• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.93-101
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• 2020

Objective: The purpose of this study was to differences of foot plantar pressure balance and lung capacity according to cervical posture in adults. Method: The subjects consisted of 33 adults in their 20s and 50s who use M centers in B-gu and H-gu, B-City, and they measured foot plantar pressure balance and lung capacity according to cervical posture (cervical normal curvature posture, cervical flexural posture) in adults. Results: In this study, the difference of foot plantar pressure balance according to cervical posture were analyzed. In the difference between left and right foot pressure balance. It was 1.50% increased in the cervical flexural posture than in the cervical normal curvature posture, and a statistically significant difference was observed. In the difference between the anterior and posterior foot pressure balance. It was 4.28% increased in the cervical flexural posture than in the cervical normal curvature posture, and a statistically significant difference was observed. The difference of lung capacity according to cervical posture were analyzed. In the PEF, It was 58.63 l/min decreased in the cervical flexural posture than in the cervical normal curvature posture, and a statistically significant difference was observed. In the FEV1, It was 0.15 ℓ decreased in the cervical flexural posture than in the cervical normal curvature posture, and a statistically significant difference was observed. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that had a positive effect on differences of foot plantar pressure balance and lung capacity at cervical normal curvature posture in adults. In future research, itis believed that research on the elderly who have collapsed the normal curvature posture due to aging, as well as teenagers whose normal curvature posture due to the use of smartphones, will contribute to the balance of foot pressure and improvement of the right cervical habits. In future studies, it is also believed that it will be necessary to measure lung capacity after performing exercise according to the cervical posture, thereby providing sufficient oxygen during exercise to enhance the persistence and efficiency of the movement.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2019

Purpose: This paper proposes proper and effective neck exercises by comparing the deep and superficial cervical flexor muscle activities and thickness according to the pressure level during cranio-cervical flexion exercises between a normal posture group and forward head posture group. Methods: A total of 20 subjects (8 males and 12 females) without neck pain and disabilities were selected. The subjects' craniovertebral angles were measured; they were divided into a normal posture and a forward head posture group. During cranio-cervical flexion exercises, the thickness of the deep cervical flexor neck muscle and the activity of the surface neck muscles were measured using ultrasound and EMG. Results: The results showed that the thickening of the deep cervical flexor was increased significantly to 28 and 30 mmHg in the forward head posture group. The sternocleidomastoid muscle activity increased significantly to 24, 26, 28, and 30 mmHg in the forward head posture group. The anterior scalene muscle activity increased significantly to 26, 28, and 30mmHg in the forward head posture group. A significant difference of 26, 28, and 30 mmHg in the sternocleidomastoid and anterior scalene muscles was observed between two groups. Conclusion: To prevent a forward head posture and maintain proper cervical curve alignment, the use of the superficial cervical flexor muscles must be minimized. In addition, to perform a cranio-cervical flexion exercises to effectively activate the deep cervical flexor muscles, 28 and 30 mmHg for normal posture adults and 28 mmHg for adults with forward head postures are recommended.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.23-30
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• 2023

Background: Flexion of cervical and lumbar joints is required when viewing a smartphone screen. Thus, these joints are overused, together with the surrounding joints and muscles. Long-term use of smartphones will cause changes in cervical and lumbar posture. The effect on forward head posture will vary, depending on the angle of cervical flexion start position in relation to the smartphone. This study investigated how forward head posture changes over time when using a smartphone at 20° and 40° cervical flexion start positions. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Twenty-five subjects with a forward head posture angle of 35° or less participated in the study. A Forward Head Posture app on the participants' smartphones measured forward head posture 5 and 10 minutes after watching videos on their smartphones. Cervical range of motion was used to set a smartphone watching start posture of 20° and 40° of cervical flexion. Results: There was no significant difference in forward head posture, irrespective of cervical flexion start position, but the angle of forward head posture increased more at cervical flexion of 40° than at cervical flexion of 20°. There was no significant difference in what according to smartphone video viewing times, but the angle of forward head posture increased over time. Conclusion: An increase in forward head posture over time with smartphone usage poses a potential risk of neck and shoulder pain. Therefore, smartphone users should avoid prolonged screen time.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.125-137
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• 2020

Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine how changes in the cervical spine correlate with body posture changes in the whole body, and to find out the significance of complementary clinical application X-ray and Chuna posture analysis. Methods From January 1, 2019 to October 31, 2019, the results of 27 patients with pain in the vertebral region were analysed in accordance with the results of cervical X-ray and Chuna posture analysis. In order to confirm the significance of Chuna posture analysis results, the survey of 187 Chuna standard curriculum instruction qualification certifiers was conducted and the responses of 47 of them were analyzed. Results The occiput-atlas cline angle increases in both hypolordosis/hyperlordosis groups based on cervical lordosis angle, and increases further than in the hyperlordosis group. There were significant correlations between the changes in the cervical spine and the body posture changes in the whole body. There were no significant differences between cervical X-ray sagittal parameters and the body posture analysis parameters based on the patient's major disease codes. Conclusions As a result of conducting a survey on the clinical importance of the body posture analysis parameters, the importance of cervical parameters was verified. Changes in the cervical spine may not only cause other changes in the cervical region, but also affect the body posture changes in the whole body. The complementary application of X-ray and Chuna posture analysis results is helpful in clinical diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.1-7
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• 2015

This case report describes the effectiveness of cervical corrective exercises in a patient with cervical radiculopathy (CR) who experienced radicular pain, upper limb paresis, and limited functional activity. A 39-year-old male with cervical radiculopathy performed the cervical corrective exercises for reducing pain. Pain intensity, cervical posture, and active range of motion of cervical intersegmental spine motion were measured baseline, after 4 weeks, and after 8 weeks with self-reported questionnaire and radiographs. After 8 weeks of intervention, the patient demonstrated alleviated radicular symptoms, improved neck posture and active range of flexion and extension of the cervical intersegmental spine. Especially in the angle between the cervical vertebra 6 and 7, the angle was changed from $-4.69^{\circ}$ to $3.30^{\circ}$ during resting position after intervention. The present case indicates that the cervical corrective exercises might be a possible treatment to effectively reduce radicular symptoms, improve neck posture, and active cervical intersegmental motion for patient with CR.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.393-405
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• 1996

This study was performed to investigate the effects of changes of head posture and cervical spine shape on the mandibular resting or clenching electromyographic(EMG) activity in anterior temporalis(TA), masseter(MM), sternocleidomastoid muscle(SCM) and trapezius insertion(TI). 30 patients with Temporomandibular Disorders(TMDs) participated in this study. EMG activity($\mu$V) at rest and clenching was observed in four head postures, namely natural head posture(NHP), forward head posture(FHP), upward head posture(UHP), and downward head posture(DHP). For taking in upward or downward head posture head was inclined 10$^{\circ}$ upward or downward and CROM$^\textregistered$(cervical-range-of motion, Performance attainment Inc., USA) was used to maintain same posture during the procedure, and BioEMG$^\textregistered$ (Bioelectromyograph, Bioresearch Inc., USA) was used to record EMG activity in the above four muscles at eight locations on both sides. The recorded EMG activity($\mu\textrm{V}$) were compared and analyzed by cervical spine shape such as the head position from plum line, cervical curvature, and cervical inclination. Head position from plum line was measured in vertical plate calibrated with cm scale, comical curvature by radius was measured with adjustable curved ruler, and cervical inclination by cervical vertebrae tangent(CVT)was measured in lateral cephalograph. The results obtained were as follows : 1. Mean value of head position from plum line, cervical curvature, and cervical inclination were 4.8cm, 26.7cm, and 86.6$^{\circ}$, respectively, And There were no correlationship among these items. 2. For resting EMG activity by head posture, the value in anterior temporalis was higher at FHP than at DHP, the value in masseter was higher at FHP than at NHP, and DHP, the value in sternocleidomastoid muscle was higher at UHP than at NHP, and the value in trapezius insertion was higher at FHP and DHP than, NHP and UHP. The clenching EMG activity, however, did not show any difference by head posture. 3. Comparison of resting and clenching EMG activity between higher and lower groups by head position from plum line, cervical curvature, and cervical inclination did not show any significant difference. From this result, the author concluded that the cervical spine shape had not significantly affected to EMG activity in usual patients with TMDs.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.33-37
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• 2015

Background: The purpose of this study on the effects of deep cervical flexors strengthening exercise to forward head posture and pain of neck in patients with chronic neck pain. Method: We selected 30 subjects among neck pain patients and carried out measurements. The subjects' forward head posture was measured including head tilt angle (HTA), neck flexion angle (NFA) and forward shoulder angle (FSA), neck disability index (NDI), numeric rating scale (NRS). The subjects underwent deep cervical flexors muscle strengthening with pressure bio-feedback device for 4 weeks. Then, after intervention, the subjects' forward head posture was measured again. It was performed Wilcoxon signed-ranks test for confirming the effect of deep cervical flexor muscles strengthening exercise. Results: As a result of comparison of measurements before and after intervention, we found that there were statistically significant improvement in the subjects' NDI, NRS and forward head posture including head tilt angle, neck flexion angle and forward shoulder angle. Conclusion: We concluded that deep cervical flexors strengthening exercise has the effect of alleviation of neck pain patients and is effective for forward head posture.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.361-376
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• 1995

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the head and neck postre and the cervical curvature, especially in forward head postrue(FHP). Sixty patients with craniomandibular disorders and thirty dental students without any signs and symptoms of craniomandibular disordres participated in this study as patient groups and sa control group, respectively. The author evaluated the head and neck posture of all subjects by plumb line and CROM( Cervical Ragne of Motion), and had taken cephaograph in natural head position. On the cephalograph the angle of cervical inclination formed by true horizntal plane and 4th cervical vertebra(C4) and the radius of cervical curvature from C1 to C5 were measured. A specially designed ruler was used for measuring cervical curvature. Occlusal contac number and force with T-scan system, electromygraphic activity of cervical muscles with Bio-EMG, and distance of freeway space with Bio-ECN were recorded, respectively. The collected data were processed by SAS/STAT progrm. The obtained results were as follows : 1. In subjects with longer radius which was less cervical curvature, head positioned more anteriorly than subjects with smaller radius, and they showed slightly straight cervical vertebra. 2. Between the patients and the control group, there were no differences in cervical curvature, in forward head position by plumb line and in CROM. But the patient group had a greater cervical inclination than the control group had. 3. There were positive correlation between cervical curvature and forward head position by plumbline,between forward head position y plumb line and that by CROM in patient group. The cervical inclination, however, had negative correlation with cervical curvature, and with forward head postion by plumb line, respectively. 4. In case of showing more cervical curvature and more forward head position by plumb line the head position was defined as forward head posture. In patient group, subjects without forward head posture showed greater posterior teeth contact force than subjects with forward head posture, but in control group, there were no difference between the two subjects. 5. There were higher electromyographic activity in almost all muscles and smaller freeway space in induced forward head posture than those in natural head position in subjects without forward head posture. In conclusion, head position of patients with craniomandibular disorders were not more anterior than that of normal control person, but they had tendency to head extension. From the result of this study, forward head posture could be defined as posterior rotation of upper cervical segment with a straight lower cercial segment due to loss of normal lordosis.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.1513-1516
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of upper thoracic mobilization on cervical alignment in stroke patients with forward head posture. The subject's of this study were two stroke patients with forward head posture and a cervical curve angle (four-line Cobb's method; FLCM) less than $40^{\circ}$. The intervention, central posterior-anterior (PA) mobilization, was applied to the T1-T4 vertebrae (upper thoracic spine) following the Maitland concept. This mobilization was applied three times per week for four weeks. In the results, the cervical curve angle (FLCM) increased for both subject 1 and 2. However, Jochumsen method score was decreased in subject 1, while it was increased in subject 2. These results demonstrate that upper thoracic mobilization had the positive effect on the cervical curve angle but not on Jochumsen method score. These findings suggest that PA mobilization on the upper thoracic spine could correct cervical curve angle measured by FLMC in stroke patients with FHP.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.292-296
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• 2016

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of modified cervical exercise on respiratory functions in smartphone users with forward head posture. Methods: Thirty-three smartphone users with forward head posture participated in this study. Subjects were divided into three groups that performed modified cervical exercise one time a day (A group), two times a day (B group), and three times a day (C group). All subjects performed the exercise for four weeks, during which time respiratory functions were measured. Results: There were significant differences in respiratory functions such as forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume at one second, and maximal voluntary ventilation in the C group after four weeks (p<0.05). Moreover, the forced vital capacity differed among groups, and the post hoc test revealed a significant difference between A group and C group (p<0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study confirmed that modified cervical exercise improved respiratory functions in smartphone users with forward head posture. These findings indicate that smartphone users with forward head posture should perform modified cervical exercise to build correct posture and respiratory functions.