• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.89-95
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• 2018

PURPOSE: We aimed to study the effect of head-lift exercise on the neck strength and swallowing function in patients with stroke. METHODS: Our study included 20 patients with stroke hemiparesis. All patients were randomly allocated to either the head-lift exercise or the conventional swallowing therapy group, and each group included 10 patients. All patients underwent the exercise over a mean period of 30 min daily for 6 weeks. Neck strength and swallowing function were assessed prior to and 6 weeks following the training period. We used a paired t-test to compare the within-group change before and after the intervention. We used an independent t-test to compare the between-group difference. The statistical significance level was set at ${\alpha}=.05$ for all variables. RESULTS: The head-lift exercise group showed a significant within-group change in terms of the neck strength and swallowing function (p<.05). The conventional swallowing therapy group also showed a statistically significant change (p<.05). A statistically significant difference was observed between the head-lift exercise and the conventional swallowing therapy group with regard to the change in both, the neck strength and swallowing function after application of the intervention (p<.05). CONCLUSION: This study provides valuable information for future studies in this field. Further studies involving a wider range of patients and a longer experiment span are required to strengthen the results of our study.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.9-16
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• 2007

Cricopharyngeal dysphagia(CPD), a common condition in the dysphagic patient, refers to the dysfunction of the upper esophageal sphincter complex(UESC), which is composed of the cricopharyngeus, inferior pharyngeal constrictor and the upper segment of the cervical esophagus. Primary CPD is the disease entity solely confined to dysfunctional UESC, while secondary CPD encompasses various conditions that accompany UESC dysfunction. For proper diagnosis and treatment of such entity, a thorough understanding of the complex anatomy and physiology of the upper esophageal sphincter. Adequate relaxation of the cricopharyngeal muscle in conjunction with anterosuperior excursion of the larynx by suprahyoid muscles and propulsion of food bolus are prerequisite for normal swallow, mechanisms of which if altered result in cricopharyngeal dysfunction. Of the various methods used for the diagnosis of cricopharyngeal dysphagia, videofluoroscopy remains the method of choice. Mechanical dilatation of the cricopharayngeus, cricopharyngeal myotomy and botulinum toxin injection and head-lift exercise have been used in clinical practice to relieve dysphagia in such patients. Such procedures have therapeutic effect in primary CPD, but so often fail to relieve swallowing dysfunction in patient with secondary CPD. We herein explain ancillary procedures that support these primary treatment options, which lead to successful treatment of dysphagia.