• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.76-80
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• 2013

Purpose: The objective of this study was to offer primary clinical data examining whether change of imaging structure and quantitative evaluation of muscle activity on myofascial trigger points can lead to implementation of an analytical technique for evaluation of myofascial pain diagnoses. In addition, we examined the effect of a variety of mediation techniques, in order to examine neuromuscular physiological characteristics of myofascial trigger points muscle by comparing differences in pressure pain threshold and ultrasound imaging. Methods: Participants in the study included 30 adults in their twenties. The subjects were divided into the normal and myofascial trigger points groups. Clinical outcomes were evaluated by pressure pain threshold for pain and ultrasound imaging was performed for evaluation of the structural characteristics of muscle. Independent t-test was used for statistical analysis. Results: The two groups showed statistical significance in the change in pressure pain threshold (p<0.05). Findings of ultrasound imaging analysis showed no significant differences, increased muscle thickness was observed (p>0.05). Findings of ultrasound imaging analysis showed significant differences, increased muscle echodensity was observed (p<0.05). Findings on ultrasound imaging analysis showed significant differences, increased muscle white area index was observed (p<0.05). Conclusion: From these results, active myofascial trigger points muscle showed quality deterioration on ultrasound imaging. Thorough evaluation of imaging structure and physiological characteristics can be useful quantitative analytical techniques for diagnosis of myofascial pain syndrome and a primary factor reflected in physical therapy intervention.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.141-150
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effects of rehabilitation programs with coaching exercise (CE) or home exercise (HE) on shoulder pain, muscle strength, and daily living functions (DLF) in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome. Methods: With quasi-experimental design, thirty patients (15 CE and 15 HE) participated in rehabilitation programs for 12 weeks. At first, data were collected for pain and DLF using questionnaires with testing muscle strength and range of motion. Then, subjects were allowed to receive training on rehabilitation with structured training materials. CE group visited sports center three times a week at P hospital and HE group did self-exercise at home. Data were analyzed using SPSS program. Results: After 12 weeks, both groups showed statistically significant changes in improving pain, muscle strength, and DLF. Compare to HE group, CE group showed a statistically significant improvement in shoulder pain (p=.021), muscle strength in internal rotation (p=.001) and abduction (p=.013) and DLF (p=.012). Conclusion: Rehabilitation programs for patients with shoulder impingement syndrome were effective to improve pain, muscle strength, and DLF. Although CE would bring the better effects, it is possible to apply HE through structured education to patients who are difficult to visit hospitals.

• Clinical Pain
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.105-121
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• 2021

Objective: Physiologically, the vastus medialis muscle is the first muscle to undergo muscle atrophy, and it was thought that pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis could be reduced if this muscle could be strengthened and stabilized. The purpose of this study was to prove the effectiveness in knee osteoarthritis using polydioxanone sutures that have been tried in other musculoskeletal areas. Method: Forty knee osteoarthritis patients voluntarily participated in the study, and divided into 30 polydioxanone suture needle (MEST-B2375 produced by Ovmedi Co.) and 10 sham needle (without suture). And the needles were inserted into the vastus medialis muscle. In all patients, safety evaluation including blood tests and ultrasonography as well as efficacy evaluation including isometric maximal contractile strength of quadriceps muscle, weight bearing pain, impression of change, quadriceps angle, rescue drug intake were evaluated up to 30 weeks after the procedure. Results: Isometric maximal contractile strength showed a significant improvement at 4 weeks after the procedure in the polydioxanone suture group, and the weight-bearing pain showed a significant improvement at every visit in the polydioxanone suture group compared with baseline values. Patient global impression of change score showed significant improvement at 20 and 30 weeks, and clinical score showed improvement at every visit. Conclusion: Insertion of polydioxanone sutures showed improvement in muscle strength and knee pain by supporting and fixation of the vastus medialis muscle in patients with degenerative knee osteoarthritis. Insertion of polydioxanone sutures is considered to have a therapeutic effect in knee osteoarthritis patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.117-124
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• 2021

PURPOSE: This study examined the effect of muscle thickness of the deep cervical flexor muscle, muscle tonicity, and muscle fatigue of the superficial cervical flexor muscle by applying a functional latex pillow to patients with chronic cervical pain. METHODS: An experimental group using a functional latex pillow and a control group using a general pillow were assigned randomly to 30 people. Each pillow was applied in a comfortable lying position in the experimental group and control group. The deep cervical flexor muscle thickness was measured in the longus colli and longus capitus using ultrasonography. The muscle tonicity and muscle fatigue of the superficial cervical flexor muscle were measured separately in the sternocleidomastoid muscle using a myotonometer and electromyography. RESULTS: In the experimental group(functional latex pillow), the muscle tonicity of the superficial cervical flexor muscle like the sternocleidomastoid muscle was significantly lower than that of the control group (general pillow)(p < .01). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the functional latex pillow may effectively reduce the muscle tonicity of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, which is the superficial cervical muscle, in patients with chronic cervical pain. On the other hand, it was not effective on the muscle thickness of the deep cervical flexor muscle and muscle fatigue of the superficial cervical flexor muscles.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.917-924
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• 2006

Purpose: This study was to examine the effects of electrical muscle stimulation therapy on chronic knee pain in the elderly. Method: The research design was a one-group pretest-posttest design. The subjects were 45 (TE: 17, SE: 15, SY: 13) elderly, 65 years old and above with chronic knee pain. Pain was measured by the S-F McGill Pain Questuionnaire (S-F MPQ) and Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale (AIMS). Electrical muscle stimulation therapy experimental treatment was applied for 12 weeks, 3 times/week, 15 min/time. Data was collected from March 2005 to February 2006. Data was analyzed using the SPSS PC+ 12 version. Results: After receiving electrical muscle stimulation therapy, chronic knee pain in TE (S-F MPQ: t=-62.143, p=.000, AIMS: t=-29.155, p=.000), SE (S-F MPQ: t=-76.345, p=.000, AIMS: t=-39.323, p=.000), and SY (S-F MPQ: t=-43.691, p=.000, AIMS: t=-30.306, p=.000) groups were significantly decreased. Conclusion: Electrical muscle stimulation therapy can be a better effective primary nursing intervention for chronic knee pain for community dwelling elderly people with TE, SE, and SY.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.302-307
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was conducted in order to determine the changes in pain and breathing function when kinesio taping is applied to patients with myofacial trigger points on sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle. Methods: The subjects were 25 males and females aged 20 to 30 years (male 10, female 15). They were randomly divided into the control group and the experimental group to be applied with kinesio taping. Kinesio taping was applied to SCM muscle three times per week for two weeks. Pain triggered when the taut band or nodule was palpated was measured. Pain intensity was measured using the visual analog scale (VAS). The breathing function was measured using forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), and FEV1/FVC ratio. In all subjects, VAS, breathing function was measured before and after intervention. Results: In the experimental group, pain in the SCM was relieved as VAS showed a significant decrease and FVC, FEV1, and FEV1/FVC ratio showed a significant increase. Comparison between the groups, showed significant differences in VAS and the FVC, FEV1, and FEV1/FVC ratio. Conclusion: These results suggest that myofascial pain on SCM muscle is thought a factor that affects the breathing function.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.223-230
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• 2006

Purpose: This study was to examine the effect of electrical muscle stimulation therapy on chronic knee pain and depression for the aged. Method: Design was one-group pretest-posttest design. Samples were 32 elderly of 60 years old and above with chronic knee pain and depression. Measures were the S-F McGill Pain Questuionnaire for chronic knee pain and the Korean Elderly Depression Scale for depression. Electrical muscle stimulation therapy, experimental treatment, was applied for 12 weeks, 3 times/week, 15 min/time. Data were collected from January 2005 to May 2005. Data were analyzed using SPSS PC+ 12 version. Results: After receiving electrical muscle stimulation therapy, chronic knee pain (t=-88.034, P=.000) and depression (t=-114.659, P=.000) were significantly decreased. Conclusion: Electrical muscle stimulation therapy can be a better effective primary nursing intervention on chronic knee pain and depression for community dwelling elders.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.141-156
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• 2000

Prognosis in oriental medicine gathers information by four examination methods. It provides important information to understand the degree of deficiency - excessiveness of a patient to treat properly. To generalize the degree of deficiency - excessiveness can be found by seeing the patient's muscle response and pain perception to the palpitations.The theoretical basis to generalize deficiency - excessiveness, oriental and western medical understanding of pain perception and the elasticity of muscle were discussed.The usual symptoms for the excessiveness could include Pain (dislikeness to the palpitation), Stiffness of nape and limbs, Contracture of the limbs, Clonic convulsion and Fast pain. The symptoms for the deficiency could include Pain (likeness to the palpitation, Gastrocnemius muscle spasm, Flaccid paralysis of limbs and Slow pain. More theoretical bases for generalization of deficiency - excessiveness are needed along with the simplifying the complex clinical symptoms. In this way, we can discuss about deficiency - excessiveness with the regard to western medicine to help its generalization.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.355-364
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• 2023

Objective: The aim of this study is to test the effects of elastic band exercise accompanied by Swiss ball exercise on lower limb muscle strength, balance and pain in middle-aged women with osteoarthritis. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Methods: Thirty-five participants were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n=18), which performed elastic band exercise combined with Swiss ball exercise, and the control group (n=17), which performed elastic band exercise only. Both groups did a 30-minute session of exercise three times a week for eight weeks and were assessed for lower extremity muscle strength, static and dynamic balance, and pain levels before the first therapy session. All participating patients underwent outcome assessment after eight weeks of therapy without any additional treatment. Results: The experimental group made a significant increase in muscle strength of the lower extremities, static and dynamic balance ability, and pain level (p<0.05). The control group made a significant improvement in lower limb muscle strength, dynamic balance ability and pain level (p<0.05) with no such improvement in static balance ability. The exercise group made a significant increase in static and dynamic balance ability and pain level compared to the control group (p<0.05). Conclusions: These results demonstrated that both Swiss ball exercise and elastic band exercise were effective for middle-aged women with osteoarthritis and found that elastic band exercise combined with Swiss ball exercise produced more significant effects on their balance and pain.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.33-41
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• 2007

Objectives : In oriental medicine, many researchers have studied Myofascial Pain Syndrome and Twelve-Meridian Muscle system in correlation with the orthodox form of muscular anatomy. In this study, the authors compared Myofascial Pain Syndrome with Twelve-Meridian Muscle system and interpreted Myofascial Pain Syndrome through Yook Kyoung theory to reveal the similarity between Myofascial Pain Syndrome and Twelve-Meridian Muscle system, as well as to suggest another useful therapeutics. Methods : The authors investigated several literatures related with Myofascial Pain Syndrome, Twelve-Meridian Muscle system and Yook Kyoung theory. Conclusions : 1. Myofascial Pain Syndrome and Twelve-Meridian Muscle system have many similar features in their theory, concept, physiological function, pathological symptom, therapeutic principal, etc., also have some different features. 2. Myofascial Pain Syndrome is thought to be induced by the unbalance between the upregulated-Kwelum energy and the downregulated-Soyang energy in a viewpoint of Yook Kyoung theory, therefore, it is requisite to control the unbalanced energy between Kwelum and Soyang.