• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.35-45
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• 2015

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to investigate how upper thoracic manipulation and cervical stability training affects cervical range of motion and neck disability index of patients with chronic mechanical neck pain. METHODS: 30 patients with chronic mechanical neck pain, and randomly divided into the upper thoracic manipulation and the cervical stability training group. Upper thoracic manipulation group was conducted to the upper thoracic manipulation, and cervical stability training was conducted to the cervical stability training. Intervention period was 6 weeks, and 3 sessions, each of which was run for 5~10 minutes. The subjects were measured neck range of motion before and after intervention by electro-goniometer. Neck disability index was used to measure neck disability index Korean version. RESULTS: Comparison within groups, there were significant difference in neck range of motion before and after intervention, and Neck disability index significantly reduced in the cervical stability training group. The comparison between groups, there were no significant difference in neck range of motion and neck disability index. CONCLUSION: Upper thoracic manipulation and cervical stability training to the patients with chronic neck pain was helpful to improve neck range of motion and cervical stability training was helpful to improve neck disability index.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.149-162
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• 2018

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of scapular dynamic taping on pain, disability, upper body posture, and range of motion (ROM) in the postoperative shoulder. METHODS: Twenty-two patients who underwent acromioplasty and rotator cuff repair surgery volunteered for this study. The subjects were randomly divided into an experimental group (EG, n=11) and a control group (CG, n=11). For the EG, exercise therapy, manual therapy, and scapular dynamic taping were applied for 6 weeks; for the CG, only exercise therapy and manual therapy were applied for 6 weeks. Shoulder pain, disability, upper body posture, and ROM were evaluated at baseline, after 3 weeks of intervention, and after 6 weeks of intervention. Assessment tools included quadruple visual analog scale (QVAS) for level of pain; shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI) for functional disability level; forward head angle (FHA), forward shoulder angle (FSA), and pectoralis minor index (PMI) for upper body posture; and ROM testing. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed between the EG and CG in SPADI total scores; internal rotation and external rotation ROM of the glenohumeral joint ; FSA ; and PMI. All groups showed statistically significant improvement in QVAS; SPADI; flexion; abduction; external rotation and internal rotation ROM of the glenohumeral joint; FSA; and PMI. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that, for patients who have undergone acromioplasty and rotator cuff repair surgery, the addition of scapular dynamic taping during therapy is effective for improvement of shoulder disability level, ROM, and upper body posture.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.136-143
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• 2023

Background: The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) model, created by the World Health Organization, provides a theoretical framework that can be applied in the diagnosis and treatment of various disorders. Objects: Our research purposed to ascertain the relationship between structure/function, activity, and participation domain variables of the ICF and pain, pain-associated disability, activities of daily living (ADL), and quality of life in patients with chronic low back pain (LBP). Methods: Two-hundred patients with chronic LBP (mean age: 35.5 ± 8.8 years, females, n = 40) were recruited from hospital and community settings. We evaluated the body structure/function domain variable using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and Roland-Morris disability (RMD) questionnaire. To evaluate the activity domain variable, we used the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale (QBDS). For clinical outcome measures, we used Short-form 12 (SF-12). Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to ascertain the relationships among the variables (p < 0.05). All the participants with LBP received 30 minutes of conventional physical therapy 3 days/week for 4 weeks. Results: There were significant correlations between the body structure/function domain (NPRS and RMD questionnaire), activity domain (ODI and QBDS), and participation domain variables (SF-12), rending from pre-intervention (r = -0.723 to 0.783) and postintervention (r = -0.742 to 0.757, p < 0.05). Conclusion: The identification of a significant difference between these domain variables point to important relationships between pain, disability, performance of ADL, and quality in participants with LBP.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.58-68
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• 2015

This study aimed to determine the effect of lower trapezius muscle strengthening exercises on pain, neck disability index (NDI), cervical range of motion (ROM), and lower trapezius muscle strength in patients with unilateral neck pain. Following baseline measurements, the subjects (N=40) with unilateral neck pain were randomized into one of two 5 weeks exercise intervention groups: a experimental group (EG, $n_1=20$) that received strength training of the lower trapezius muscles or a control group (CG, $n_2=20$) that received routine physical therapy program. Each group participated in the intervention for 30 minutes, 3 times a week, for 5 weeks. All participants performed 2 repetitions of each intervention per day. The numeric pain rating scale for pain, NDI, ROM, and lower trapezius strength were recorded both pre- and post-intervention for both groups. Paired t-tests were used to determine significant changes post-intervention compared with pre-intervention and independent t-tests were used to analyze differences in the dependent variables between the 2 groups. After the 5-weeks intervention, both groups experienced significantly decreased pain and disability level (p<.05) and significantly increased cervical flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation ROM (p<.05). The EG that received strength training of the lower trapezius muscles showed greater improvements in pain and functional disability level, cervical rotation, and lower trapezius strength than the CG (p<.05). These results suggest that a lower trapezius strengthening exercises reduce neck pain and neck disability level and enhance cervical ROM and lower trapezius strength level in patients with unilateral neck pain.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.49-60
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• 2023

Purpose : We aimed to evaluate the impact of a exercise with kinect-based mixed reality device (KMR) on physical function, upper extremity disability, fatigue, and quality of life in breast cancer survivors. We hypothesized that this exercise program would improve physical function, physical activity, fatigue, and quality of life. Methods : Thirty-nine breast cancer survivors were randomized to either the KMR exercise group (KE) or the home stretch group (HS). The KE participated in 8 weeks of exercise, exercising 3 times per week, while the HS performed 8 weeks of stretching exercises, also 3 times per week. Before and after the intervention period, participants underwent assessments of physical function, including body composition, chester step test (CST), and hand grip strength (HGS). Additionally, participants completed questionnaires including the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ), disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) questionnaire, and functional assessment of cancer therapy-breast (FACT-B) questionnaire to measure their physical activity levels, upper extremity disability, and quality of life, respectively. Results : Overall, significant improvements were observed in several shoulder movements, body weight, and physical activity, with no significant interaction effects between groups and time. Furthermore, there was a significant group by time interaction for body weight, left flexion, right flexion, right abduction, and left adduction, as well as for upper extremity disability (K-DASH) and quality of life (FACT-B). Conclusion : In conclusion, the KMR exercise program was found to be effective at improving physical function, upper extremity disability, quality of life, and overall well-being in breast cancer survivors. The significant improvements observed in multiple measures and the significant group by time interactions for various outcomes highlight the potential benefits of this KMR exercise program in promoting a better quality of life for breast cancer survivors.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2014

Background: Cervical radiculopathy is the result of cervical nerve root pathology that may lead to chronic pain and disability. Although manual therapy interventions including cervical traction and neural mobilization have been advocated to decrease pain and disability caused by cervical radiculopathy, their analgesic effect has been questioned due to the low quality of research evidence. The purpose of this paper is to present the effect of manual therapy on pain, ROM, disability in a patient experiencing cervical radiculopathy. Methods: In this study, 30 participants who met the diagnostic criteria for cervical radiculopathy were randomized into two groups: group I (nerve mobilization group) & group II (Mckenzie exercise group). The experimental group was performed manual cervical traction and neural mobilization technique. The control group was performed manual cervical traction and cervical retraction, extension exercise. Assessments were performed to 30 participants before and after 4 weeks therapy. The components of assessments were pain intensity (PI), cervical rotation ROM (CR) and neck disability index (NDI). Results: After 4 weeks therapy, PI, CR and NDI were significantly reduced in both groups (p<.01). The PI, CR and NDI were no significantly reduced between group I and group II (p>.01). Conclusions: Manual therapy could reduce the symptoms of cervical radiculotpathy.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.77-85
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• 2008

The self-report measure is a useful tool for evaluating self-recognized disability and difficulty in daily living activities. Although many studies and clinics used the Neck Pain and Disability Scale (NPDS) for measuring neck pain and functional impairment, there has not been much adaptation of this for use with Korean patients. The purpose of this study was to establish the reliability and validity of NPDS among Korean neck pain patients. Fifty-five subjects (32 males, 23 females) with neck pain enrolled in this study. They completed standardized self-administered questionnaires. The NPDS measures pain intensity; its interference with vocational, emotional, recreational, social, and functional aspects of living; and the presence and extent of associated factors. Reliability was determined by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency. Validity was examined by correlating the NPDS scores to the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score. The test-retest reliability of the translated versions of the NPDS was good ICC (2,1)=.86 (95%CI .76~.92). Cronbach's alpha value for NPDS was found to be .93, and this was statistically significant (p<.05). The criterion-related validity coefficient was .79 (p<.Oll. We conclude that the Korean version of NPDS has been shown to be a reliable and valid instrument for the assessment of neck pain. Successful linguistic and cultural translation will admit appropriate cross-cultural comparison for clinical analysis. Therefore, this study can be expected to be used as an adequate evaluation scale for neck pain related studies and treatments.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.2155-2163
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• 2020

Background: Various treatments have been proposed for chronic low back pain (CLBP), but recent guidelines and reviews recommend regular physical exercise. However, some other studies have reported opposite results that sling exercise (SE) and other exercises (OE) did not differ in improving CLBP. Objectives: To systematically review and meta-analyze the effects of SE on CLBP in studies published in Korea. Design: A Systemic Review and Meta-analysis. Methods: Randomized controlled trials comparing SE with OE and modality therapy (MT), published up to June 2020, were identified by electronic searches. Primary outcomes were pain and disability. The weighted mean difference (WMD), stand mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a random-effects model. Results: Based on the results of the meta-analysis, SE was effective for pain in the comparison of SE and MT [short-term: WMD=-1.64, 95% CI (-3.06, -0.22); long-term: WMD=-0.34, 95% CI (-0.42, -0.26)]. It was effective for pain in the comparison of SE and OE [short-term: WMD=-1.18, 95% CI (-2.15, -0.20); long-term: WMD=-0.66, 95% CI (-0.89, -0.43)]. It was also effective for disability in the comparison of SE and MT [short-term: SMD=-15.82, 95% CI (-23.10, -8.54)]. We found no clinically relevant differences in disability between SE and OE. Heterogeneity was high in the comparison of SE and overall variables. Conclusion: If SE is applied to physical therapy to improve the main symptoms of CLBP patients, it may contribute to their recovery. More high-quality randomized studies on the topic are warranted.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.129-138
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• 2021

Purpose : The purpose of this study has been performed to find the effect of psychomotorik program with voluntary movement activity on the development of social competence and physical exercise ability improvement in children with intellectual disability. Methods : This study was conducted with a similar group comparison study design to examine applicative effects of voluntary movement group psychomotor activities on body locomotion skills and social competence of intellectually disabled children. This study included 12 children with intellectual disability aged between 7 and 10 years. Experimental group was performed 50 minutes psychomotorik program for once a week during 12 weeks. Physical Exercise ability (TGMD-2) and changes in social competence were measured before and after the intervention program. Results : There were positive changes in social competence and physical exercise ability in the experimental and control groups before and after the intervention program. Only the experimental group showed significant difference in the pre and post measurement. There was a significant difference between the two groups before and after the intervention. Conclusion : Psychomotorik program with voluntary movement activity has a positive effect on the improvement of activity on the development of social competence and physical exercise ability improvement in children with intellectual disability. Accordingly, voluntary movement psychomotor activities programs can be utilized as a useful intervention method to improve the body locomotion skills of intellectually disabled children in the clinical and educational fields in the future.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.383-390
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of scrambler and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation therapy on pain, functional disability, and depression in patients with chronic low back pain. Methods: Twenty patients with chronic stroke were assigned randomly to an experimental (n=10) or control (n=10) group. The experimental group performed scrambler therapy. The control group performed electrical nerve stimulation therapy. Training was conducted once a day for 30 minutes, five days per week, for three weeks. The pain was measured using the numeric rating scale. Functional disability was measured using the Roland-Morris disability questionnaire. Depression was measured using the Beck depression inventory. Results: As a result of comparison between the groups, the experimental and control groups showed significant difference for pain, functional disability and depression after the experiment (p<0.05). In a comparison between the two groups, the experimental group, in which scrambler therapy was applied, showed a more significant reduction in pain, functional disability and depression than the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: Based on these results, scrambler therapy shows positive effects on pain, functional disability, and depression in patients with chronic low back pain.