• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.19-26
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• 2013

The smart-phone has become a necessity for most people. In this study, we determined that using a smart-phone for 20 minutes can cause increased neck and shoulder muscle activities and fatigue. Seventeen healthy male smart-phone users who attended Yonsei University played a smart-phone game for 20 minutes and changes in their bilateral cervical erector spinae and upper trapezius muscle activities and fatigue were measured. To assess muscle activities and fatigue, we used the following variables: the median frequency, the 50th percentile Amplitude probability distribution function (APDF) value (median load), and the discrepancy in the 90th percentile APDF value and the 10th percentile APDF value (APDF range). A paired t-test was used to compare pre-smart-phone-use status with post-smart-phone-use-status. The median frequency of the bilateral cervical erector spinae and the upper trapezius decreased significantly after 20 minutes of smart-phone use (p<.05). In addition, the 50th percentile APDF value of the bilateral cervical erector spinae and the right upper trapezius increased significantly (p<.05). The APDF range of the bilateral cervical erector spinae and the upper trapezius also increased significantly (p<.05). However, the 50th percentile APDF range of the left upper trapezius was not significantly different (p>.05). These findings suggest that using smart-phones for 20 minutes can induce muscle fatigue and increased neck and shoulder muscle activities.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.46-55
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the two different types of chairs on trapezius muscle activation during dictation tasks. Seventeen university students, each of whom were within ${\pm}1$ standard deviation of the mean Korean standard body size, voluntarily participated in this study. Surface electromyography was used to collect electrical signals from both the upper and lower trapezius muscles. Amplitude Probability Distribution Function (APDF) was performed to analyze the muscle activity. The findings of this study were 1) The backrest-point height of the auditorium chair and the height, length and width of the connected desk were shorter than what was suggested by the KS. Another difference was that the auditorium chair had a bigger angle of the backrest compared to the classroom chair. 2) Regarding within-subject effect the sole statistically significant difference was found between activation of the upper trapezius muscle. The upper trapezius muscle's %RVC in the APDF 10th-50th-90th percentile was statistically higher for participants sitting in the auditorium chair than for participants sitting in the classroom chair (p<.05). 3) There was an interaction effect between the 'two chair-types' and the 'two muscle-sides' in the APDF 10th-50th percentile (p<.05). 4) There was an interaction effect between the 'two chair-types' and the 'three gaze-direction' in the APDF 90th percentile (p<.05). The findings of this study indicated that maintaining a writing posture for a prolonged period of time in an auditorium chair significantly increased the left upper trapezius muscle activation compared to a classroom chair.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.221-229
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• 2023

Background: In modern society, the use of computers accounts for a large proportion of our daily lives. Although substantial research is being actively conducted on musculoskeletal diseases resulting from computer use, there has been a recent surge in interest in improving the working environment for prevention. Objects: This study aimed to examine the effects of posture correction feedback (PCF) on changes in neck posture and muscle activation during computer typing. Methods: The participants performed a computer typing task in two sessions, each lasting 16 minutes. The participant's dominant side was photographed and analyzed using ImageJ software to verify neck posture. Surface electromyography (EMG) was used to confirm the participant's cervical erector spinae (CES) and upper trapezius muscle activities. The EMG signal was analyzed using the percentage of reference voluntary contraction and amplitude probability distribution function (APDF). In the second session, visual and auditory feedback for posture correction was provided if the neck was flexed by more than 15° in the initial position during computer typing. A 20-minute rest period was provided between the two sessions. Results: The neck angle (p = 0.014), CES muscle activity (p = 0.008), and APDF (p = 0.015) showed significant differences depending on the presence of the PCF. Furthermore, significant differences were observed regarding the CES muscle activity (p = 0.001) and APDF (p = 0.002) over time. Conclusion: Our study showed that the feedback system can correct poor posture and reduces unnecessary muscle activation during computer work. The improved neck posture and reduced CES muscle activity observed in this study suggest that neck pain can be prevented. Based on these results, we suggest that the PCF system can be used to prevent neck pain.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.589-599
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• 2017

Objective: The objective of this study was to measure the upper-limb motions and postures of grapes-harvesting tasks using electrical goniometers and analyze the upper-limb motions in a kinematic way to assess the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. Background: Grapes farmers are exposed to various risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) such as repetitive upper-limb motions, non-neutral postures, and manual handling of heavy items. The farmers have to use scissors repetitively while harvesting grapes with their being arms elevated over the shoulder height, which presumed to increase the physical workload. It has been reported that the grapes farmers feel the harvesting task as the one of the hardest work in cultivating grapes. We tried measure the wrist and elbow angles while the farmers were carrying out harvesting tasks to understand how much workload the work impose on the farmers, which can be helpful in making interventions of preventing musculosksletal disorders among grapes farmers. Method: We measured joint angles at the right wrist and elbow with a wireless measuring system with two electrical goniometers from five grape farmers. The grapes-harvesting task was classified into 6 different subtasks: 1) searching, 2) picking, 3) cleaning, 4) carrying, 6) storing, and 7) miscellaneous tasks. The subtasks were compared by mean angles, 10%, 50%, and 90% APDF values of wrist flexion/extension, ulnar/radial deviation, and elbow flexion. Results: The Kruskal-Wallis tests showed that the 10th percentiles of APDF of ulnar/radial deviation and flexion/extension of the wrist significantly differs among subtasks (p<0.05). It was found that the farmers assumed more deviated wrist postures in the ulnar direction when they picking and adjusting the grapes. The use of scissors seemed to force the farmers to severely bend their wrist in the directions of ulnar deviation and flexion. The grapes-harvesting task showed similar wrist postures and motion with poultry deboning and milking tasks. Conclusion: The grapes harvesting tasks make the farmers take ulnar deviated and extended postures in the wrist. The use of scissors makes them take more severely deviated postures in the wrist. Safety guidelines including use of ergonomic scissors can be provided to the farmers to improve their work conditions. Application: The results of this study can be used as a basic data for the development of safety guidelines for agricultural work.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.40 no.5 s.396
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• pp.364-372
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• 2002

지난 4월 3일부터 7일까지 개최된 제24차 APDC 서울총회 및 제44회 치협 종합학술대회에서는 아태연맹 산하에 있는 여러 위원회의 심포지엄도 개최됐다. 그중에서도 각국의 대표가 참석한 교육위원회 (APDF Education Committee : 위원장 오노 교수-일본동경의 · 치대)가 열려 아시아 각국의 구강보건 증진 프로그램 심포지엄을 갖고 각국의 치의학 현황 및 구강보건에 대해 토의했다. 교육위원회에 참석한 신승철 단국치대 예방치과 교수가 당일 발표된 아세아 태평양 8개국의 구강보건에 대해 취합하여 정리한 내용을 게재한다.

• The Transactions of the Korea Information Processing Society
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.172-180
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• 1998

인터넷의 가장 중요한 서비스 중의 하나인 저낮 메일 시스템으 swjd보 교환의 수단으로 널리 이용되고 있다. 그러나, 대부분의 기존 전자 메일 시스템은 7비트 코드를 지원하기 위하여 설계되었기 때문에 한글 메시지와 같은 8비트 코드를 전송하는데 문제점이 있다. 이러한 문제점을 해결하기 위하여 MIME, ISO-2022-KR과 같은 기법이 발표 되었지만 아직도 한글 메시지의 송수신에는 어려움이 있다. 본 논문에서는 일반 사용자가 보다 편리하게 한글 메시지를 송수신할 수 있는 전자 메일 브라우저 모델을 제시한다. 제시한 모델의 기본 개념은 MIME만을 지원하는 POP3 클라이언트를 확장한 것으로써 8비트 한글 메시지를 ISO-2022-KR이나 Quoted-Printable 혹은 Base64로 인코딩하여 7비트로 전송한다. 제시한 모델의 타당성을 검토하기 위하여 전자 apdf 브라우저를 한글 Win95환경에서 구현하여 실험하였다.