• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.27-31
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• 2010

Mild vocal fold hypomobility is a common finding of which clinical significance is incompletely understood. Recently, electrophysiologic investigations have shown that vocal fold hypomobility is a continuum of neurogenic dysfunction ; partial denervation (paresis), complete denervation (paralysis), and variable degrees and patterns of reinnervation. Despite a sound pathophysiological basis for its existence, interest in and acceptance of the diagnosis of vocal fold paresis is relatively recent. Vocal fold paresis may be a relatively common and often overlooked condition that can be difficult to diagnose since laryngoscopy does not reliably distinguish innocent laryngeal asymmetry from hypomobility caused by paresis. Although not entirely free from error, laryngeal electromyography seems to hold more promise as a means of reliable diagnosis than laryngoscopy, and should be employed systematically in the evaluation of suspected paresis. The means to help most patients with paresis already exists in the repertoire of interventions developed to treat paralysis. However, since the vocal fold retains substantial movement, more conservative treatment strategy is recommended as a first line of treatment. The authors reviewed the representative reports of vocal fold paresis and summarized the controversies and consensus regarding the vocal fold paresis.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.321-327
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• 2020

Objectives: This study is aimed to evaluate and compare the effect of moist heat fomentation therapy with ultrasound therapy in patients with the masticatory myalgia. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 42 patients with masticatory myalgia, dividing them into two groups; Group A (21 patients), received moist heat therapy and Group B (21 patients), received ultrasound therapy for seven effective days. Prior and after the treatment the numeric rating scale (NRS) and the electromyography (EMG) scores were recorded and compared. The observations were analyzed clinically and statistical support was taken to assess the NRS and EMG data. Results: Irrespective of the groups, patients testified a significant reduction in pain after the treatment. From the EMG readings; even though the standard deviation for each group was varied considerably, EMG recorded an improved muscle activity. Statistical analysis was used to assess and identify the best treatment methodology between the two modalities. Conclusion: From the statistical analysis, it is concluded that, though both the therapies had significantly reduced the symptomatic response, it is moist heat fomentation that improved muscle activity both statistically and clinically in comparison to ultrasound.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.80-87
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• 2020

Background: Residential and commercial cleaning is a part of our daily routine to maintain sanitation around the environment. Health care of professionals involved in such cleaning activities has become a major concern all over the world. The present study investigates the risk of musculoskeletal disorders in professional cleaners involved in floor mopping tasks. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 132 mopping professionals using a modified Nordic questionnaire. The Pearson correlation test was implemented to study the association of perceived pain with work experience. The muscle strain and postural risk were evaluated by means of three-channel electromyography and real-time motion capture respectively of 15 professionals during floor mopping. Results: Regarding musculoskeletal injuries, risk was reported majorly in the right hand, lower back, left wrist, right shoulder, left biceps, and right wrist of the workers. Work experience had a low negative association with MSDs in the left wrist, right wrist, right elbow, lower back, and right lower arm (p < 0.01). Surface EMG showed occurrence of higher muscle activity in upper trapezius and biceps brachii (BB) muscles of the dominant hand and flexor carpi radialis and BB muscles of the nondominant hand positioned at the upper and lower portion of the mop rod, respectively. Conclusion: Ergonomic mediations should be executed to lessen the observed risk of musculoskeletal injuries in this professional group of workers.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.125-132
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• 2018

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the isolated activation ratio of the quadriceps femoris muscle on different support surfaces during squat exercise. Methods: Twenty participants (10 males and 10 females) voluntarily agreed to participate in the research after receiving an explanation about the purpose and process of the study. Each participant performed squat exercises on three different support surfaces (a flat surface, a form roller, and an unstable surface). Muscle activities of the rectus femoris (RF), vastus medialis (VM), and vastus lateralis (VL) were measured by electromyography. The isolated activation ratio of the quadriceps femoris muscle was calculated using the %isolation formula. Results: For the squat exercise, the %isolation value of the VM was significantly higher on the unstable surface than on the flat surface and form roller. In contrast, the %isolation values for the RF for the squat exercise were significantly higher on the flat surface and form roller than on the unstable surface. There was no significant differences in the %isolation values of the VL on the three different surfaces. Conclusion: The findings indicate that squat exercise on different surfaces results in differential activation of the quadriceps femoris muscle, which suggests that squat exercise on a multi-directional unstable surface could increase the isolated activation ratio of the VM.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.85-95
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• 2006

The purpose of this study of which 10 University students in their twenties are the objects was to examine the causal differences of kinematic and electromyography during power walking and normal gait. We came to the following conclusions. 1) It took less time to stance phase, swing phase and whole gait time during power walking compared with normal gait. 2) During power walking, the step length and step length and lower limb length are longer than that of normal gait. 3) During power walking, ankle joint angle became more plantar flexed at LIC and RTO, knee joint angle become more flexed, so did hip joint angle at LIC and RTO. Besides during power walking the shoulder joint angle movement was bigger and elbow joint angle was more flexed as the trait of power walking. 4) During power walking, through out the phase the muscle activity of all muscle was higher expecially the muscle activity of Biceps brachii, gastrocnemius medialis, gastrocnemius lateralis, Soleus was higher. Therefore during power walking, one's scope of activity and muscle activity is relatively higher than those of normal gait, so power walking helps one strengthen muscular power and energy metabolism. This will be useful information for those who are interested in diet and well-being.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.541-547
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• 2013

Objective: The aim of this study is to find the influence on muscle fatigue by changing an angle of neck while Shaker exercise. Background: Shaker exercise is commonly applied to dysphagia patients for strengthen suprahyoid muscle(SHM) and relaxing upper esophageal sphincter. Method: Experiments were conducted by measuring muscle fatigue with surface electromyography(SEMG) in case of neck $15^{\circ}$ and $50^{\circ}$ flexion, in addition to original method. For the study 30 undergraduate students were participated as subjects. Muscle fatigue was measured with variations of median frequency(MF) and median frequency slope(MFS) by attaching SEMG to 3 muscles. At the same time, perceived exertion was measured by using Borg's rating of perceived exertion(RPE). Results: A MF was increased when low angle in SHM, both male and female. It means that muscle fatigue was significantly decreased(p<.05). RPE was significantly increased when low angle(p<.01). Perceived exertion explained 15.2% of the variation of MF in SHM. And regression equation was, MF in SHM = 59.918 + (4,910 * RPE). Conclusion: The outcome shows that it is possible to use the efficient method which makes muscle fatigue decrease by reducing the angle of neck flexion. Application: The results might contribute to develop the effective Shaker exercise method.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.15-24
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• 2009

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness between myofascial release technique and ultrasound in subjects with myofascial pain syndrome. Method : Twenty subjects with myofascial pain syndrome were randomly assigned to a myofascial release technique group(n=10) or an ultrsound group(n=10). The Cervical Range of Motion(C-ROM) instrument was used to measure cervical range of motion. Electromyography(EMG) was used to measure muscle power sternocleidomastoid and upper trapezius. Result : The result of this study shows there were no significant differences in ROM increase and muscle power increase between the myofascial release technique group and the ultrasound group. In the group with Myofascial Release Technique, the average score was $61.40{\pm}11.12$ in SCM flexion of C-ROM and $127.87{\pm}4.24$ in Rt. upper trapezius extension of EMG. In the group with ultra sound, the average score was $68.60{\pm}10.02$ in SCM flexion of C-ROM and $131.50{\pm}5.45$ in Rt. upper trapezius extension of EMG. Conclusion : The results suggest that there was no significant difference between two therapeutic techniques.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.78-86
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• 1997

Back muscles play an important role in protecting the spine. Epidemiological studies have shown that loads imposed on the human spine during daily living play a significant role in the onset of low back pain. No previous study has attempted to correlate the response of the trunk musculature with the type of external load. The purpose of this study was to use surface electromyography (EMG) to quantify the relative demands placed on the back muscles while lifting loads in one hand. Forty asymptomatic, twenty year-old subjects stood while lifting loads of 10% of body weight(BW) unilaterally. All EMG data were normalized to a percentage of the EMG voltage produced during no-load standing(%EMG). Our major analysis involved a paired t-test for repeated measures. Of particular note was the fact that the ipsilateral 10% of BW condition produced statistically less % EMG change than did the contralateral 10% of the condition.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.47-54
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of active and passive postural perturbation on ankle dorsiflexor responses in stroke patients. The subjects consisted of 13 stroke patients. Using wireless electromyography, the patients' ankle dorsiflexor muscle responses were measured under the following conditions: active dorsiflexion (AD), active perturbation (AP), and passive perturbation (PP). Tibialis anterior muscle activity increased most significantly during PP of the affected side ($118.64{\pm}56.28$). The most significant increase for the non-affected side was in AD ($72.64{\pm}24.56$). Tibialis anterior muscle activity was compared under each condition. The affected side showed significant differences between PP and AD and between PP and AP (p<.05). The non-affected side showed not significant differences between each condition. The ratios of tibialis anterior muscle activity under AP to that under AD were 1.00 on the affected side and .75 on the non-affected side and the difference was not significant (p>.05). The ratios of tibialis anterior muscle activity under PP to that under AD were 3.30 on the affected side and 1.14 on the non-affected side and the difference was significant (p<.05). Passive perturbation improved tibialis anterior muscle activity on the affected side, and training based on this approach may have the potential to improve the ankle dorsiflexion of people with stroke.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers D
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.380-388
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• 2004

This study proposed an improved spike detection algorithm which automatically detects suitable spike threshold on the amplitude of surface electromyography(SEMG) signal during isometric contraction. The EMG data from the low back muscles was obtained in six channels and the proposed signal processing algorithm is compared with the median frequency and Gabriel's spike parameter. As a result, the reliability of spike parameter was inferior to the median frequency. This fact indicates that a spike parameter is inadequate for analysis of multi-channel EMG signal. Because of uncertainty of fixed spike threshold, the improved spike detection algorithm was proposed. It automatically detects suitable spike threshold depending on the amplitude of the EMG signal, and the proposed algorithm was able to detect optimal threshold based on mCFAR(modified Constant False Alarm Rate) in the every EMG channel. In conclusion, from the reliability points of view, neither median frequency nor existing spike detection algorithm was superior to the proposed method.