• 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.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.41-49
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• 2022

Background: In patients with forward head posture (FHP), the head is positioned forward, causing increased tension in the muscles and structures of the head, neck, and shoulders. This can result in joint dysfunction that may lead to abnormal afferent information. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect on foot pressure through the isometric hip abduction (IHA) bridge exercise using elastic bands in patients with FHP. Methods: Twenty patients with FHP were randomly assigned to a study group that applied joint mobilization, soft tissue mobilization, a deep neck flexor strengthening exercise, and the IHA bridge exercise using an elastic band. A control group was also constituted, and members were given joint mobilization, soft tissue mobilization therapies, and the deep neck flexor strengthening exercise. Ten patients were assigned to each group. The static foot pressure and dynamic foot pressure of each patient were measured before and after the intervention, and the interventions for each group were applied twice a week for 4 weeks. Results: Both the study group and the control group showed significant differences in static and dynamic foot pressure before and after the interventions (p<.05). There were no significant differences in foot pressure between the study and control groups. Conclusion: : The results of this study revealed that there were no significant differences between the group doing the IHA bridge exercise using the elastic band and the control group. However, the intervention methods applied to both the groups were effective in improving the body center control of FHP patients.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.291-294
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• 2017

It is known that laptop computer stand is helpful to maintain the good posture while using laptop computer on the desk. But the quantitative validation of its effect has not been reported. Using the wearable neck posture tracker, the forward flexion angle of the neck can be measured in daily life. In this study, the forward flexion angles of the neck while using the laptop computer with and without laptop computer stand were compared. From the posture data of 10 subjects for 6 hours, the average of the forward flexion angle was 0.9 degree with laptop computer stand and 16.3 degree without laptop computer stand. As the conclusion, laptop computer stand can decrease the forward flexion angle which is known as forward head posture while using the laptop computer on the desk.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.121-132
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• 2018

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of type of exercise on neck disability, pain, and postural changes in subjects with forward head posture. METHODS: Two independent researchers conducted a search using KISS, RISS, DBpia (domestic), PubMed, OVID, and Science Direct (overseas) databases. We selected randomized controlled clinical trials by searching using the terms "forward head posture", "exercise therapy", and "therapeutic exercise". Studies published from 2007 to December 2017 were included. PEDro Scale was used to evaluate the quality of the selected studies, and meta-analysis was conducted using the CMA program. This review was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42018068633). RESULTS: Of the total 13768 studies searched, 17 were selected. Positive effects on neck disability were achieved with the base and biomechanical elements (ES=1.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] .49 to 2.75) as well as base, modulator, and biomechanical elements (ES=1.50, 95% [CI] .69 to 2.30). Neck pain improved with the base, modulator, and biomechanical elements (ES=1.96, 95% [CI] 1.08 to 2.82), while postural changes improved with biomechanical elements (ES=1.45, 95% [CI] .64 to 2.25). Additionally, type of exercise had a positive effect. CONCLUSION: The most effective exercises for neck disability are of the base and biomechanical elements, while the most effective types for neck pain are of the base, modulator, and biomechanical elements and the most effective exercise for posture is of biomechanical elements. Combined exercises targeting biomechanical elements were effective at treating disability, pain, and postural changes.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.278-283
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• 2018

Nowdays, many people suffer from the neck pain due to forward head posture(FHP) and text neck(TN). To assess the severity of the FHP and TN the craniovertebral angle(CVA) is used in clinincs. However, it is difficult to monitor the neck posture using the CVA in daily life. We propose a new method using the cervical flexion angle(CFA) obtained from a wearable sensor to monitor neck posture in daily life. 15 participants were requested to pose FHP and TN. The CFA from the wearable sensor was compared with the CVA observed from a 3D motion camera system to analyze their correlation. The determination coefficients between CFA and CVA were 0.80 in TN and 0.57 in FHP, and 0.69 in TN and FHP. From the monitoring the neck posture while using laptop computer for 20 minutes, this wearable sensor can estimate the CVA with the mean squared error of 2.1 degree.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.15-23
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• 2019

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the myofascial meridians release technique on pain and postural control of college students with forward head posture and to compare the intervention effects of the Grastone massage and the Rollfing massage. METHODS: Thirty subjects with forward head posture were randomly and equally allocated to experimental group I (myofascial meridians release technique using Grastone massage, n=15) or experimental group II (myofascial meridians release using Rollfing massage, n=15). All subjects underwent 30 minutes of different myofascial meridians release techniques in addition to general physical therapy (hot pack: 15 min, interferential current therapy: 15 min, ultra sound: 5 min) three times a week for a total of 6 weeks. Outcome was measured before and after 4 weeks of intervention. RESULTS: In both groups, the numerical rating scale of pain was significantly decreased after intervention, with experimental group I showing a greater decrease than experimental group II. The neck disability index decreased significantly after intervention in both groups, with experimental group I showing a significantly greater decrease than the controls. The distance of the head forward displacement did not differ significantly between the two groups (p>.05). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the Grastone method combined with the myofascial meridians release technique is a more effective intervention for improvement of pain and postural control in adults with moderate forward head posture.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.49-52
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• 2020

The most common cause of primary hyperparathyroidism is a single adenoma accounts for more than 85% and about 1-2% in multiple occurrence. The adenoma arises mainly in the neck and rarely in the mediastinum. The simultaneous occurrence is extremely rare. A 73-year-old man came to our clinic complained about sense of falling forward during last eight months. The brain MRI and vestibular function test showed non-specific findings but total calcium and intact parathyroid hormone levels were markedly elevated. Radiologic studies and sesta-MIBI scan revealed multiple masses in lower paratracheal area and superior mediastinum. We performed mass excision with transcervical approach and all of them were diagnosed as parathyroid adenoma. After surgery, intact PTH and calcium levels returned to the normal range and his symptoms were dramatically improved. We report the unique and rare disease entity with a brief literature review.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2017

Background: This study was carried out to compare the effects of shoulder stabilization exercise and thoracic extension exercise including deep neck flexor exercise on posture and pain targeting physical therapists and occupational therapists with forward head posture. Methods: A total of 30 physical therapists and occupational therapists (15 males, 15 females), who are working in the nursing hospital at Daejeon, were randomly divided into a shoulder stabilization group (n=10), a thoracic extension exercise (n=10), and a control group (n=10), and 3 times were carried out for 8 weeks. Results: In the results of all measurements, 2 groups except for the control group showed a significant change in the recovery of forward head posture, and the should stabilization exercise group showed a relatively superior effect compared to the thoracic extension exercise group. Conclusions: These results of a study will be a basic data for the development of the forward head posture exercise therapy program.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.19 no.1 s.27
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• pp.45-59
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• 1989

This study was undertaken to analyze the displacement and stress distribution in the mandible according to the pulling directions during mandibular first molar cervical traction after mandibular second molar extraction. The 3-dimensional finite element method(FEM) was used for a mathematical model composed of 594 elements and 1019 nodes. An orthodontic force, 450 gm, was applied to the each mandibular first molar in parallel, and below the occlusal plane by $7^{\circ}\;and\;25^{\circ}$ and meet the midsagittal plane by $40^{\circ}$ toward posterior direction. The results were as follows: 1. Mandibular teeth were displaced in more downward, posterior and lateral direction. Especially high stress was noted in case of parallel pull than in case of below the occlusal plane by $7^{\circ}\;and\;25^{\circ}$. 2. Mandibular first molar was moved bodily. 3. Generally, alveolar bone, mandibular body, ascending ramus and mandibular angle portion were displaced in downward, posterior and lateral direction. But coronoid process was displaced in downward, forward and lateral direction, and anterior and inner middle portion of condyle head and neck were displaced in downward, forward and medial direction, and posterior and outer middle portion of condyle head and neck were displaced in upward, forward and medial direction. 4. Maximum stress was observed at the condyle head and neck portion. With steeper direction of force, condyle head and neck showed more stress than parallel relation to the occlusal plane.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.9 no.12
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• pp.208-215
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of deep neck flexion exercise(DNFE) and thoracic range of motion exerecise(TROM) on the pain and forward head position(FHP) in stroke patients. Thirty-six patients were randomly assigned to DNFE group, TROM group, and control group. pre and post intervention, pain(VAS), Craniovertebral angle(CVA), cranial rotation angle(CRA), FHP, and TROM were measured. As a result. The DNFE group and the TROM group showed significant differences in VAS, CVA, CRA, FHP, and TROM pre and post intervention(p <.05), and the two groups showed VAS, CVA, CRA, FHP, and TROM compared to the control group (p <.05). In conclusion, in patients with stroke, DNFE and TROM were effective in restoring FHP and neck pain. We hope that they will be used in the interventional program for stroke patients in clinical practice.