• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
• /
• v.11 no.4
• /
• pp.2237-2243
• /
• 2020

Background: The myofascial release technique is known to be an effective technique for increasing posterior fascia flexibility in short hamstring syndrome (SHS) subjects. But therapeutic mechanism of myofascial relaxation remains unclear. Recently, the theory of autonomic nervous system domination has been raised, however, a proper study to test the theory has not been conducted. Objectives: To investigate whether the application of the myofascial release technique can induce changes in the autonomic nervous system and affect the secretion of stress hormones and myofascial relaxation. Design: Quasi-experimental study. Methods: Twenty-four subjects with SHS were randomly divided into two groups. In the experimental group, the suboccipital muscle inhibition (SMI) technique was applied to the subjects for 4 min in supine position, and in the control group, the subjects were lying in the supine position only. A forward flexion distance (FFD) was conducted, blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol levels were measured before and after the intervention and 30 min after intervention to determine myofascial relaxation and stress hormone levels. The evaluation was conducted separately in blind by an evaluator. Results: A FFD decreased in the experimental group, no change in cortisol was observed. On the contrary, a decrease in cortisol appeared in the control group after 30 minutes. Conclusion: The myofascial release technique is an effective treatment to increase the range of motion through posterior superior myofascial chain, but there is no evidence that myofascial release technique can control the autonomic nervous system.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.13-22
• /
• 2021

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a virtual reality-based occupational therapy program on the physical function and learning ability of intellectually disabled school-aged children. Methods : In this study, 20 intellectually disabled children of school age were randomly and evenly divided into experimental and control groups with children in the experimental group receiving a virtual reality-based occupational therapy intervention. The study adopted a pretest-posttest design. The intervention was conducted for a total of 12 sessions for six weeks, twice a week, and 50 minutes per session. As measurement tools, BOT-2 and grooved pegboard tests were used to compare physical function before and after the intervention program, and K-ABC was used to check changes in learning ability. Results : The occupational therapy program produced a significant improvement in both physical function and learning ability of the experimental group. A significant difference was observed between the experimental and control groups. Conclusion : This study confirmed the value and usefulness of virtual reality-based occupational therapy as a tool for enhancing the physical function and learning ability of intellectually disabled school-aged children. Based on the results, a variety of future studies are encouraged that would further test the effects of the occupational therapy program used here.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• v.11 no.4
• /
• pp.571-578
• /
• 2022

Objective: Cognitive-motor trainings had a positive impact on cognitive function and dual-task trainings led to improvements of global cognitive function. The brain activity of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is another indicator that can infer cognitive function. This study aims to confirm the usability of the interactive system cognitive-motor training program and the changes in the prefrontal cortex through training. Design: Cross-sectional study Methods: In this study, two cognitive tasks were randomly applied to 20 adults as cognitive-motor training using an interactive system, and the same task was performed using the original method. During all tasks, the brain activity of the prefrontal cortex was measured by the change in oxyhemoglobin (HbO) in real-time using Functional Near-Infrastructure. After performing the tasks, the usability of the developed interactive system was evaluated by a usability questionnaire which consists of five items, and each item consists of a 7-point Likert scale that responds from 1 point to 7 points. Results: The HbO levels were increased during cognitive task performance than at the resting phase. And evaluating the usefulness of the interactive system, a questionnaire result showed that it would be useful for cognitive-motor programs. Conclusions: The cognitive-motor training using the interactive system increased the activity of the prefrontal cortex, and the developed wearable sensor-based interactive system confirmed its usefulness.

• East Asian Journal of Business Economics (EAJBE)
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.83-94
• /
• 2022

Purpose - Vietnam's education system has undergone numerous changes. One of the significant reforms is the college admissions process which all high school seniors are obliged to go through the High School Graduation Examination (HSGE). Despite its significance, there is lack of research to examine the effects of high-stakes and nationally standardized exams on students' learning experiences. By applying the concept of washback, the purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive qualitative analysis of students' perceptions and learning experiences when preparing for and taking the HSGE. Research design, data, and methodology - 20 high school seniors were participated in this study. This study utilized a stratified sampling methods and randomly selected participants. Result - This study revealed that the washback effect of the HSGE strongly existed in students' learning experiences. This study also found that there is a negative washback effect of the HSGE on students' learning, particularly for those living in rural areas although Vietnamese schools and communities shared unequal educational and socioeconomic resources. Conclusion - The results of this study would be useful for policymakers to provide better assessment system to enhance students' ability and reduce exam pressure. This study also makes suggestions in regard to bringing more formative types of assessment into the high-stakes and nationally standardized exam.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.278-292
• /
• 2023

Objective: This study was performed to investigate the effects of thoracic joint mobilization and breathing exercises on diaphragmatic thickness, chest expansion, respiratory function, and endurance in patients with chronic stroke. Design: Randomized controlled trial Methods: The study included 24 chronic stroke patients who were randomly divided into two groups. The experimental group (12 people) performed 15 minutes of thoracic joint mobility exercises and 15 minutes of breathing exercises, three times a week for 6 weeks, 30 minutes each time. The control group (12 people) received 15 minutes of conservative physical therapy and 15 minutes of breathing exercises, 3 times a week for 6 weeks, 30 minutes per session, the same as the experimental group. The experimental and control groups performed the same breathing exercises. To assess training effectiveness, changes in diaphragm thickness, chest expansion, respiratory function, and endurance were measured. Results: As a result, the experimental group exhibited significant improvements in diaphragm thickness, chest expansion, and respiratory function. The endurance mode also displayed significant enhancement (p<0.05), a finding consistent with the control group. However, the experimental group displayed more substantial improvements in non-affected diaphragm thickness and thoracic expansion compared to the control group (p<0.05). Conclusions: Drawing from these findings, breathing exercise which combine thoracic mobilization, will be actively utilized in addition to physical therapy interventions in clinical trials as an effective intervention method.

• The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.59-64
• /
• 2024

The small tracking radar randomly changes the transmission period to avoid deceptive signals such as RGPO (Range Gaet Pull Off) operated on the target. Since the code repeats after a specific section, it becomes difficult to avoid a deceptive signal when the repetition is exposed. In this paper, a more realistic transmission pulse code is generated by adding random code generation through FPGA and system white noise. We present the research results of code generation that generates PRF that can avoid repetition while using pseudo-random code in EPROM using FPGA. Also, the result of designing random PRF pulse was confirmed by applying it to tracking radar.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.315-323
• /
• 2024

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of active and passive soft tissue mobilization and active stretching on pain, functional disability, and flexibility in patients with nonspecific low back pain (NS-LBP). Specifically, it compared the effectiveness of these interventions when applied to the hamstring muscles. Design: A randomized controlled trial Methods: A total of 45 participants (mean age: 23.03±3.90 years) with NS-LBP were randomly assigned into three groups: active soft tissue mobilization (ASM) group (n=15), passive soft tissue mobilization (PSM) group (n=15), and hamstring active stretching (AS) group (n=15). The interventions were conducted for 20 minutes, three times a week, for four weeks. Outcome measures included pain assessed by the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), functional disability measured by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and flexibility assessed using the Sit and Reach Test and Passive Straight Leg Raise (PSLR) test. Results: The ASM group showed a significant reduction in NPRS scores (p<0.01) and ODI scores (p<0.01) compared to the PSM and AS groups. The ASM group also demonstrated significant improvements in flexibility in both the Sit and Reach Test (p<0.01) and PSLR test (p<0.01) compared to the other groups. Conclusions: Active soft tissue mobilization was more effective than passive soft tissue mobilization and active stretching in reducing pain, improving functional disability, and enhancing flexibility in patients with NS-LBP. These findings suggest that active interventions should be prioritized for managing NS-LBP.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.324-331
• /
• 2024

Objective: This study aimed to explore the effects of a novel training program that integrates ultrasound technology to enhance the palpation skills of physical therapy students. The program was designed to support students in developing more precise palpation techniques by using ultrasound as a supplementary tool for anatomical identification. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Methods: A total of twenty students, all enrolled in the physical therapy department at S University, who met the specified selection criteria, were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the experimental group (EG, n=10) or the control group (CG, n=10). The experimental group participated in an ultrasound-assisted palpation training program, while the control group did not receive this intervention. Results:The experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in their ability to accurately palpate anatomical landmarks, specifically the long head of the biceps brachii (LHBT) and the lateral joint line of the knee (LJLK), as well as an increased level of confidence in their palpation skills (p<0.05). A comparative analysis of changes from pre- to post-training revealed statistically significant differences between the two groups (p<0.05). Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that the ultrasound-assisted training program can provide valuable educational benefits, offering foundational data to enhance the development of palpation skills in physical therapy students and making a meaningful contribution to educational research within the field.

• PNF and Movement
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.217-227
• /
• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) exercises on the neck disability index and deep neck flexor endurance of acute whiplash injury patients and to provide basic data for PNF exercises for musculoskeletal system disorder patients. Methods: Twenty acute whiplash injury patients were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=10) and were treated with PNF exercises whereas a control group (n=10) underwent general exercises. Each session lasted 15 minutes and was performed five times a week for two weeks. The degree of pain was assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the degree of neck disability was measured by the neck disability index (NDI). Craniocervical flexor endurance (CCFE) tests were conducted to measure deep neck flexor endurance. Results: In terms of the intragroup changes in VAS, NDI, and CCFE, there were significant decreases in both the experimental and the control groups. After intervention, there were significant differences between the experimental group and the control group in terms of intergroup changes in VAS, NDI and CCFE. Conclusion: Although the exercises that are generally applied to acute whiplash injury patients are effective on the whole, PNF exercises are considered to be beneficial, given the improvements in the neck disability index and deep neck flexor endurance.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the Otago exercise combined with action observation training on changes of the brain activity of the elderly. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Thirty elderly women in the experiment were included. Participants were randomly assigned to the Otago combined with action observation training group, the Otago exercise group, and the control group (10 in each group). The Otago combined with action observation training group and the Otago exercise group performed the strength and balance exercises of the Otago exercise program for 50 minutes three times a week for 12 weeks. The Otago combined with action observation training group underwent additional action observation training for the Otago movement for 20 minutes three times a week. No intervention was performed in the control group. PolyG-1 (LAXTHA Inc., Daejeon, Korea) was used to measure the changes in the brain activity following intervention. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare the effects among the groups and a post-hoc test was performed. Results: The relative mu rhythms in the F3, C3, and C4 regions were significantly increased in the Otago combined with action observation training group. Relative beta wave activity in the Fp1, F3, F3, and C3 regions was significantly increased in the Otago combined with action observation training group (p<0.05). Conclusion: The results indicated that the Otago exercise combined with action observation training was effective for promoting the brain activity of the elderly.