius capitis muscle, both groups showed a statistically significant within group difference in the left and right side. In a between-group comparison, a statistically significant difference in the right side was observed. These results confirm that cervical vertebra traction and cervical stretching exercise decrease the cervical headache and muscle activity of the upper trapezius muscle and the splenius capitis muscle among patients with cervical hypolordosis.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.23-34
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• 2022

Purpose : This study examined the effects of pain, neck dysfunction, psychosocial level, headache impact test (HIT), postural alignment, and trapezius muscle tone of the complex exercise program using dynamic taping in patients with tension headache and chronic neck pain with forward head posture. Methods : The design of this is a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Thirty-four patients with chronic neck pain were screened using a randomized assignment program and assigned to experimental group (n=17) and control group (n=17). Both groups underwent a complex exercise program. In addition, the experimental group dynamic taping was applied to the upper trapezius muscle. All interventions were applied three times per week for four weeks. The visual analogue scale (VAS), the neck disability index (NDI), short form-12 health survey questionnaire (SF-12), Headache impact test-6 (HIT-6), Craniovertebral angle (CVA), Cranial rotation angle (CRA), upper trapezius muscle tone were compared to evaluate the effect on intervention. Results : Both groups showed significant differences before and after the intervention in VAS, NDI, SF-12, HIT-6, and CVA, CRA (p<.05). In addition, significant differences in NDI and upper trapezius muscle tone were observed between the experimental group and control group (p<.05). Conclusion : A complex exercise program using dynamic taping for patients with tension headache and chronic neck pain with forward head posture are effective method with clinical significance in improving the function and reducing upper trapezius muscle tone.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.95-100
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• 2016

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of hand grip strength on the muscle activation of shoulder joint in breast cancer patients. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Ten breast cancer patients who agreed to active participation were included. These patients were operated with either conservative surgery or segmental mastectomy, and then were treated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The activity of the upper trapezius, lower trapezius, supraspinatus and serratus anterior muscle were measured using surface electrodes during 4 hand gripping tasks (lowered their arms in standing position, 0%, 30%, and 50% of maximum voluntary contraction) in the scapular abduction plane. Results: The results were analyzed using a one-way repeated measures ANOVA. There was a significant difference in the lower trapezius and supraspinatus muscles according to grip strength, lower trapezius and supraspinatus muscles showed significantly difference according to grip strength (p<0.05). The result of the muscle activation according to hand strength (0%, 30%, and 50%) it showed a significant difference between the upper trapezius and supraspinatus in 0% grip strength (p<0.05). In addition, it did not show a significant difference between muscles in 30%, 50% hand strength. Conclusions: This study showed an increase in shoulder muscle activation with increasing hand grip strength with the upper trapezius muscle being more activated than other muscles in 0% grip strength. The finding of this study suggests usefulness for development of preventative measures and rehabilitation strategies for increasing shoulder motor function in patients with breast cancer.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.11 no.12
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• pp.194-200
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• 2021

Recently, incorrect and unhealthy postures have become increasingly prevalent due to reasons such as smartphone use. Consequently, imbalanced muscle contraction occurs. In particular, if the oblique muscle is contracted, the accessory nerve will be compressed, causing ischemic pain in the upper trapezius muscle. To investigate the effect on pain in the upper trapezius muscle, this study applied the ischemic compression method to the accessory nerve capture point at the 1/3-point of the oblique cervical muscle. In this study, the ischemic compression method was applied to eight women twice a week for four weeks, and pain was evaluated before, immediately after, and three weeks after application. The visual analogue scale, McGill Pain Questionnaire, and pressure dynamometer were used to evaluate subjects' pain. As a result of this study, it was confirmed that the pain was significantly reduced after treatment, and that the pain reduction was still effective three weeks after completion of the intervention, indicating that the intervention on the accessory nerve compression point on the oblique cervical muscle was both effective and long-lasting for pain reduction in the upper trapezius muscle. Future studies should increase the number of subjects to check not only pain reduction in the upper trapezius muscle, but also improvement of neck function.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.12-19
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of scapular alignment on the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the trapezius in people with a short pectoralis minor muscle. For the study, we recruited 15 volunteers who had positive results for short on a pectoralis minor muscle length test. We measured the EMG activity of the upper, middle and lower trapezius muscles. The participants lifted their dominant arm to ear level with the thumb up toward the ceiling in the prone position on a table with the shoulder at a flexion angle of 180 degrees and a horizontal abduction angle of 120 degrees. Scapula was manually aligned by an experienced physical therapist prior to arm lift for the scapular alignment condition. A paired t-test was used to compare the effects of scapular alignment on the EMG activity of the trapezius muscles. The EMG activity of the lower trapezius muscle was significantly increased during the test with the scapular alignment compared to that without scapular alignment (p<.05), while the upper trapezius and middle trapezius exhibited no significant difference between the two conditions (p>.05). The findings of this study suggest that a scapular alignment may alter the recruitment of the lower trapezius muscle during arm lifting in the prone position in people with a short pectoralis minor muscle.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.219-229
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• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study was to analyze EMG according to surface type and elastic band usage during the pilates Superman movement. Method : The subjects were 10 female university students with a mean age of 27. The independent variables were surface type (yoga mat, air filled equipment, elastic mat) and elastic band usage. In order to measure muscle activity, the Noraxon(USA) was used. Eight muscles (upper trapezius, lower trapezius, thoracic spine, lumbar spine, gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, biceps femoris, semitendinosus) activation were analyzed. For the statistical analysis, MANOVA, independent t-test and Scheffe test for the post-hoc via SPSS 20.0 was used. Results : The left and right upper trapezius muscle activities were significantly reduced when using the elastic bands. In addition gluteus medius muscle activities significantly increased with the elastic band as well. Conclusion : According to the usage of the elastic band and the different types of surfaces, different muscle groups were recruited. Elastic bands were found to have more activation on the gluteus medius muscle meanwhile there was less activation on the upper trapezius during the pilates Superman movement.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.2203-2211
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• 2020

Background: Backpacks are one of the most widely used accessories in modern society. However, previous studies have shown that carrying a backpack can cause various musculoskeletal problems. Objectives: To investigate the effects of a body-adhesive backpack on craniovertebral angle, sagittal shoulder angle and the muscle fatigue in the upper extremity. Design: Randomized cross-over design. Methods: For this study, 36 healthy university students participated in this study. The experiment was conducted three times using common backpack, and body-adhesive backpack condition. The angles of the cervical spine and shoulder joints of the subjects were calculated without the backpack. Electrodes were placed at upper trapezius, lower trapezius, rectus abdominis and erector spinae to check for muscle fatigue. Subjects carried a backpack and walked on a treadmill for 15 minutes at 4 km/h. The muscle fatigue signal was also measured while walking. After walking, the craniovertebral and sagittal shoulder angles were measured again while subjects carried backpack. Results: As a result of this study, body-adhesive backpack condition showed significant decrease and significant increase in craniovertebral angle and sagittal shoulder angle than common backpack (P<.05). Body-adhesive backpack condition showed significant decrease in upper trapezius, lower trapezius, erector spinae, and rectus abdominis when compared to a common backpack (P<.05). Conclusion: This study suggests that a body-adhesive backpack is more beneficial in correcting body posture than a common backpack.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.273-278
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• 2013

Objective: This study aims to analyze and evaluate fatigue in upper trapezius muscles of adults when inputting text on a smart phone, thereby examining the risk of cumulative trauma disorders in the musculoskeletal system of the upper extremity. Method: Forty-five healthy adults were divided equally into three groups: a smartphone group, a notebook group, and a desktop group. A surface electromyogram was placed on the upper trapezius muscle of each participant, after which they inputted text for ten minutes within an ergonomic setting; their side posture was recorded on video and analyzed. Results: The spectral edge frequency values for the smartphone group, as recorded from the upper right trapezius muscles on the surface electromyogram, showed a significant decrease(p<.05). Regarding the RULA, all three groups had results indicating "action level 2". Conclusion: All three groups had results indicating "action level 2" according to the RULA, which means that additional research on the posture of the participants while performing tasks is necessary, and their posture needs to be corrected. In particular, the smartphone group has the highest levels of fatigue in the upper trapezius muscles, suggesting that the task of inputting text on a smartphone is a high risk for causing cumulative trauma disorders.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.388-392
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• 2012

Purpose: Muscle imbalance between upper trapezius (UT) and serratus anterior (SA) during arm elevation is a factor causing shoulder dysfunction. However, there is no study to compare the muscle activities of the UT and middle deltoid (MD). The purpose of this study was to compare the muscle activities of the UT and MD between with and without elevation of shoulder girdle (ESG) during shoulder abduction. Methods: The subjects without (control group=9) or with (ESG group=8) participated in this study. The muscle activities of the UT and MD were measured using a electromyography during $90^{\circ}$ shoulder abducted position in both group. The data in middle of 3-second of the 5-second periods were used. The mean value of three trials was used in the data analysis. For each muscle, independent t-tests were performed to compare for group differences. Results: The muscle activity of UT was significantly greater in ESG group, compared to that of the control group (p<0.05). The muscle activity of MD was significantly smaller in ESG group, compared to that of the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings showed that low muscle activation of MD as well as SA may contribute to hyperactivity of UT during arm elevation.