• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.119-124
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• 2010

Cervical disc herniations can press on the spinal cord and cause a problem called cervical myelopathy. The most common symptom of cervical disc herniation is neck pain that spreads down to the upper limb in various locations. There can also be associated with weakness and movement disorders of upper limb. In Oriental medicine, cervical disc herniation is treated with herb-med, physical therapy, acupuncture, Chuna, etc, but the Bee Venom therapy is the most common and effective. In this case, we used the Bee Venom therapy at cervical hyeopcheokhyeol for about 2 months to a patient who was diagnosed with disc herniation at Cervical 5-6, 6-7 and appealed weakness, limited elevation and abduction of the left upper limb. As a result, left upper limb disability was improved. Using the Bee Venom therapy at cervical hyeopcheokhyeol that are effective on movement disorders and neurological diseases of upper limb is an effective treatment to upper limb disability diagnosed with cervical disc herniation, and suggests the direction of the treatment to upper limb weakness and movement disorders diagnosed with cervical disc herniation.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.2862-2868
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between neck pain and upper limb disability in patients with non-specific neck pain (n=132) recruited from physiotherapy departments in the Korea. Baseline neck pain/disability was measured using the Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ) and upper limb disability was measured using the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, Hand questionnaire (DASH). A range of baseline psychosocial variables were measured as potential confounding variables. Pairwise analysis revealed a positive correlation between NPQ score and DASH score (Pearsons' r=0.628, p<0.05). This study provides preliminary evidence that patients with severe neck pain/disability also report severe upper limb disability. The presence of severe neck pain or low pain self efficacy and high fear-avoidence beliefs questionnaire should clinicians towards a careful examination of upper limb function in patients presenting with neck pain. Our data suggest the upper limb disability may need to be addressed as part of the neck management process.

• Journal of Multimedia Information System
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.249-256
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• 2020

Learning methods using various assistive and smart devices have been developed to enable independent learning of the disabled. Pointer control is the most important consideration for the disabled when controlling a device and the contents of an existing graphical user interface (GUI) environment; however, difficulties can be encountered when using a pointer, depending on the disability type; Although there are individual differences depending on the blind, low vision, and upper limb disability, problems arise in the accuracy of object selection and execution in common. A multimodal interface pilot solution is presented that enables people with various disability types to control web interactions more easily. First, we classify web interaction types using digital devices and derive essential web interactions among them. Second, to solve problems that occur when performing web interactions considering the disability type, the necessary technology according to the characteristics of each disability type is presented. Finally, a pilot solution for the multimodal interface for each disability type is proposed. We identified three disability types and developed solutions for each type. We developed a remote-control operation voice interface for blind people and a voice output interface applying the selective focusing technique for low-vision people. Finally, we developed a gaze-tracking and voice-command interface for GUI operations for people with upper-limb disability.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.211-218
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• 2012

Objectives: The objective of this study was to identify the differences in obesity rates among people with and without disabilities, and evaluate the relationship between obesity rates and the existence of disabilities or characteristics of disabilities. Methods: Mass screening data from 2008 from the National Disability Registry and National Health Insurance (NHI) are used. For analysis, we classified physical disability into three subtypes: upper limb disability, lower limb disability, and spinal cord injury. For a control group, we extracted people without disabilities by each subtype. To adjust for the participation rate in the NHI mass screening, we calculated and adopted the weight stratified by sex, age, and grade of disability. Differences in obesity rates between people with and without disabilities were examined by a chi-squared test. In addition, the effect of the existence of disabilities and grade of disabilities on obesity was examined by multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: People with disabilities were found to have a higher obesity rate than those without disabilities. The obesity rates were 35.2% and 35.0% (people with disabilities vs. without disabilities) in the upper limb disability, 44.5% and 34.8% in the lower limb disability, 43.4% and 34.6% in the spinal cord injury. The odds for existence of physical disability and grade of disability are higher than the nondisabilities. Conclusions: These results show that people with physical disability have a higher vulnerability to obesity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.771-772
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• 2012

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.109-120
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• 2015

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate risk factors for chronic ADL, IADL disability. The study explored clinical and socio-demographic risk factors of functional status decline. Methods: Data from the Survey of Living Condition of Elderly 3-year panel study were analyzed. The study subjects were 5,928 community-dwelling people aged 65 years or older who were no disability in ADL and IADL at baseline. Predisposing factors, pathology, impairment, and functional limitations were regarded as risk factors. Logistic regression analysis was used. Results: During the 3-year study period, 3.9% participants developed chronic ADL disability, 9.4% participants were IADL disabled. After controlling for predisposing factor, the best predictors for ADL disability at 36 months were fall as a pathology factor, cognitive decline, disability judgement, lower limb functional limitation. Comorbidity, fall, cognitive decline, disability judgement, lower limb and upper limb functional limitation were risk factors for IADL disability. Conclusions: Health promotion program focusing elderly is essential to prevent ADL and IADL disability. Mobilizing physical activity should be included in health promotion program for elderly.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.183-188
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• 2016

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate neck posture, range of motion, muscle endurance and self-report of pain and disability in smartphone users. Methods: Seventy-eight university student volunteers, aged between 18 and 30 years (mean age 23.2), were assessed for: a head-neck posture by measuring cranial vertical angle, neck range of motions using cervical range of motion device, and a deep neck flexor endurance using a stabilizer. Finally, subjects were asked about their neck pain and completed disability questionnaires, ie, Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire, Neck Disability Index, and World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0. Results: Thirty-eight subjects experienced recurrent neck pain with/without upper limb pain (neck pain group) and 40 reported no current neck pain with/without upper limb pain (no neck pain group). Differences were found between groups on pain and disability questionnaires. Subjects with neck pain had significantly higher disability scores than those of no neck pain group. However, there were no differences observed between groups in a head-neck posture, neck range of motions, and deep neck muscle endurance time. The smartphone usage time was negatively correlated with neck pain intensity and disability score whereas it had positive relationship with flexibility and posture. Conclusion: Group differences were observed as lower capacity not only for neck specific daily activities but for general functioning in daily routine when the neck pain and no neck pain groups were compared. Therefore, functioning in daily activities should be investigated as prevention for further developing neck pain in smartphone users.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.491-499
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• 2020

Background: Assembly lines work is frequently associated to work-related upper limb musculoskeletal disorders. The related disability and absenteeism make it important to implement efficient health surveillance systems. The main objective of this study was to identify self-reported variables that can determine work-related upper limb musculoskeletal symptoms-discomfort/pain-during a 6-month follow-up. Methods: This was a prospective study with a 6-month follow-up period, performed in an assembly line. Upper limb musculoskeletal discomfort/pain was assessed through the presence of self-reported symptoms. Uni- and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate which self-reported variables were associated to upper limb symptoms after 6 months at the present and to upper limbs symptoms in the past month. Results: Of the 200 workers at baseline, 145 replied to the survey after 6 months. For both outcomes, "having upper limb symptoms during the previous 6 months" and "education" were possible predictors. Conclusion: Our results suggest that having previous upper limb symptoms was related to its maintenance after 6 months, sustaining it as a specific determinant. It can be a hypothesis that this population had mainly workers with chronic symptoms, although our results give only limited support to self-reported indicators as determinants for upper limb symptoms. Nevertheless, the development of an efficient health surveillance system for high demanding jobs should implicate self-reported indicators, but also clinical and work conditions assessment should be accounted on the future.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.91-99
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• 2005

We assessed whether the use of a symmetrical upper limb motion trainer in daily repetitive training for a 6-week period reduced spasticity and improved motor function in three chronic hemiparetic patients. Upper limb motor impairment and disability were measured by the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) and Manual Muscle Test (MMT), respectively. The electromyography (EMG) of the affected hand was recorded during isometric wrist flexion and extension. In all patients, FMA and MMT scores were significantly improved after the 6-week training. However, MAS scores of the affected wrist spasticity did not change considerably. Onset and Offset delays in muscle contraction significantly decreased in the affected wrist. The co-contraction ratio of flexor and extensor muscles significantly increased after the 6-week training. Onset and offset delays of the muscle contraction and co-contraction ratio correlated significantly with the patients' FMA. This study showed that repetitive, symmetric movement training can improve upper limb motor functions and abilities in chronic hemiparetic patients. Also, the EMG assessment of motor response is likely to provide insights into mechanisms and treatment strategies for motor recovery in chronic hemiparetic patients.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.311-320
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• 2010

This study aimed to examine the development and characteristics of the workers with upper limb musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders and to analyze the upper limb musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders for its relationship with the individual socio-demographic characteristics. This study investigated the effect on the limitations of physical activities using standardized surveillance tool and clinical diagnosis. Musculoskeletal symptoms and the limitations of physical activities were examined. The clinical diagnosis of musculoskeletal disorders were carried out by physical examination, radiological examination and electromyography-electroneuronography for 22 workers in kitchen hood assembly process and 50 workers in toggle process of leather product manufacturing. The proportion of workers with musculoskeletal disorders was higher and the DASH score was also statistically higher in female and aged workers with longer working hours, longer household working hours, less leisure/hobby activity and higher physical load. Physical activities component score increased in the following order: workers in normal health, workers with musculoskeletal symptoms, and workers with musculoskeletal disorders as clinically diagnosed. Score for each DASH component increased in the following order: sports/performing arts ability, social activities, specific physical functional activities, work or other regular daily activities, work ability, psychological activities, insomnia and upper limb symptoms. The overall and each component DASH scores were higher in workers with symptoms of status praesens and of more severity, and receiving medical intervention. Musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders are associated with individual socio-demographic characteristics, and DASH score for physical activities of upper limb was higher in workers with musculoskeletal disorders. Musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders have a remarkable epidemiological significance for physical activities, social activities, work or other regular daily activities, upper limb symptoms and insomnia, where work ability, sports/performing arts ability and preventive measure is needed.