• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.211-220
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• 2023

Background: Smartphone addiction has emerged as a significant social problem. Numerous studies have indicated the association between smartphone use and discomfort in the musculoskeletal system of the upper extremities. Objects: This cross-sectional survey aimed to compare the characteristics of musculoskeletal pain in the neck, trunk, and upper limbs between individuals with smartphone addiction and those without addiction. Methods: We collected a total of 326 healthy individuals' data from China and Korea who had owned and used smartphones for more than 5 years between 20-50s through an online questionnaire consisting of 84 questions in four major sections. The first part contained basic information on the participant's personal characteristics and smartphones. The second part contained questions about smartphone use and posture. The third part was the smartphone addiction. The fourth part was to investigate musculoskeletal pain in various upper body parts. Results: Smartphone addiction has a weak negative correlation with age (r = -0.20, p < 0.01) and a weak positive correlation with the hours of smartphone use (r = 0.376, p < 0.01). Frequent musculoskeletal pain symptoms related to smartphone use were observed in the neck, shoulder, lower back, and wrists. The hours of smartphone use was slightly positively associated with the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in the shoulder (r = 0.162, p < 0.05) and lower back (r = 0.125, p < 0.05). The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in the neck (χ² = 3.993, p < 0.05), shoulder (χ² = 6.465, p < 0.05), and wrist (χ² = 4.645, p < 0.05) was significantly higher among females than males. Conclusion: The results suggest that smartphone addiction should be recognized as a dual concern encompassing both physical health and psychosocial aspects. Furthermore, healthcare professionals, including physicians and physical therapists, should consider clients' smartphone usage patterns when assessing and treating with musculoskeletal pain.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.257-266
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• 2011

Purpose : To assess the relationship between post-stroke shoulder pain, motor function, and pain-related quality of life(QOL) Methods : Volunteer sample of 62 chronic stroke survivors with post-stroke shoulder pain and glenohumeral subluxation. The patients answered the question in shoulder pain with the Brief Pain Inventory question 12 (BP1-12), Pain-related Quality of life(BPI-23). Therapists measured the performance of combined upper-limb movement including the hand-behind-neck(HBN), hand-behind-beck(HBB) maneuver, added passive pain-free shoulder external rotation range of motion, and Modified Ashworth Scale(MAS) score of the elbow flexors. Physical performance assessments were used to measure basic activity daily living(Modified Barthel Index-self care, MBI-S/C), motor function of upper limb(Fugl-Meyer Upper/Lower Extremity, FM-U/E). Results : Stepwise regression analyses indicated that post-stroke shoulder pain is associated with the BPI 23, but not with the FM-U/E, MBI-S/C. Thus, the presence of shoulder pain is more important predicting pain-related QOL than its degree in predicting motor function of upper limb and basic activity daily living. Conclusion : Post-stroke shoulder pain was associated with reduced quality of life related to pain. The pain was not associated with the motor function of upper limb and basic activity daily living. The result imply that management of shoulder pain & anatomical position of shoulder joint after stroke should be emphasized. This provides a further incentive to develop effective rehabilitation prevention and treatment strategies for post-stroke shoulder pain.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.161-167
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• 2012

Background: Neck and shoulder pain (NSP) is fairly common in adolescents, which is associated with a high prevalence of NSP found during adulthood as well; therefore, its significance during adolescence should not be underestimated. We surveyed the prevalence of recurrent NSP, lifestyle, and risk factors in Korean high school students, and examined the influence of recurrent NSP on the quality of life. Methods: Nine hundred thirty one male students (16-19 years old) from two academic high schools in Seoul were included in this study. The survey consisted of a questionnaire to assess the prevalence of recurrent NSP, with questions regarding having an occurrence more than once a week, characteristics of NSP, activity and lifestyle of the students, and the risk factors for recurrent NSP. A 36-item Short Form questionnaire was also examined. Results: We found that 44.3% of the high school students surveyed had recurrent NSP (more than once a week) and the overall prevalence of NSP was 79.1%. The average sitting time was $10.2{\pm}2.7$ h/day. 59.0% did not sit straight, 14.7% used assisting devices during reading, and 11.9% answered that they stretched regularly. Found from their self assessed health, frequent fatigue and frequent depressed mood presented significant associations with the higher prevalence of recurrent NSP. Conclusions: Korean high school students had a high prevalence of recurrent NSP. Clinical attention is needed for the prevention and resolution of recurrent NSP found in high school students.

• 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.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.319-325
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• 2018

Background: Prolonged neck flexion during smartphone use is known as a factor of neck pain and alteration of neck muscle activity. Studies on the effects of shoulder taping on neck discomfort and neck muscle responses while texting on a smartphone are still lacking. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of shoulder taping on neck discomfort using a numerical rating scale, and neck muscle activity and fatigue using a surface electromyography during a texting task on a touchscreen smartphone. Methods: Twenty-five healthy adolescents used the dominant hand to perform a 30-minute texting task using a touchscreen smartphone at two separate times under one of the following two conditions: taping across the upper trapezius muscle and no taping. Neck discomfort, normalized root mean square, and normalized median frequency slopes for upper trapezius, cervical erector spinae, and sternocleidomastoid muscles were recorded. Results: The results revealed that shoulder taping provided significantly lower neck discomfort than no taping (p < 0.001). However, shoulder taping did not significantly alter normalized root mean square and normalized median frequency slope values of all muscles when compared with no taping controls. Conclusion: Shoulder taping reduces neck discomfort but does not affect neck muscle activity and fatigue while texting on a touchscreen smartphone.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.658-667
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• 2004

Purpose: This study was to identify the effect of Cervical Kyongrak Massage on Shoulder pain, shoulder Exercise Range and Mood in the elderly. Method: This study used a quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test design. Data were collected from 13 April to 30 June in 2003. There were 58 elderly subjects,(30 experimental group, 28 control group) in Pusan. The experimental group took Kyongrak Massage at Cervical Kyonghyul sites around neck and shoulder for 10 minutes daily during 5days. Result: In the experimental group, shoulder pain(t=-9.80, p=.000), shoulder exercise Range (Flexion t=3.10, p=.003; Abduction t=7.95, p=.000; External Rotation t=5.00, p=.000) and Mood(t=-9.80, p=.000) were significantly better than control group after Cervical Kyongrak Massage. Conclusion: These findings indicate that Cervical Kyongrak Massage may be an effective adjunct therapy for improving shoulder pain, shoulder exercise range and mood, and is considered as a independent and available nursing intervention for elderly.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.296-298
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• 2006

Droopy shoulder syndrome (DSS) is a rare disease, characterized by drooping shoulders, which stretches the brachial plexus, and causes pain, but without any signs of neurological impairment. These patients suffer from pain in the neck, shoulders, arms and hands, which result in long, graceful, swan necks, low-set shoulders, and horizontal or down sloping clavicles. No abnormalities in the vascular, neurological or electrical findings have also been known. The T1 and/or T2 bodies can be seen in the lateral view in a radiological study of the cervical spine. In the majority of cases, conservative treatments, such as postural correction and shoulder girdle strengthening exercise, are commonly recommended. However, DSS may be misdiagnosed as severe thoracic outlet syndrome or herniated cervical disc disease, leading to unnecessary and hazardous invasive treatments. The presented case was consistent with DSS, and was treated with stellate ganglion block, trigger point injection, and shoulder girdle strengthening exercise.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.12 no.11
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• pp.135-142
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy for the neck-shouler muscles of complex pain scales of the 20s adults with VDT Syndrome to prolonged smartphone use. Twenty subjects with neck pain due to VDT syndrome participated in the experiment. They were randomly divided into 10 experimental groups and 10 control groups. Experimental subjects were conducted for 4 weeks, 5 days a week. The experimental group was subjected to extracorporeal shock wave therapy 2000 times at an intensity of 5 Hz and 2.0 bar once, and the control group performed self-stretching exercise for 30 minutes once. Subjects measured and compared neck-shoulder pain with VAS and PPT before and after the experiment. Data analysis was performed with SPSS win 18.0, and correspondence comparison was performed to analyze the results of the experimental group and the control group before and after the experiment. After the experiment, the experimental group decreased more in VAS and PPT of the neck-shoulder muscle. but the control group was no difference. Though these results, extracorporeal shock wave therapy was showed a reduction in pain after treatment than before treatment but there are no difference in the pain reduction after self-stretching exercise. Thus, extracorporeal shock wave therapy is expected to be used as a variety of treatments to reduce neck-shoulder pain as a cause of VDT syndrome.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.202-210
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• 2004

Purpose: this study was to examine the differences of the level of pain, depression and self-efficacy according to the classifications of pain among chronic pain patients. Method: The data were collected by means of self-reported questionnaire from 164 patients with chronic pain visited in one university hospital and one local pain clinic in Busan, from October 7 to November 16, 2002. Analysis was done by ANOVA, and Scheffe test using SPSS program. Result: The subjects were divided into five classifications of chronic pain : 26.2% low back and extremity pain, 23.2% neck, shoulder and upper extremity pain, 19.5% postherpetic neuralgia, 15.9% complex regional pain syndrome and 15.2% peripheral neuralgia. There were significant differences in pain (p=.000), depression (p=.000) and self-efficacy (p=.003) according to the 5 kinds of chronic pain. With the results of the Scheffe test, the patients with peripheral neuralgia experienced pain and depression higher than those with the other kinds of chronic pain. The patients with neck, shoulder and upper extremity pain experienced self-efficacy higher than those with peripheral neuralgia. Conclusion: Chronic pain patients should be provided effective individualized intervention depending on the classifications of chronic pain. Therefore the development of interventions for pain management according to the classifications of pain in chronic pain patients is needed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.71-82
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• 2016

PURPOSE: The purpose of this case report was to determine the effect of therapeutic exercise on posture, pain, and muscle activity in two patients with forward head posture (FHP). METHODS: A-31-year-old male (patient A) and a 19-year-old women (patient B) presented with FHP, neck pain, and headache. The therapeutic exercise program consisted of cervical mobilization, deep cervical flexors strengthening, and cervical extensors stretching, for 40 min/d, 2 d/week, for 8 weeks. Neck pain (VAS), neck disability (NDI), cervical range of motion (CROM), lateral view of cervical spine X-ray (indicating the FHP), and asymmetrical neck and shoulder muscular activity ratio were measured before, after 4 weeks, and after 8 weeks of corrective exercise. RESULTS: VAS and NDI decreased in patients A and B after exercise compared to before the program. CROM increased in patients A and B at flexion, extension, side bending, and rotation after exercise compared to before the program. FHP decreased in patients A and B at distance after exercise compared to before the program. In addition, asymmetrical neck and shoulder muscles activity ratio improved in patients A and B after exercise compared to before the program. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated in a case report that therapeutic exercise increases ROM, decreases pain and disability of neck, FHP, and asymmetry muscle activity ratio in patients with FHP. These finding have clinical implications for therapeutic exercise in patients with FHP.