• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.528-535
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• 2000

Objective : To investigate objectively the postoperative improvement of gait disturbance in patients with cervical myelopathy through a gait analysis. Patients and Methods : Ten patients who underwent cervical decompression and fusion for cervical myelopathy caused by spondylosis, OPLL, or concomitant hypertrophy of ligamentum flavum were studied. Preoperatively, gait disturbance was present in all patients. The patients were evaluated by gait analysis using three dimensional motion analyzer to collect data of linear and kinematic parameters before surgery, 1 week and 3 months after surgery. Statistical analysis of the related pre-and post-operative data were performed. Results : In the linear parameters, average value of cadence, walking speed, stride length, step time, width and double support were increased postoperatively compare to preoperative value. In the kinematic parameters, average value of knee flexion during initial swing phase, plantar flexion of ankle and range of motion of hip joint were increased as well. These differences were statistically significant(p<0.05). Conclusion : This study suggests that gait analysis can be used as a method of quantitative analysis of postoperative gait improvement in patients with cervical myelopathy.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.66 no.6
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• pp.611-617
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• 2023

The cervical spine plays a critical role in supporting the skull, maintaining horizontal gaze, and facilitating walking. Its unique characteristics, including the widest range of motion among spinal segments, have led to extensive research on cervical sagittal alignment. Various parameters have been proposed to evaluate cervical alignment, with studies investigating their clinical significance, correlation with symptoms, and implications for surgical interventions. Recent findings suggest that cervical sagittal alignment not only impacts the cervical spine but also influences global spine-pelvic alignment through compensatory mechanisms. This comprehensive review examines classical and new parameters of cervical sagittal alignment and considers the dynamic and muscular factors associated with it.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.171-183
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• 1995

This study was carried out to investigate the relationship between tensed mandibular positions, muscle tenderness and EMG activity, respectively, and between range of motion of the neck and sternocleidomastoid muscle tenderness. Under stressful conditions, most of people take several types of behavioral patterns. Two of them observed frequently are clenching of teeth and grasping of fist. Prolonged clenching or grasping should increase electromyographic activity of associated muscle, especially muscles of mastication and neck muscles and will cause hyperfunction, dysfunction and muscle pain. So it is necessary to relate EMG activity with muscle pain. The author performed routine clinical examination in 47 patients with Temporomandibular Disorders, especially for presence or absence of muscle tenderness. Mandibular rest position was used as a baseline reference position and two more position in which EMG activity was taken were rest postion with grasping of fist and teeth clenching position. BioEMG of Biopak system (Bioresearch Inc, USA) was used for measuring of integrated EMG in masseter, anterior temporalis, anterior belly of digastic muscle and sternocleidomastoid muscle. To measure of the range of neck motion. CROM(Cervical-Range-of Motion, USA) was used. The obtained results were as follows : 1. EMG activity of all muscles except in masseter was higher in grasping of fist than those in rest position and there were significant correlation in EMG activity between the two position except in anterior belly of digastric muscle. 2. When comparing EMG activity between tender and non-tender muscle, all examined muscles did not show any significant difference. From this data, we could conclude that EMG activity was generally not changed with tenderness, of couse, it might be dependent with degree of muscle tenderness. 3. Number of tender points in examined muscles was also not significantly different between in patients with masticatory muscle disorders and in patients with internal derangement. 4. Cervical posture and range of motion of the neck was not differed significantly between in patients with and in patients without tenderness of sternocleidomastoid muscle.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.49-55
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was conducted in order to analyze the effect of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation lower extremity pattern on muscular strength and flexibility in an aquatic environment. Methods: Ten members of the experimental group and 10 members of the control group were randomly selected from 20 college students who are in their 20s. Bilateral symmetry pattern among proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation lower extremity patterns was applied in an aquatic environment in the experimental group three times per week for a period of six weeks, and a set consisted of 10 times, which was repeated 10 times. On the other hand, subjects in the control group did not receive any treatment while maintaining daily life. Muscular strength was measured using a dynamometer and electromyogram system for maximum voluntary isometric contraction of hip flexor, hip extensor, knee flexor, and knee extensor. Cervical flexibility was measured using cervical range of motion instrument for cervical flexion, rotation, and lateral flexion. Lumbar flexibility was measured using back range of motion instrument II for lumbar flexion. Results: For the experimental group, significance was observed for hip flexor, extensor, knee flexor, extensor, cervical flexion, rotation, lateral flexion, and lumbar flexion. For the control group, no significance was observed for any other variables except for cervical flexion. As a result of observation of difference between the two groups, relatively high significance was observed in the experimental group, compared with the control group. Conclusion: In conclusion, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation lower extremity pattern had a positive effect on muscular strength and flexibility in an aquatic environment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.29-40
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• 2022

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of an exercise program for the thoracic spine and scapula rather than the neck, which is the primary site of pain. METHODS: Thirty-two elementary school teachers with a forward head posture (FHP) were assigned randomly to either the experimental group (n = 16) or the control group (n = 16). The experimental group performed scapular stabilization exercise (SSE) and thoracic extension exercise (TEE), and the control group performed cervical self-myofascial release exercise and stretching exercise. The pulmonary functions, pain, craniovertebral angle (CVA), and cervical range of motion (CROM) were measured before the intervention and six weeks after. RESULTS: The within-group comparisons showed that the VAS and CROM (except for extension) in both groups were significantly different before and after the intervention (p < .05). The changes in the maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximum expiratory pressure (MEP), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume at 1 sec (FEV1), and CVA were significant only in the experimental group (p < .05). The between-group comparisons showed a significant difference in the FVC, FEV1, VAS, CVA, and left lateral flexion (p < .05). CONCLUSION: The combination of SSE and TEE in the experimental group was more effective in improving the FHP and breathing ability. Moreover, the experimental group and control combination appeared to be effective in reducing pain and improving the CROM. The combination of SSE and TEE, which are exercises that do not target the cervical spine directly, was effective in improving the posture, respiration, neck pain, and CROM in elementary school teachers with FHP.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2016

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to exam effects of aroma therapy on the woman with headache in range of motion, results based on Pain and the tiredness index. we applied this study in female patients with headache. tiredness, stress, pain to examine effects of easing off headache, Tiredness. Methods : The study has been conducted with three different groups of "H" University in Gwangyang, the forty-five 20's female university student with headache were randomly assigned to groups each groups did a survey to evaluate their tiredness, VAS, VRS before this study and after there are three groups: 15 people gets a swedish massage by using almond oil(I Group, n= 15), 15 people got a swedish massage by using lavender oil(II Group, n=15) and 15 people got a swedish massage by using lavender oil, smalled at the scent of lavender candle(III Group, n=15). I, II, III Group common characteristics(gender, age, height, weight) were measured by using goniometer to measured flexion extension, left right flexion, left right rotation of cervical range of motion. the measured data were analyzed by using repeated ANOVA. Especially in order to investigate the effect of Aroma therapy by using lavender candle this study is progressed 20 minutes, 3 times per week for a term of 3weeks(total 9). Results : The results of this study were as follows : 1) the VAS and VRS showed significant different result. 2) in the range of motion, cervical extension between Group I and II and left right flexion between Group I and III showed quite motional difference. 3) in the tiredness, there were no significant factors after examination. Conclusion : Therefore, the results of this study demonstration that the effect of Aroma therapy by using lavender candle didn't show prominent effects.

• 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.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.42-56
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• 2019

Background: Individuals with mechanical neck pain show biomechanical and neurophysiological changes, including cervical spine muscle weakness. As a result of deep muscle weakness, it causes stability disability and reduced upper thoracic spine mobility, which finally leads to functional movement restriction such as limited range of motion and dysfunction. Recent studies have shown that thoracic spine manipulation and mobilization could reduce symptoms of mechanical neck pain in patients. Objects: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of thoracic mobility exercise on cervicothoracic function, posture feature, and pain intensity in individuals with mechanical neck pain. Methods: The study subjects were 26 persons who were randomly assigned to the experimental (with thoracic mobility exercise) and control groups (without thoracic mobility exercise), with 13 subjects in each group. The cervicothoracic function (neck functional disability level and cervicothoracic range of motion), posture feature, and pain rating (using a quadrupled visual analogue scale [QVAS]) were measured before, after 3 weeks, and after 6 weeks. Results: Statistically significant group-by-time interactions were found with repeated analyses of variance for the Korean neck disability index (KNDI), all cervical range of motion (CROM), all thoracic range of motion (TROM), cranial rotation angle, sagittal shoulder posture (SSP), and QVAS (p<.05). All groups showed significant improvements from all times in all the evaluated methods. The KNDI, CROM, TROM of left rotation, and SSP in the experimental group showed significant improvements after 3 weeks, and the TROM of the right rotation and QVAS in the experimental group showed significant improvements after 6 weeks when compared with the control group. Conclusion: Thoracic mobility exercise during 6 weeks might be effective intervention to improve the functional level, posture feature, and QVAS pain rating for managing individuals with mechanical neck pain.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.253-256
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• 2006

Cervical disc herniation is one of the most common causes of neck, shoulder and arm pain. There are many treatments for a cervical disc herniation, such as rest, physical therapy, medication, epidural steroid injection and surgery. However, conservative treatments sometimes have limited effectiveness, and a surgical discectomy is often associated with numerous complications. Nowadays, a percutaneous discectomy, using a $Dekompressor^{(R)}$, has been used in herniated disc patients, but a posterolateral extruded disc is not an indication. Herein, our experience using a 19 G $Dekompressor^{(R)}$, on a 52 year-old male patient with a left C6-⁣7 posterolateral extruded disc, is reported. Decompression was successfully performed, and the pain and range of motion was immediately improved.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.308-313
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• 2011

Posterior cervical foraminotomy is an attractive therapeutic option in selected cases of cervical radiculopathy that maintains cervical range of motion and minimize adjacent-segment degeneration. The focus of this procedure is to preserve as much of the facet as possible with decompression. Posterior cervical inclinatory foraminotomy (PCIF) is a new technique developed to offer excellent results by inclinatory decompression with minimal facet resection. The highlight of our PCIF technique is the use of inclinatory drilling out for preserving more of facet joint. The operative indications are radiculopathy from cervical foraminal stenosis (single or multilevel) with persistent or recurrent root symptoms. The PCIFs were performed between April 2007 and December 2009 on 26 male and 8 female patients with a total of 55 spinal levels. Complete and partial improvement in radiculopathic pain were seen in 26 patients (76%), and 8 patients (24%), respectively, with preserving more of facet joint. We believe that PCIF allows for preserving more of the facet joint and capsule when decompressing cervical foraminal stenosis due to spondylosis. We suggest that our PCIF technique can be an effective alternative surgical approach in the management of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy.