• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.780-786
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• 2005

This study presents a non-video, non-invasive, automatic, on-site monitoring system the system employs ultrasonic transducers to detect behavior in sows before, during and after parturition. An ultrasonic transmitting/receiving (T/R) circuit of 40 kHz was mounted above a conventional parturition bed. The T/R units use ultrasonic time-of-flight (TOF) ranging technology to measure the height of the confined sows at eight predetermined locations. From this data, three momentary postures of the sow are determined, characterized as standing-posture (SP), lateral-lying-posture (LLP) and sitting posture (STP). By examining the frequencies of position switch Stand-Up-Sequence (SUS) between standing-posture (SP), lateral-lying-posture (LLP) and sitting-posture (STP) rate can be determined for the duration of the sow' confinement. Three experimental pureblooded Landrace sows undergoing normal gestation were monitored for the duration of confinement. In agreement with common observation, the sows exhibited increased restlessness as parturition approached. Analysis of the data collected in our study showed a distinct peak in Stand-Up-Sequence (SUS, i.e. the transition from lying laterally to standing up ) and sitting-posture (STP) rate approximately 12 h prior to parturition, the observed peak being 5 to 10 times higher than observed on any other measurement day. It is concluded that the presented methodology is a robust, low-cost, lowlabor method for the continuous remote monitoring of sows and similar large animals for parturition and other behavior. It is suggested that the system could be applied to automatic prediction of sow parturition, with automatic notification of remote management personnel so human attendance at birth could reduce rates of sow and piglet mortality. The results of this study provide a good basis for enhancing automation and reducing costs in large-scale sow husbandry and have applications in the testing of various large mammals for the effects of medications, diets, genetic modifications and environmental factors.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.18-28
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• 2024

Background: Lateral instability of the ankle is one of the most common causes of musculoskeletal ankle injuries. The peroneus longus (PL) and peroneus brevis (PB) contribute to ankle stability. In early rehabilitation, isometric exercises have been selected for improvement of ankle stability. To effectively train the peroneal muscles during eversion, it is important to consider ankle and body posture. Objects: This study aimed to compare activation of the PL, PB, and biceps femoris (BF) muscles during eversion in different ankle postures (neutral [N], plantarflexed [PF]) and body postures (sitting and side-lying). Methods: Thirty healthy individuals with no history of lateral ankle sprains within the last 6 months were included in the study. Maximal isometric strength of eversion and muscle activation were measured simultaneously. Muscle activation at submaximal eversion was divided by the highest value obtained from maximal isometric eversion among the four postures (percent maximal voluntary isometric contraction [%MVIC]). To examine the differences in muscle activation depending on posture, a 2 × 2 repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted. Results: There were significant interaction effects of ankle and body postures on PL muscle activation and evertor strength (p < 0.05). The PL muscle activation showed a significantly greater difference in the side-lying and PF conditions than in the sitting and N conditions (p < 0.05). Evertor strength was greater in the N compared to the PF condition regardless of body posture (p < 0.05). In the case of PB and BF muscle activation, only the main effects of ankle and body posture were observed (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Among the four postures, the side-lying-PF posture produced the highest muscle activation. The side-lying-PF posture may be preferred for effective peroneal muscle exercises, even when considering the BF muscle.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.17-26
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• 2002

This study is aimed to compare the effect of visuo-perceptual biofeedback sitting balance training and conventional sitting balance training using Balance Master on stroke patients with that of program in order to analyze the effect it has on dynamic postural balance. The subjects are twenty-four stroke patients who are receiving physical therapy in Ilsan Paik Hospital and can maintain sitting posture by themselves. These patients were divided to control group and experimental group randomly. In order to compare to control and experimental group before and after the balance training, they were tested with Mann-Whitney U test and in order to compared the changes before and after the balance training, they were tested with Wilcoxon signed-ranks test. The results are as follows: we measured the ability of dynamic posture balance control with limit of stability(LOS) test and rhythmic weight shift test. There was an increasing improvement in the ability of dynamic posture balance control of the experimental group that had visuo-perceptual biofeedback sitting balance control training using the Balance Master(p<0.05, p<0.01). According to the results from above, compared to conventional sitting balance training programs, visuo-perceptual biofeedback sitting balance control training using the Balance Master is considered to be a more valuable therapy in balance control improvement and physical function improvement. It is considered that if the weak points are made up, the training with Balance Master will give help to stroke patients and to patients with balance control disabilities and will further more contribute to successful rehabilitation therapy.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.217-223
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was to investigate whether the two different head postures, natural and ideal head posture, affect head/shoulder posture and muscle activity. Methods: Thirty healthy subjects with the forward head and round shoulder posture were participated in this study. This study utilized a within-subjects design with subjects being positioned into two sitting positions: natural head posture (NHP) and ideal head posture (IHP). Forward head angle (FHA) and forward shoulder angle (FSA) of each subject were measured for assessing the head/shoulder posture and muscle activities of upper trapezius (UT), lower trapezius (LT), and serratus anterior (SA) during the forward overhead reaching. Results: There were significant increases in both FHA and FSA after taking IHP, which showed greater angles than in taking NHP. In change of muscle activities, there were significant decreases in both LT and SA after taking IHP, which showed lower activities than in taking a NHP, whereas there was no significant change in UT. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that postural alterations associated with forward head and rounded shoulder postures could alter scapular kinetics and muscle activity during the forward overhead reaching.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 2014

Asymmetric sitting posture may cause asymmetric buttock pressure and unilateral low back pain (LBP). The purpose of this study was to compare the differences of buttock pressure between both sides, and pelvic angle (sagittal and coronal planes) during typing in a sitting position on a pressure mat (Baltube) in individuals with and without unilateral LBP. Ten subjects with unilateral LBP and ten subjects without unilateral LBP were recruited for this study. Buttock pressure was measured using a pressure mat and pelvic angles were measured using a palpation meter. The subjects performed typing in a sitting posture for 30 minutes. Pressure data were collected and averaged at initial term (from start to first minutes) and final term (last minutes of 30 minutes). Angles of pelvic tilting were measured after 30 minutes typing. Pressure asymmetry values (difference in pressure between both sides) were calculated at the initial and final terms. A two-way analysis of variance was used to compare the differences between the initial and final pressure asymmetry values in subjects with and without unilateral LBP. An independent t-test was applied to compare the pelvic tilt angles between the two groups. To compare the change of pressure from the initial term to the final term between the symptomatic and asymptomatic sides in the unilateral LBP group, a paired t-test was applied. In the unilateral LBP group, the pressure asymmetric value at the final term was significantly greater than that of the initial term (p<.05). The angle of pelvic tilting in coronal plane was significantly greater in the unilateral back pain group compared to the without unilateral LBP group (p<.05), however, there was no significant difference in the angle of pelvic tilting in the sagittal plane between the two groups (p>.05). In the unilateral LBP group, the change of pressure from the initial term to the final term was significantly less in the symptomatic side (-6.90 mmHg) than the asymptomatic side (5.10 mmHg). This asymmetric sitting posture may contribute to unilateral LBP in the sitting position. Further studies are needed to determine if asymmetric weight bearing in sitting causes unilateral LBP or if unilateral back pain causes asymmetric weight bearing, and if the correction of asymmetric weight bearing in sitting can reduce unilateral LBP.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2007

To determine the effect of posture change on autonomic activity and to investigate valid parameters to reflex the autonomic activity from time-series pupil size data, a posture-related experiment was performed with 15 subjects, which involved measuring their electrocardiograms and pupil sizes. The experimental procedure consisted of three-sequence postures-supine, sitting and upright-for 5 minutes each, with rest sessions between postures. The subjects were notified of the entire experimental procedure. The parameters of the subjects' heart rate variability showed significant differences between the postures (heart rate: 63-70-80 beat, normalized low frequency power: 28-50-75, normalized high frequency power: 72-49-25 and ratio: 0.5-1.2-4.4 in supine-sitting-upright position respectively) as did the parameters of their mean pupil sizes (41300-53900-53700 pixels respectively) and the major frequencies (the third trend: 0.23-0.2-0.18 Hz respectively) of their pupil size variability according to changes in their autonomic activities induced by posture change. The experiment thus proved that posture change affects autonomic activity and that such activity can be estimated by the parameters of pupil size as similar as heart rate variability.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.163-172
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• 2021

Purpose: This study investigated the correlation between physical function and forward head posture in spastic diplegia. Methods: The subjects of this study were 10 spastic diplegia patients. We took pictures of the subjects' craniovertebral angle with a digital camera to determine the degree of forward head posture and then analyzed them using the NIH image J program. The physical function test used the TCMS, the BBT, and a spirometer. The data in this study were measured using SPSS version 23.0, and the statistical significance level α was 0.05. A Pearson correlation coefficient analysis was performed to identify the correlation between the degree of the subject's head forward position and physical function. Results: When we performed the BBT and spirometer tests, the subjects' forward head postures were not correlated (p < 0.05). However, with the TCMS, there was a strong correlation between the forward position of the head and balance, with balance decreasing as the head position increased (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Spastic diplegia patients with severe forward head posture showed problems with static balance, dynamic balance, and equilibrium reaction when sitting. Intervention on the right posture and preventive activities will be needed to improve the health of spastic diplegia patients and prevent future problems with physical function.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.1402-1406
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• 2007

Thirty pregnant heifers (Jersey, Holstein Friesian and Hariana) were divided into three groups (10 animals/group) according to their stage of pregnancy viz. seven-month (181-210 days) pregnancy (SMP), eight-month (211-240 days) pregnancy (EMP) and nine-month (241-280 days) pregnancy (NMP) group. Time spent in various feeding activities (eating fodder, eating concentrate, standing rumination, sitting rumination and drinking) by each animal in the three pregnant groups was recorded in four different sessions (each session of 24 h per week). The time spent eating concentrate, eating fodder, standing rumination, sitting rumination and drinking was 61.4, 271.3, 84.6, 367.6 and 10.6 min/day, respectively in the SMP group; 52.7, 289.5, 103.3, 345.8 and 9.2 min/day, respectively in the EMP group and 65.0, 277.7, 138.1, 291.0 and 9.8 min/day, respectively in the NMP group. The animals in the EMP group spent significantly (p<0.01) more time on eating fodder and concentrate compared to the animals in SMP and NMP groups. The pregnant heifers preferred rumination in standing posture in comparison to sitting posture. The time spent on standing rumination was significantly higher in the NMP group whereas the time spent on sitting rumination was significantly lower in this group. Except for the sitting rumination activity, all the other activities were predominant in daytime compared to night time; the diurnal variation was significant (p<0.01) for all the activities.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.153-158
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• 2004

With considerable development of comfortable and functional clothing in recent years, we need to evaluate the effects of garment pressure in daily wear on each parts of human body because the garment pressure is important to design the clothing. This study was designed to examine the effects of body postures on garment pressure on each parts of human body in the actual clothing conditions. All the data were collected from 50 volunteered subjects. The Garment pressure was measured in lune and December with 8 points CPMS clothing pressure system from scapular, upper am, elbow, under arm, front waist line, side waist line, abdomen, crista ilica, upper hip, middle hip, front thigh, back thigh, front knee and back knee. The postures of subjects were controlled with 3 positions such as standing (posture 1), sitting on the chair (posture 2), and sitting on the floor (posture 3) during measurement of clothing pressure. Clothing weights were more in men than in woman. It showed that clothing weights had no effects on the garment pressure. In this study, however, just the garment pressures on scapular and top of the hip increased significantly by clothing weight (p<. 05). Clothing horizontally pressed on scapular and top of hip but not on other parts. When subjects stood up, the garment pressure was the highest on the side waist. Especially, clothing pressure on the front waist point was lower than that of the left side waist. On the upper parts of the human body, the garment pressure of left side waist was the highest, and followed by front waist, crista ilica, and abdomen in order. When subjects were sitting on the chair, the garment pressure on the lower parts of the human body was the highest on the top of hip. When the subjects were sitting on the chair or on the floor, the surface area on their skin of hip and waist parts increased by postures. In addition, it showed that men felt more comfortable than women on higher clothing pressure level.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.56-63
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• 2017

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effects of sitting posture on cervical flexion angle and pain during smart phone use. Method: This research was performed on 10 adult female students who use smart phones regularly, Each of the two groups of participants used the provided smart phone for 20 minutes while maintaining the given default posture. The evaluation order was randomly selected and the two groups were photographed twice before and after the experiment and were asked to answer if they felt pain during or after the experiment. Result: First, both upright sitting position and vertebra bent position pre and post experiment readings showed significant statistical difference (p<.05). And it is shown to be a factor that induces pain around the neck via increase in neck flexion angle. Second, although there were no significant statistical difference between the pre and post experiment readings of the upright sitting position results and the vertebra bent position results, the vertebra bent position readings showed bigger changes to the neck flexion angle then the upright sitting position readings. Third, all participants from both groups claimed pain in all the tested postures of smart phone usage. Conclusion: Smart phone usage for an extended amount of time in all body postures may prove to have a negative effect making the "optimal" smart phone usage position as a controlled time with neck stretches included in between short sessions.