• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.44-49
• /
• 2022

The number of single-person households is increasing worldwide, and among them, the proportion of elderly single-person households is increasing. In the case of elderly single-person households, a significant portion of their leisure time is devoted to watching TV. However, if they fall asleep while watching TV without turning it off, it may be difficult to sleep well due to lights and sounds of TV, which can cause health problems such as depression and reduced immunity. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a system that automatically turns off the TV when a person watching TV falls asleep. Images are collected using the camera installed in front of the TV. Since the posture of a person watching TV varies from a sitting posture to a lying posture, the system is designed to determine whether or not to fall asleep regardless of the posture. In addition, since it becomes difficult to judge eye movements as a person moves away from the TV, a method for extending the judgmentable distance is proposed. The system model was implemented and tested using a Raspberry Pi, a monitor, an infrared sensor, and a camera. Eye movements were judged regardless of sitting or lying position, and the distance between a user and a TV was extended by about 200 cm.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2019

Background: Cervical dysfunction is a common pathomechanical marker in individuals with forward head posture (FHP). To overcome the limitations of the isometric chin-tuck (ICT) exercise, dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS), which emphasizes an entire spinal chain exercise, has recently shown promising clinical results. Objects: Purpose of this study was to compare the immediate effects between ICT and DNS techniques. Methods: 43 young subjects (mean age, $24.0{\pm}5.0$ years) were recruited. Group of subjects with FHP were measured under baseline, ICT, and DNS conditions. Outcome measures included sitting height, longus colli (LC) and sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle thickness and LC/SCM thickness ratio. One-way repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the continuous dependent variables among FHP, ICT, and DNS conditions at p<.016. Results: Both ICT and DNS exercise conditions yielded significantly increased LC muscle thickness, LC/SCM thickness ratio and sitting height than did FHP condition (p<.0001, respectively). Sitting height was significantly greater in DNS exercise than in the ICT exercise (p<.0001). Conclusion: The present results demonstrated that sitting height was greater in the DNS exercise than in the ICT exercise, as well as both corrective postural training exercises were effective on LC/SCM muscle balance ratio when compared with the baseline FHP condition. Therefore, it is considered that DNS exercise can be the recommended exercise for people with FHP.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.131-140
• /
• 2022

Purpose : Although many studies have explored the effect of seating side angles on the spinal curve and surrounding muscles during seating, only a few studies have investigated the effect of different seating face angles on different lower limb and deep trunk muscles. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of seating surface angles (0 degrees, 10 degree anterior, and 10 degree rear) on lower extremity and deep trunk muscles in healthy adults. Methods : Thirty people were asked to sit once on each seating surface three times during the day, and their muscle thicknesses were measured by ultrasound while sitting. The method of sitting was the same when sitting on the three seating surfaces. Results : From the comparison results of the muscle thicknesses according to the seating surface angles, a significant difference existed in the muscle thicknesses of the vastus medialis, vastus medialis oblique, vastus intermedius, soleus and gastrocnemius (p<.05). However, no significant difference was found in the transversus abdominis, internal obliques, rectus femoris and vastus lateralis (p>.05). Conclusion : Our findings revealed that the lower back load decreases, the leg load increases, and the legs specific muscles are affected as the body tilts forward when sitting on the seating surface inclined forward. Therefore, it is possible to suggest a forwardly inclined seating surface that reduces lower back loads and utilizes the posture-maintaining muscles of the legs when sitting in a person with a poor sitting posture or lower back pain at ordinary times.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.44-51
• /
• 2018

Background: In this paper, the relationship between the Cranio-Vertebral Angle (CVA) and the vital capacity in each position is reviewed, and the vital capacity in the position is studied. Methods: This study targeted 20 non-smoking female students of U university, which is located in Gyeongju-si. To review the Forward Head Posture (FHP) of each subject, CVA was measured, and FVC, FEV1, and FEF (25-75%) were measured and analyzed using a spirometer. Subjects were ordered to exhale three times with ease and then inhale up to their total lung capacity. After then, they were requested to exhale longer than six seconds. Then the inspiration and expiration were repeated. The measurement was executed in three positions, including supine, prone, and sitting. In each position the measurement was repeated twice, and a one-minute break was given between each cycle, so it was measured six times in total. SPSS 14.0 for Windows was used to analyze the data. The subjects' general properties were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and the correlation between the angle and the respiration variable result in each position was analyzed. The result of the respiration variable in each position was analyzed using the one-way ANOVA, and then a Scheffe post-hoc comparison was executed. Results: According to the analysis result of the correlation between the angle and respiration variable in each position, the sitting position and FEF (25-75%) showed a positive correlation (P<0.05). The respiration variable in each position showed a significant difference in FVC (p<0.05), and the Scheffe post-hoc comparison differed in prone and sitting positions. Conclusion: To increase the FVC of FHP patients, different exercises for each position can be applied, and the result of this study can be utilized as background data for further research.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.103-109
• /
• 2013

Purpose: This study was conducted in order to suggest an effective method of daily life movement training for stroke patients by comparison and analysis of the biomechanic characteristics of sitting up from a lying posture in stroke patients and healthy elderly participants. Methods: Fifteen stroke patients and 15 age-matched elderly participants were included in the study. The movement of sitting up from a lying posture was divided into three stages, and the differences in muscle activity in the sternocleidomastoid (SCM), rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and rectus femoris (RF) during the movement were analyzed. Results: Subjects in the experimental group showed slower speed than those in the control group. In the neck joint, the change of angle in movement showed a larger decrease at all stages in the experimental group than in the control group; the movement also decreased in stages I and II in the upper trunk joint. The movement also showed a statistically significant decrease in stage II in the lower trunk, pelvic, and hip joints. The SCM showed higher activity in the control group than in the experimental group, showing a statistically significant difference; the RA showed high activity in the experimental group. The RF showed higher activity in the control group than in the experimental group, showing a statistically significant difference. Conclusion: From the results obtained above, increasing movements in the neck, pelvic, and hip joints and strengthening of lower body muscles are required in order to improve the ability for getting up from a lying posture in stroke patients.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.29-38
• /
• 2021

Purpose : Therapeutic exercise should improve the health outcomes of rehabilitation in children with neurodevelopmental disability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of primitive reflex integration exercises on forward head posture, balance ability, and concentration in children with neurodevelopmental disability. Methods : This study included 10 children with neurodevelopmental disability. Primitive reflex integration exercises were performed for 40 minutes, twice a week for 8 weeks (16 sessions). The reflective markers were placed at the center of the shoulders and on the ears. A caliper was used to measure the distance between the attachments of the reflective markers to assess the forward head posture. Pediatric balance scale was used to quantify balance ability. Their abilities in terms of changeless sitting, looking at the teacher, putting children's hands on their knees, and looking at immovable and movable objects, were assessed to quantify concentration. Results : There were significant improvements in forward head posture after the intervention (p=.005). Primitive reflex integration exercises significantly improved balance ability of children with neurodevelopmental disability (p=.027). There were also significant improvements in changeless sitting (p=.005), looking at the teacher (p=.004), putting children's hands on their knees (p=.005), and looking at the immovable (p=.004) and movable (p=.004) objects. Conclusion : This study showed that primitive reflex integration exercises were a useful intervention to improve forward head posture, balance, and concentration in children with neurodevelopmental disability. Therefore, primitive reflex integration exercises may also promote and improve their general development. Further studies with appropriate sample size and control group are needed to conclude the effectiveness of primitive reflex integration exercises on improving posture, motor function, and concentration in children with neurodevelopmental disability.

• Journal of Korean Society of Neurocognitive Rehabilitation
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.19-26
• /
• 2018

Many people do not realize that they have poor neck posture. Incorrect forward head posture can lead to turtle neck. This aim to development of specific chair to reduce tension and other symptoms of turtle neck posture. This turtle neck syndrome adjusting chair is a chair that supports the hip and shin of a person to help them correct their posture. It is consisted of the shin support that supports the shin in an angle and the hip support that supports one's hip while the shin is supported at an angle, the main frame that has the two of them connected and the fluid seat that is joined at the top of the hip support and reacts accordingly to the shape of the hip. This is a posture correction chair which has the fluid seat that provides unstable hip support so that it can allow a person to realize their posture from the constant stimulation about the posture. When one seats on the posture correction chair, their hip and shin are supported at an angle that straitens their back, and as their back is straightened, their shoulders and chest are opened, and the neck is positioned at the middle to help them correct their posture. An unbalanced posture causes discomfort to the person seated at the chair, and the person sitting on the posture correction chair will continuously adjust his/her posture to balance the hips to keep the correct posture. Through this process, the person shall adjust his/her left and right posture, ultimately increasing the effectiveness of posture correction. A future collective study on the continuous posture correction of people having turtle neck syndrome using this posture correction chair is required.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.728-733
• /
• 2011

U.S. apparel brands are being imported to Korea more than any other country's apparel brands. Against this backdrop, this study intends to verify the fitness of U.S. apparels for Korean people in terms of size. To this end, the authors selected 25 American and 25 Korean women in their twenties and studied the differences of these two groups with regard to the size of their lower body parts. In addition, the authors analyzed how the size of each part of the lower body changes according to different postures. All the study subjects were required to be able to wear medium-sized pants of the U.S. apparel. The results of the present study are shown below. The American women were bigger than the Korean counterparts in leg length, hip circumference, thigh circumference, and all height-related sizes. However, the Koreans were bigger than their peers in lengths from waist to crotch; crotch length, body rise and the length from front waist point to hip line. Standing posture was used as a yardstick, when the changes in size according to the different postures were examined. The results indicate that hip and knee circumferences increased in the sitting posture. In particular, hip circumference significantly increased in the American women group. Regarding length-related sizes, increases and decreases in sizes for different lower body parts differed according to the posture. For a walking posture with ordinary strides, the front crotch length decreased while the back crotch length increased. This tendency was more notably observed for Korean women. The American woman clearly showed a decrease in outside leg length for all postures. The Korean women obviously presented an increase in the front center leg length for the sitting posture and for the posture where the knees were bent at $120^{\circ}$. The length from the front waist point to the hip line significantly declined in the Korean woman for the sitting posture and for the walking posture with ordinary strides.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.29-34
• /
• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the difference between respiratory function and speech production, according to the seat surface inclination while in the sitting position. Methods: Respiratory function (FVC, FEV1) and speech production (inspiratory frequency, unit reading time, paragraph reading time) were measured in 3 sitting conditions: horizontal seat surface, seat surface tilted forward 15 degrees, and seat surface tilted backward 15 degrees. Results: We found that the mean values of FVC and FEV1 were statistically significant different according to three types of sitting positions (p<0.05). The following result was observed: forward tilted sitting > horizontal sitting > backward tilted sitting. There was no significant difference in speech production between the different positions. Respiratory function and speech production had a significantly negative correlation in the forward tilted condition and the backward tilted condition. Conclusion: This finding suggests that the seat surface inclination have an effect on respiratory function. Especially, forward tilted sitting may be an effective posture that may help increases the respiratory function.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.18-35
• /
• 1997

The purpose of this study were to determine causes of low back pain in bus drivers who usually work in prolonged sitting position and to find the relationship of back pain with general characteristics and work environmental characteristics, stress symptoms, to com맹re lordosis angle of habitual driving posture and resting posture in low back pain group and non-low back pain group, and to use this result as a basis for improvement of work environment and comprehensive rehabilitative management of low back pain. Ninety-eight bus drivers were selected from the membership of an urban transit union in Seoul. These informations were collected from May 1, 1997 to May 25, 1997 by means of structured questionnaires and X-ray findings. These data were analyzed by $x^2$ test, t-test, logistic regression using SAS. The major results were as follows: 1. Of the respondents, 66.3% of bus drivers were found to be experiencing back pain. 2. Of the respondents of low back pain groups, 78.5% reported that major cause of low back pain was due to prolonged sitting. 3. The group with experiences of frequent or continuous vibration had more low back pain (p<0.05). There were no significant differences among other work environmental factors. 4. Average stress score was significantly higher in the group with low back pain than in the group without low back pain (p<0.05). 5. The results of the logistic regression analyses were statistically significant vibration from seat and stress score among the risk factors (p<0.05). 6. Averaged lordosis angle of habitual driving posture was $7.6{\pm}14.9$ degrees in low back pain group, $16.5{\pm}8.7$ degrees in non-low back pain and averaged lordosis angle of resting sitting posture was $10.8{\pm}13.7$ degrees in low back pain, $18.9{\pm}9.6$ degrees in non-low back pain group but the difference in mean lordosis angles of two groups was not statistically significant. The results of this study indicate that professional drivers developed chronicity of low back pain due to unfit seat, poor habitual posture and stress from vibration or other risk factors. Therefore, there is need to improve work environment, i.e. enough resting, to set a seat to support lumbar spine properly and to provide comprehensive rehabilitation program including early diagnosis, proper treatment and education for self help management.